Innholdsfortegnelse for November/December 2020 i Louisiana Cookin'

FOR MANY OF US, the holidays are tied to special memories of favorite meals and recipes shared with loved ones. My family’s Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations just wouldn’t be the same without my mom’s breakfast casserole (served on the same Christmas china we used when I was growing up), my grandmother’s baked macaroni and cheese, or my great-aunt’s pralines, which I can never seem to replicate no matter how many times I make them. This year, I look forward to making new memories with some of the recipes included in this issue. Though our holiday celebrations may be scaled back this year, that doesn’t mean they can’t still be special. Throughout these pages, you’ll find plenty of inspiration to make this season a delicious one at home. Our Thanksgiving feast…

PECANS ARE UBIQUITOUS throughout the South during the winter, just in time for those holiday sides and desserts. Available both in-shell and shelled, Louisiana pecans add unmistakable flavor and crunch to many of the season’s best recipes, like pralines, pies, and sweet potato casserole. Here, we’ve come up with three exciting ways to incorporate pecans into your cooking this season with recipes for stuffed acorn squash, pork tenderloin, and muffins. PECAN RICE-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH MAKES 4 SERVINGS In this recipe, acorn squash is stuffed with a delectable mixture of rice, pecans, bacon, and cheese. 2 (1- to 1¼-pound) acorn squash, halved crosswise and seeded4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil¼ teaspoon kosher salt⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper4 slices thick-cut bacon¼ cup diced celery¼ cup chopped green onion1 (8.8-ounce) package ready-to-serve long-grain rice,…

It’s officially oyster season in Louisiana, and we couldn’t be more excited. Though oysters are technically available year-round in the Bayou State, it’s during the colder fall and winter months that these briny bivalves achieve their peak flavor and texture. Oysters taste like the water in which they were grown; as such, Louisiana oysters benefit from a mix of fresh water and salt water that combines to produce a sweet yet salty flavor and firm, meaty texture. For those who love raw oysters, Louisiana is home to countless seafood joints and oyster bars offering oysters on the half shell ready to be slurped down with cocktail sauce, a splash of hot sauce, or no accompaniments at all. Beyond eating them raw, there are many other ways to enjoy Louisiana oysters.…

TWO SISTERS are making their mark on Louisiana’s food scene with pepper jellies made with ingredients grown on family farmland. Kim White and Cindy Anders founded Bulldog Pepper Jelly after inheriting their grandparents’ farm in Lone Pine, a community in central Louisiana, where they grow peppers and harvest pecans to be made into perfectly spicy pepper jellies. The business began on a small scale when Kim and her husband moved to the farm permanently about 14 years ago. Kim started growing peppers in her garden and made a basic pepper jelly with jalapeños. “I had never found one that was really hot enough that I loved,” she says. Not long after, Kim started experimenting with other ingredients that had been grown on the farm. She harvested pecans for her pecan…

PIZZA BYRONZ BATON ROUGE The restaurant formerly known as Flambée Cafe rebranded and debuted an expanded menu in July. At Pizza Byronz, diners can enjoy pizza three different ways: classic, square-shaped, and flambée (“the French cousin” to pizza, with a flatbread crust). The pizzeria, which is part of the Bistro Byronz restaurant group, worked with Chef John Folse to develop its dough and sauces. The menu also offers pasta, burgers, hot sandwiches, and salads. facebook.com/pizzabyronz AVO TACO NEW ORLEANS New York-based taco joint AVO TACO opened its second location, in Port Orleans Brewing Co., this past summer after hosting a successful pop-up at the brewery last year. The new location is managed by Rooted Hospitality Group, which also manages the brand’s award-winning New York location. The New Orleans location serves…

THOUGH THESE COVID-19 DAYS have limited gatherings and robbed us of events, they have also brought back family meals and memories of simpler times. Especially at this time of year, when autumn’s collage of color blends into the crisp days of winter, my mind returns to family Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas Mass, and the joy of knowing a new year will soon arrive. In St. James Parish, sugarcane grinding began around October. The cane was cut and then burned to remove the sharp leaves, leaving only the cane to be processed. Raw sugar, brown sugar, and cane syrup were abundant gifts of the winter season. Of course, this was also hunting season. “WOODCOCK LIKED TO FEED IN THE RECENTLY STRIPPED CANE FIELDS, WHICH MEANT THE CANE FIELDS WERE OVERRUN AT DUSK…

NO BAYOU STATE KITCHEN is complete without a cast-iron pot or skillet. Oftentimes, cast-iron cookware is passed down through families, keeping our culinary traditions alive from one generation to the next. From gumbo and jambalaya to cracklin’s and dirty rice, many beloved Louisiana dishes begin in these time-honored vessels. Here are a few classic recipes with a twist to inspire your cast iron cooking this winter. PORK CRACKLIN’S MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS We tossed these crispy cracklin’s with a spicy, slightly sweet seasoning blend. 1 pound skin-on pork belly4 cups lard or vegetable oilCracklin’ Spice (recipe follows) 1. On a cutting board, trim a thin layer of pork from bottom side of pork belly. Reserve for another use. Turn pork belly skin side up, and cut into 1-inch pieces. 2.…

PUMPKIN BREAD WITH MOLASSES PRALINE CARAMEL MAKES 1 (8½X4½-INCH) LOAF This pumpkin bread is flecked with chopped pecans and generously drizzled with a praline-inspired molasses caramel sauce. 1½ cups canned pumpkin¾ cup granulated sugar½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar½ cup vegetable oil¼ cup unsulphured molasses1 teaspoon vanilla extract2 cups all-purpose flour1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice2 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt⅓ cup chopped pecansConfectioners’ sugar, for dusting Molasses Praline Caramel (recipe follows) 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray an 8½x4½-inch loaf pan with baking spray with flour. 2. In a large bowl, stir together pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, molasses, and vanilla. 3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, stirring to combine. Fold in pecans.…

GROWING UP IN SOUTH CAROLINA, Kelly Fields gained an appreciation of Southern baking at a young age. After two decades of mastering her craft, Kelly opened restaurant and bakery Willa Jean in New Orleans in 2015. Now, she is sharing more than 100 Southern baking recipes in her first cookbook, The Good Book of Southern Baking (Lorena Jones Books, 2020), coauthored by Kate Heddings. “I wrote this cookbook for all my guests who throughout the years would always ask for one,” Kelly says. “I wanted to put my favorite recipes together and share all of the delicious cakes, cookies, puddings, and more that I’ve loved baking throughout my career. With my book, I hope to inspire people to not be intimidated by baking and to start having some fun in…

WITH ALL THE COOKING that takes place during the holiday season, it’s nice to have an easy appetizer recipe up your sleeve. Crostini are an effortless yet elegant starter that make entertaining a breeze. One of the great things about crostini is that the toppings are customizable. In this recipe, a creamy ricotta cheese mixture is spread on toasted baguette rounds and topped with lightly spiced shrimp and chopped bell peppers. Serve them alongside Champagne or cocktails for a wonderful start to your holiday celebrations. SHRIMP AND BELL PEPPER CROSTINI MAKES 24 These crostini are an ideal way to start a holiday dinner with family and friends. ½ cup chopped red bell pepper½ cup chopped yellow bell pepper1½ tablespoons diced shallot1½ teaspoons olive oil1 teaspoon sherry vinegar¼ teaspoon kosher salt⅛…

I LEARNED EARLY IN MY CAREER that while chefs and restaurateurs are competitors, they are much better friends than foes. One late Sunday afternoon in 1978, Ruth Fertel, owner of Ruth’s Chris Steak House in New Orleans, dined at my Lafitte’s Landing in Donaldsonville. I had opened the previous July and was honored to have the Empress of Steak seated in my restaurant. I’m sure that Ruth understood from the sea of white tablecloths on vacant tables that I was in desperate need of business. That is when I learned about a restaurateur’s generous heart. After enjoying her meal, Ruth called me over. Following a little small talk, she said, “How much do you want for that framed painting hanging on the wall?” She had spied my original Mardi Gras…

SPICED NUT MIX MAKES 4 CUPS Spiced nuts are great to have on hand for last-minute gifts. This mix is infused with a savory herb blend for extra flavor. 1 egg white1 tablespoon herbes de Provence1 tablespoon garlic powder½ tablespoon sea salt1 teaspoon ground sage½ teaspoon smoked paprika½ teaspoon ground black pepper¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper4 cups raw mixed nuts 1. Preheat oven to 300°. Line a baking sheet with foil. 2. In a large bowl, whisk egg white until foamy. Add herbes de Provence, garlic powder, salt, sage, paprika, and peppers. Fold in nuts. Spread onto prepared pan. 3. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through baking. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month. INFUSED HONEY MAKES 1 (6- TO 8-OUNCE) JAR This honey…

WHEN IT COMES TO BREAKFAST, it’s hard to beat the combination that is sausage, eggs, and cheese. This recipe takes those ingredients and transforms them into delicious hand pies filled with scrambled eggs, Cheddar cheese, and andouille sausage for a little Louisiana flavor. Especially during the busy holiday season, having a breakfast that can be eaten out of hand is a time-saver. BREAKFAST HAND PIES MAKES 8 These hand pies are perfect for breakfast on the go. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter4 large eggs, divided1½ tablespoons heavy whipping cream, divided⅛ teaspoon Cajun seasoning⅓ cup diced cooked andouille sausage⅓ cup shredded Cheddar cheese2 tablespoons sliced green onion1 (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts 1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. In a large nonstick skillet, melt butter…

ONE YEAR, I was thinking up different holiday drinks I could make, just jotting down as many ideas as I could before I could test one, and I came up with a cranberry shrub, which is basically cranberries cooked with vinegar and a little bit of sugar and spice. When you make it, it’s exactly like making cranberry sauce—I basically took my Thanksgiving cranberry sauce recipe and then I added a healthy portion of rice wine vinegar to it. This drink, which I call Cranberry Sauce 75, is just about a half ounce of the shrub with a glass of nice, dry Champagne and a cinnamon stick or lemon twist for garnish. You can decorate it with an artful eye however you like. The idea was a drink that you…