Innholdsfortegnelse for March/April 2022 i Louisiana Cookin'

ONE OF MY EARLIEST food memories is my grandfather teaching me to peel boiled crawfish in my parents’ backyard. Up until that point, he or one of the other adults in the family had done the hard work for me, handing me a tail in between bites of their own. He showed me how to twist and pull the tail from the head, peel off the rings of shell around the tail meat, and pull the meat out of the remaining shell. My technique has vastly improved since those days, and I look forward to getting together with my family each spring for crawfish boils. We always have a blast coming up with new ingredients to add to the pot, and the memories we make standing around newspaper-lined tables and…

Miss River 2 Canal St. • New Orleans 504.434.5100 missrivernola.com IN A CITY KNOWN FOR BOLD FLAVORS and grand old restaurants that have served customers for a century, it isn’t often that a new restaurant aspires to join their ranks. Last fall, Chef Alon Shaya opened Miss River at the recently renovated Four Seasons Hotel on the banks of the Mississippi River in New Orleans. His interpretations of Crescent City classics, combined with gorgeous interiors and a celebratory atmosphere make the restaurant one of the most ambitious to come onto the scene since Chef John Folse’s Restaurant R’evolution in 2012. About 20 years ago, Alon moved to New Orleans and quickly built a reputation for himself, earning a James Beard Foundation Award along the way. In 2018, he opened the…

ORZO PASTALAYA MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS This easy and filling dish is like jambalaya but with rice-shaped pasta. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter1 (12-ounce) package andouille sausage, cut into ¼-inch slices1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces1 cup chopped yellow onion¾ cup chopped red bell pepper (about 1 bell pepper)¾ cup chopped green bell pepper (about 1 bell pepper)½ cup chopped celery2 teaspoons minced garlic2 sprigs fresh thyme1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes1 (16-ounce) package orzo1 pound peeled and deveined large fresh shrimp (tails left on)1 teaspoon kosher salt1 teaspoon Creole seasoning*½ teaspoon ground black pepperGarnish: sliced green onion 1. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add andouille, and cook until browned and crispy. Add chicken, and…

EACH SPRING, we sing the praises of Louisiana strawberries; we just can’t help it—they’re so sweet, juicy, and delicious! Their incredible flavor makes them the best ingredient for all your spring baking endeavors. During strawberry season, we’ll be whipping up a batch of these simple homemade Strawberry Shortcakes featuring angel biscuits. These light-as-air biscuits are made with three leavening agents: yeast, baking powder, and baking soda. This combination produces tall, tender, flaky biscuits that are the perfect vessel for sweetened strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream. STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES MAKES ABOUT 6 Sweet spring strawberries shine in this simple shortcake recipe featuring fluffy angel biscuits and homemade whipped cream. ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided1½ tablespoons warm water (105° to 110°)1 teaspoon active dry yeast2½ cups all-purpose flour1…

MID-SPRING IS THE PEAK of Louisiana’s crawfish season, and if folks aren’t gathering in backyards across the Bayou State to boil up sack after sack of the prized critters, they’re visiting their favorite local restaurants for a taste. Chef Marcus Jacobs made a name for himself at Marjie’s Grill in Mid-City New Orleans with his take on Vietnamese-style crawfish (shell-on boiled crawfish tossed in a spicy and aromatic butter sauce). At his new restaurant, Seafood Sally’s in the Riverbend neighborhood, Marcus takes a different approach to the beloved mudbug, dousing the tails with a savory and satisfying New Orleans-style barbecue sauce. Q How did you come up with this dish? It’s named after Louie Lipps, who was the owner of the Crab Trap restaurant in LaPlace. They opened in the…

CHEMIN À LA MER NEW ORLEANS Chef Donald Link’s latest restaurant, Chemin à la Mer, opened the day after Thanksgiving 2021 in the Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans. French for “pathway to the sea,” Chemin à la Mer blends Louisiana flavors with classic French technique. The menu showcases oysters, specialty steaks, and fresh seafood and incorporates flavors inspired by Donald’s Louisiana heritage and world travels. Signature dishes include Côte de Boeuf for Two, Pan-Seared Jumbo Shrimp with white beans and pistou, Snapper Ceviche, and more. fourseasons.com/neworleans ACADIAN SLICE PIES LAFAYETTE Korey Champagne started selling hand pies at the Lafayette Farmers and Artisans Market in 2016 before leaving his paramedic job to pursue baking full time. Soon, Korey will take his pies on the road when he finishes work on his…

THERE WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING happening on River Road where I grew up. Because there were six boys in a family of eight children, you can bet the Folse boys were always in the thick of things. One day, we decided to thumb a ride to Donaldsonville, just a few miles upriver. As we strolled through the metropolis, word on the street was about a St. Joseph altar on River Road in Abend, where Sicilian immigrants had settled at the turn of the century. We had heard about St. Joseph altars but had never seen one. A merciless drought in the Middle Ages killed Sicily’s vegetation, leaving the people to die of hunger and thirst. The poor people prayed to St. Joseph for intercession, promising to honor him perpetually on his…

CRAWFISH LETTUCE WRAPS MAKES 6 SERVINGS Crawfish tails are tossed in a delicious, aromatic sauce and served in lettuce leaves with crunchy toppings for a unique appetizer or snack. 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce1 tablespoon soy sauce1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar1 tablespoon fresh lime juice1½ teaspoons honey½ teaspoon lemongrass paste½ teaspoon ginger paste½ teaspoon Sriracha sauce2 cloves garlic, minced1 pound cooked crawfish tails, rinsed and drained18 butter lettuce leaves1 cup thinly sliced seedless cucumber1 cup julienned carrot¼ cup chopped cashews2 tablespoons sliced Fresno chile pepper 1. In a medium skillet, combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, lime juice, honey, lemongrass paste, ginger paste, Sriracha, and garlic. Heat over medium heat just until hot, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add crawfish; toss well to coat. 2. Arrange lettuce leaves on serving…

FOOD IS SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE in Louisiana. Throughout the year, the state plays host to a variety of festivals honoring our cuisine, and even festivals that aren’t dedicated to food allow visitors to indulge in local delicacies. With spring festival season in full swing, we’re paying homage to Bon Creole’s Crawfish Spinach Boat, a crowd favorite at Lafayette’s Festival International de Louisiane that features crawfish and spinach cream sauce served in a bread bowl. We were inspired by those flavors to create a creamy dip that can be enjoyed with toasted bread. CRAWFISH SPINACH DIP MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS This creamy, cheesy spinach dip packed with crawfish tails will become one of your go-to appetizers. ¼ cup unsalted butter1 cup sliced green onion (white part only)1 teaspoon finely chopped…

THE IMMEDIATE CONCEPTION of this cocktail, the Blackberry Lemonade Margarita, came from COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns. The Southern Hotel and the Cypress Bar had shut down, and my lead bartender and I started doing Facebook Lives for an hour on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. In the beginning, the videos were largely instructional, showing how to do infusions and making cocktails out of them. Pretty early on, viewers were asking what we could make with local ingredients. I told everybody to go out in their backyards, let me know what they had, and I would tell them what cocktails they could create from those ingredients. Fast-forward to when we decided the hotel was reopening in two days, and I needed to create a spring and summer menu. I live in Folsom, and…

IF THERE WERE ONLY ONE DISH that was essentially New Orleanian but relatively unknown outside the Crescent City, gumbo z’Herbes would be it. This gumbo, which eschews the typical seafood and chicken-and-sausage flavor combinations, centers on a variety of hearty greens that receive a flavor boost from smoked pork. Traditionally served on Holy Thursday (also known as Maundy Thursday), this annual dish sustains and invigorates Catholic diners for the Good Friday fast and has served as a community gathering point at a few Creole establishments, like Dooky Chase’s Restaurant. Traditional gumbo z’Herbes, which is short for the French gumbo aux herbes and pronounced “gumbo zerb,” “zab,” or “zeb,” starts with a collection of hearty greens (often including cabbage, radish and carrot tops, mustard greens, parsley, and watercress) and hunks of…

TROUT PICCATA MAKES 4 SERVINGS (photo on page 58) This lemony, buttery fish recipe is an elegant dish that comes together quickly. 4 (4-ounce) skin-on trout fillets1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided2 tablespoons olive oil1 shallot, thinly sliced2 teaspoons minced garlic3 tablespoons capers½ cup chicken broth¼ cup dry white wine¼ cup fresh lemon juice1 cup fresh arugula¼ cup shaved Parmesan cheese 1. Sprinkle fish with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. 2. In a shallow dish, place 1 cup flour. Dredge fish in flour, shaking off excess. 3. In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter with oil over medium-high heat. Add half of fish; cook until golden brown, 1½ to 2 minutes per…

THE MUFFULETTA is one of New Orleans’ most iconic sandwiches (along with the po’ boy). It came about in the early 20th century when Sicilian immigrant Salvatore Lupo, founder of Central Grocery in the French Quarter, began selling sandwiches assembled with cured meats, cheese, and olive salad on a round seeded loaf to farmers and fishermen looking for a portable meal. A relish of sorts, olive salad is a key ingredient of the muffuletta. This briny, marinated condiment is made with a mixture of green olives, black olives, pickled vegetables, capers, olive oil, vinegar, spices, and herbs. In addition to its use on muffulettas, olive salad is a popular condiment for other sandwiches and is used as a topping on salads, pasta salads, pizza, and more. OLIVE SALAD COCKTAIL MEATBALLS…

Recipe Index Appetizers Crawfish Spinach Dip, 83 Olive Salad Cocktail Meatballs, 85 Ricotta-and-Spring Vegetable Crostini, 72 Beverages Blackberry Lemonade Margarita, 93 Blackberry Simple Syrup, 93 Breads Carrot Muffins, 31 Oat Walnut Streusel, 31 Garlic Cloverleaf Rolls, 74 Breakfast Crawfish, Egg, and Bacon Breakfast Sandwiches, 47 Desserts Blueberry-Mint Cheesecake, 76 Carrot Cake Bread Pudding, 34 Cream Cheese Icing, 34 Strawberry Shortcakes, 81 Sweetened Whipped Cream, 81 Gumbo, Soups, and Stews Crawfish Boil Soup, 52 Gumbo z’Herbes, 38 Swordfish Court Bouillon, 61 Meat, Game, and Poultry Blackened Chicken Alfredo, 67 Italian Sausage- and Collard-Stuffed Shells, 65 Orzo Pastalaya, 64 Pepper Jelly-Glazed Ham, 76 Tasso Carbonara, 67 Sauces, Seasonings, and Condiments Celery Slaw, 62 Olive Salad, 85 Spicy Red Pepper Sauce, 46 Seafood Air Fryer Creole Shrimp Dinner, 25 Crawfish Cardinale, 54 Crawfish…