Innholdsfortegnelse for November/December 2019 i Louisiana Cookin'

THERE’S NOTHING like the sound of the trinity hitting hot roux, is there? And the smell of chicken and spicy andouille sausage bubbling on the stove while the Saints play in the background? Priceless. That’s how most of our Sundays in the fall and early winter go. As the leaves finally drop and Thanksgiving passes, we are constantly torn between which incredible Louisiana holiday events to experience. This year, we hope to make it up to Natchitoches with the girls for the Festival of Lights (and the Holiday Trail of Lights) and start a new family tradition of going to Lutcher on Christmas Eve for the lighting of the bonfires. No matter how long you’ve lived here, there are some exciting surprises in store for you this holiday season, and…

‘TIS THE SEASON FOR MARSHMALLOW-TOPPED SWEET POTATO CASSEROLES, and while we can’t argue with a classic, this year, we’re shaking things up with a few new ways to cook sweet potatoes. Whether you try our twice-baked sweet potatoes topped with tasso and cracklin’s, crispy hasselback sweet potatoes with pecans, or the shrimp and grits cake appetizer, you’re sure to have a crowd-pleaser for any parties you attend this holiday season. SWEET POTATO GRITS CAKES WITH SHRIMP MAKES 24 Sweet potatoes and rice grits form the base for these elegant, party-perfect appetizers. 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided1¾ teaspoons kosher salt, divided¾ teaspoon ground black pepper, divided1 cup rice grits*1 medium sweet potato, peeled and grated2 small Fresno peppers, seeded and thinly sliced1 tablespoon minced shallot24 large shrimp,…

WHEN A GUEST ARRIVES at Orlandeaux’s Café, located just a stone’s throw from Shreveport Regional Airport along Interstate 20, they could easily mistake themselves for having interrupted a very popular person’s birthday party. Zydeco and pop country blare at a nearly uncomfortable volume. No one in the crowded dining room appears to feel too obligated to remain seated at their own table. Platters of stuffed shrimp, smothered pork chops, and fried chicken livers crowd every flat surface. There may be a 15-minute wait to be seated, but when “The Love Slide” by Cupid comes over the satellite radio, the female servers are going to strike up a line dance and the cooks will gather in the service window to watch. In the midst of this revelry, the restaurant’s 30-year-old owner…

AT THE HEART of Cajun and Creole cuisine is a mixture of onions, celery, and bell peppers, collectively known as the “holy trinity.” Cooked together in oil or another fat, these vegetables build a foundation of flavor for many classic south Louisiana dishes, including gumbo, fricassees, and jambalaya. But the concept of a cooking trinity did not originate in southern Louisiana. Take a look at the cuisines of the nations and regions that influenced Cajun and Creole cooking, and you’ll notice they each have their own trinity. The French flavor their dishes with mirepoix, the Spanish use sofrito, and West African cooking typically starts with a mix of chile peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Try them out in our recipes for fricassee, jambalaya, and white beans. 1 SPAIN: SOFRITO Spanish cuisine…

The Bayou State is known for passing a good time at events throughout the year, but folks from Monroe to the banks of the mighty Mississippi and everywhere in between go even further during the holidays. From millions of twinkling lights to towering bonfires to help guide Papa Noël, there are a whole host of ways to fill up on seasonal cheer. Whether you’re the type of person who’d love to sing with hundreds of carolers in New Orleans’ Jackson Square or one who prefers the relatively quieter experience of viewing the lighted displays along Cane River, there are some memorable holiday experiences for you and your whole family. From the top of the Sportsman’s Paradise to way down the bayou, we say, “Heaux, heaux, heaux! Off we go!” 1…

GRAISON GILL is much more than a local baker. With his commitment to grinding fresh flour to use in his artisan breads and other products, he’s a culinary disruptor focused on the utmost integrity of his grains and the process he employs to honor those ingredients and the people who produced them. Backed by two stone mills, a new retail shop, and passionate employees and customers, Bellegarde Bakery boasts the largest operation in the United States exclusively using freshly milled flour. When you walk into the New Orleans retail shop tucked in a former neighborhood corner store, you see windows everywhere, providing a glimpse of the work behind these beautiful loaves of bread, which is intentional. Transparency is a core value of Bellegarde’s business. “There’s nothing to conceal in what…

THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER in New Orleans, Chef Phillip Lopez has become known for the avant-garde style of cooking he showcased at his former concepts Root and Square Root. Last year, Phillip was named executive chef at Galatoire’s Restaurant, the French Quarter institution known for its menu of timeless French Creole classics. He also leads Galatoire’s 33 Bar & Steak, the contemporary steak house adjacent to the historic restaurant. At Galatoire’s, he has been tasked with the unique job of refining dishes without changing the menu. We talked with Phillip about his influence in Galatoire’s kitchen and how he elevates local ingredients with modern techniques, resulting in dishes like his updated version of shrimp and grits. Q What’s been the best part about the last year at Galatoire’s? It’s been a crazy…

PALM & PINE NEW ORLEANS Amarys and Jordan Herndon opened their highly anticipated restaurant Palm & Pine on Rampart Street in July. The duo previously ran a pop-up called Old Portage. At Palm & Pine, the Herndons offer a casual fine-dining experience with a menu that draws inspiration from “The South, and South of That” (Louisiana and the South in general but also the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America). That results in mouthwatering dishes like Coconut Marinated Gulf Fish with jerk sweet potatoes and Drunk Shrimp with mezcal chile butter. palmandpinenola.com BAYOU RUM BARREL LIBRARY LACASSINE Last summer, Bayou Rum unveiled its new Barrel Library and Event Center. In addition to an expanded event space to host private events, the new center also gives Master Distiller and Operations Director Jeff…

AS SUMMER petered to a close in St. James Parish, wild black cherries were in season. That’s when we helped Daddy macerate the cherries in crock jars filled with brandy. Slowly, autumn arrived on the river, which meant harvesting persimmons, pecans, mandarins, squash, and, of course, sugarcane. Before we knew it, bonfire season was upon us. When the last school bell rang indicating that Thanksgiving vacation had begun, all hands were on deck to start gathering the necessary tools to create St. James Parish’s best bonfire for the Christmas season. Now, it always seemed that a leader with managerial skills somehow “rose to the surface,” so to speak. As the second-eldest Folse son, I quite often took that position. In our early years, we made the traditional cone or pyramid-style…

BOUDIN-STUFFED TURKEY ROULADE MAKES 6 SERVINGS (photo on page 38) This simple and stunning Thanksgiving roulade is stuffed with boudin for a Cajun twist. 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and divided¼ cup finely chopped red onion¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper4 cloves garlic, minced½ pound boudin sausage, casings removed1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning1 (2¾- to 3-pound) whole skin-on boneless turkey breast, trimmed (2 breasts)*2¾ teaspoons kosher salt, divided1½ teaspoons garlic powder1½ teaspoons ground black pepper, divided1 tablespoon vegetable oil2 cups filtered apple cider1 cup heavy whipping cream1½ teaspoons chopped fresh sage1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepperGarnish: fresh sage leaves, groundblack pepper 1. In a 10-inch stainless steel skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until…

WITH ITS LIGHT AND AIRY TEXTURE, angel food cake is one of our favorite desserts. Better yet, it’s deceivingly simple to make, requiring only a handful of ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. This cake is utter perfection on its own but is even better dressed up with whipped cream and juicy satsuma segments. SATSUMA ANGEL FOOD CAKE MAKES 1 (10-INCH) CAKE This angel food cake has a beautiful vanilla flavor that pairs well with whipped cream and fresh Louisiana citrus. 1½ cups bleached cake flour2 cups granulated sugar, divided2 teaspoons vanilla extract2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved, divided2 cups egg whites, room temperature(about 14 large eggs)1 teaspoon cream of tartar½ teaspoon kosher salt2 teaspoons satsuma zest½ cup cold heavy whipping cream2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugarGarnish:…

NEW ORLEANS IS A COCKTAIL TOWN, and since it first opened seven decades ago, the Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone has enticed guests to take a coveted seat at the bar and enjoy one of its artfully crafted drinks. With an alluring selection of specialty cocktails (including a few that were first created at the famed bar), live music performances, and knowledgeable bartenders, the Carousel Bar remains a favorite of both locals and tourists. The city’s only revolving bar was first installed at the Hotel Monteleone in 1949. The bar turns on 2,000 large steel rollers and makes one full rotation every 15 minutes, allowing patrons to overlook bustling Royal Street as they spin past the large fan windows. With its authentic carousel top, which was installed in 1992,…

Louisiana may be best-known for its Cajun and Creole cuisines, but that’s not the whole story. The French and Caribbean cultures that contributed to those styles were most prevalent in south Louisiana. The food culture of Shreveport and many other places in north Louisiana is much closer to classic Southern soul food than to the étouffées and jambalayas of the southern reaches of the Bayou State. Minden native Chef Hardette Harris returned to the Shreveport area after working for more than a decade in Texas to find that Cajun and Creole flavors were, in a sense, taking over. The fried chicken, hard-fried catfish, tender greens, and spicy pintos of her youth were still there but weren’t really getting any attention, so she began a series of pop-up dinners, workshops, and…

COVER RECIPE SPICED RUM PECAN PIE MAKES 1 (9-INCH) DEEP-DISH PIE The holidays just aren’t complete without a pecan pie on the table. This deep-dish version gets a delicious kick from homemade Spiced Rum. Piecrust (recipe follows)½ cup granulated sugar2 tablespoons all-purpose flour2 cups light corn syrup1½ cups firmly packed dark brown sugar½ cup unsalted butter, melted6 large eggs, lightly beaten3 tablespoons Spiced Rum (recipe follows)1 teaspoon kosher salt3½ cups pecan halves 1. Preheat oven to 375°. 2. On a lightly floured surface, roll Piecrust to a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, pressing into bottom and up sides. Fold edges under, and crimp as desired. 3. In a large bowl, whisk together granulated sugar and flour. Add corn syrup, brown sugar, and melted butter, whisking to…

FALL AND WINTER in Louisiana are prime duck-hunting season. Wild duck meat is a great addition to all kinds of dishes, including one of our all-time favorite appetizers, the jalapeño popper. Filled with goat cheese, topped with a slice of duck breast, wrapped in smoky bacon, and drizzled with cane syrup, our Duck Poppers will be one of the best bites you’ll taste all season. DUCK POPPERS MAKES 24 Stuffed with a creamy, spicy cheese mixture and duck breast, these jalapeño poppers are the ultimate game day or party snack. 4 ounces goat cheese2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning¼ teaspoon garlic powder12 small jalapeños, halved lengthwise, seeded1 (8-ounce) duck breast, fat removed, sliced into 24 pieces12 slices bacon, halved crosswiseGarnish: cane syrup, ground black…

LIFE IN NEW ORLEANS can be characterized by the rhythmic liturgy of its holidays and seasonal celebrations. It should come as no surprise that these celebrations are more often about the food and festivities surrounding them than they are about the holidays themselves. With Julia Reed’s New Orleans: Food, Fun, and Field Trips for Letting the Good Times Roll (Rizzoli, 2019), the latest cookbook from Julia Reed, the author and humorist provides glimpses into her own masterful approach to these seasons with all the sharp wit and stylish hospitality for which she is known. Julia Reed’s New Orleans forms nine chapters around a collection ofparties held in picturesque New Orleans venues. Julia provides a full menu of recipes for each fête, accompanied by songs and playlists to help set the…

THE FLIP COCKTAIL has been around for centuries, with the first mention of it appearing in writing in the late 1600s. Popular among sailors in England, the cocktail was a mixture of beer, rum, molasses, and egg, which was combined and then heated on the stove. In colonial America, the drink was heated using an iron tool called a “flip-dog” or “loggerhead,” which was heated and then used to stir the drink. Today, the flip is served cold and is usually made with sherry or brandy. In this version, which I named Flippin’ Bananas, I used Sacred Bond, a 100-proof, bottled-in-bond brandy distilled by Heaven Hill. It is distilled in copper pot stills the same way it was 75 years ago. Crème de banane lends an even richer flavor profile…