Innholdsfortegnelse for May/June 2023 i Louisiana Cookin'

When we started the LA 31 Food & Travel Awards in 2018, we wanted another vehicle inside Louisiana Cookin’ to shine a spotlight on some of the flavors, locations, and experiences we loved across the Bayou State. Over the last four years, we’ve highlighted some really terrific elements of Louisiana culture, and, folks, we’re just getting started. This year’s list includes tried-and-true bites from places like Li’l Dizzy’s Café in New Orleans and Lake Charles’ Pat’s of Henderson alongside some equally worthy (and lesser-known) dishes from Nobile’s Restaurant & Bar in Lutcher and Mustang Lucy Cafe in Winnsboro. For those four winners and the 27 more, check out the LA 31 Food & Travel Awards on page 35. There are a few terrific recipes in that awards feature (Baked Alaska,…

BEFORE SUMMER’S TRUE nature shows itself, folks around Louisiana are treated to a bounty of berries (along with the last gasps of citrus season). Thankfully, the Bayou State is dotted with terrific orchards for picking, farmers’ markets for perusing, and roadside stands stocked with plump, juicy specimens. Strawberry season tapers by the end of May in most parts of the state, but thankfully, that’s just about when blackberries and blueberries begin to make their annual appearance. While berries are most obviously delightful in desserts, they can also brighten up salads and entrées. Here, you’ll find a simple strawberry and aged rum barbecue sauce that works as a terrific accompaniment to pork and chicken dishes. To grow your own berries, visit the LSU AgCenter website (lsuagcenter.com) for great tips on choosing…

Chef Ross Dover Palmetto’s on the Bayou 1901 Bayou Ln. • Slidell palmettosrestaurant.com LAST SPRING, BENEATH A CANOPY OF GRAND OAKS and cypress trees in Slidell, Ross Dover found his dream job at the waterfront haven known as Palmetto’s on the Bayou. The celebrated chef hung up his apron in the Big Easy and set out for the Northshore, bringing with him a talent for elevated Louisiana cuisine and a determination to make his new post a culinary destination. Ross came to New Orleans from his hometown of Houma, where he earned his chops working in local mom-and-pop restaurants and eventually attended culinary school nearby at the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University. While there, he landed an externship at Restaurant August, a sophisticated French-inspired spot in…

WARMER MONTHS BRING A BOUNTY OF PEPPERS to the Bayou State. From sweet bell peppers to scorching-hot 7 Pot Primos (similar to a Carolina Reaper), these capsicums add flavor, depth, and beauty to a summer meal. GRILLED CHICKEN WITH PICKLED PEPPER RELISH MAKES 4 SERVINGS This tart and spicy relish also pairs nicely with beef and pork. 1 yellow bell pepper, halved1 orange bell pepper, halved1 red bell pepper, halved½ cup finely chopped seeded jalapeño2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided3 tablespoons sugar3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar4 boneless skinless chicken breasts1 tablespoon olive oil2 tablespoons no-salt Creole seasoning* 1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly charred, 7 to 10 minutes. Let cool slightly. Finely chop, and place in a heatproof bowl; add…

CHEF VU “PHAT” LE has one goal with his food: to take your taste buds around the world and back again. The brilliant co-owner of Chow Yum Phat in Baton Rouge calls on countless culinary techniques and flavors to influence a day-to-day menu, and the same can be said for his Roasted Tomato Harissa. Sticking to a singular cooking style has never interested Vu, so melding traditional Asian and Cajun elements for this flavor-packed recipe came naturally. For Vu, the key to enjoying what you cook is playfulness and experimentation, adding bits and pieces from other cultures and cuisines you enjoy. It’s all about taking what you already love and using what’s in reach to inspire, elevate, and create something new. Q What’s the harissa best served with? It’s a…

LOUISIANA FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL LAKE CHARLES This culinary and beverage celebration is set for September 14–17 and will showcase an impressive array of the Bayou State’s famous food and spirits. The schedule for each day promises highlights of Louisiana’s unique culture and heritage as well as appearances by renowned chefs, winemakers, artisans, farmers, and musicians from around the world. Offerings include events for all taste buds and budgets, from wine dinners and tastings to master classes and more. louisianafoodandwinefestival.com MAMOU NEW ORLEANS This modern French brasserie brings a fresh dose of refined European technique to the French Quarter thanks to Executive Chef Tom Branighan. He and his team opened their doors late last year but quickly drew attention with their evident dedication to delivering rich, elegant dishes on a…

CAN’T-MISS BITES 1 NOBILE’S RESTAURANT & BAR PLATE LUNCHES Lutcher Founded in 1895, when Lutcher was in the midst of a cypress logging boom, Nobile’s originally billed itself as a place for locals to come enjoy themselves over good food and drink. Now, almost 130 years later, it still delivers just that. In addition to Bayou State staples like Chicken-Andouille Gumbo and Seafood Gumbo, Nobile’s offers Crawfish Pies and a number of po’ boys. Keep an eye out for special plates that often include fried catfish with white beans. nobilesrestaurant.com 2 CURED. ON COLUMBIA BOARDS Covington This bright, open bistro on Covington’s Columbia Street bustles with great energy during the breakfast and lunch rushes, when customers order vanilla rose or honey lavender lattes and meticulously crafted boards. The boards range from classic…

SUMMERTIME IS APPROACHING, and that means grills will be heating up and gatherings outside are beginning once again. I must say, I do love cold winter days, I guess because we don’t have many of them down here in south Louisiana. However, outdoor summer gatherings far surpass any day spent indoors. I truly look forward to these days. If we’re lucky, we’ll get 80 to 90 summers in our lifetime, so when you think about it, moments of gathering outside over a good meal are few and far between. There’s just nothing better than getting together with friends and enjoying some good food. When it comes to what you’re eating, the main dishes usually get all the attention, but if you ask me, good sides make the mains even better.…

SMOKE IS ONE OF THE SIGNATURE FLAVORS of Louisiana and rice is one of its notable crops, but until recently, smoked rice was not being produced locally at any great scale. After years of making Bloody Marys at parties and giving jars to friends as gifts, Monroe native Kay Walker began bottling her signature blend for sale. From there, she wanted to design gift boxes around the product, so she came up with the idea of smoking oyster crackers and then eventually smoking rice. The boxes were a hit, and now, her rice is available at a handful of stores in Ruston and Monroe—FanBase, Chauvin’s Market, and Log Cabin among them—as well as through her website. After her start in 2017, the company grew organically with her hard work. “My…

CLASSIC TIKI DRINKS ARE CLASSIC for a reason, but I think there’s always room to have some fun and experiment with the tried-and-true recipes and ingredients you like behind the bar. I created the Lei Lei that way as a take on the classic planter’s punch cocktail. That one isn’t nearly as well known as the mai tai, zombie, or other tiki drinks, but it originated in Jamaica and spawned hundreds of variations through the years. Its humble beginnings in the Caribbean even pre-date popular tiki culture. We believe the original planter’s punch was a daiquiri of sorts with the addition of iced tea, and that was the difference. I like to think of it as a slushie with more of a punch. Since it was a Jamaican drink, I…

I GREW UP ON THE WEST BANK OF THE Mississippi River in St. James. There were very few grocery stores in our neck of the woods, so the swamp floor was our pantry. With every changing season, a new culinary delicacy arrived on our doorstep: alligators in fall, deer in winter, crawfish each spring, and summer brought Louisiana bullfrogs. Call it the influence of French or Canadian trappers that first introduced these wild creatures into our food culture. At one time, Rayne had a thriving frog leg business. In the 1880s, local chef Donat Pucheu sold bullfrogs to New Orleans’ restaurants. For years, world-renowned restaurants such as Sardi’s in New York City featured frog legs from Rayne. Sardi’s even included “Frog Capital of the World” on the menu, and the…

PRALINES HAVE A LONG AND STORIED HISTORY in New Orleans. Originally, they offered enslaved women a way to make money on their own to secure their freedom. The tradition of making pralines has continued and expanded, with home cooks and chefs alike bringing the praline flavor profile (buttery caramel, brown sugar, and often pecan notes) to all manner of confections, from Bundt cakes and sweet rolls to ice creams and hot coffee. If you’d like to make your own pralines for this recipe, check out legendary chef Marcelle Bienvenu’s at louisianacookin.com/creamy-pralines. PECAN PRALINE BARS MAKES 9 The chewiness of a blondie meets the sugary sweetness of a pecan pralines. ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature½ cup plus ⅓ cup granulated sugar, divided1½ teaspoons vanilla extract, divided1¼ cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon…

Cure by Neal Bodenheimer NEAL BODENHEIMER IS managing partner of CureCo, the acclaimed group behind New Orleans restaurants Cure, Cane & Table, and VALS. A Crescent City native, he discovered his passion for the industry during his first bar job at just 18. That job eventually sent him on a year-long journey around the world, exploring global food and beverage traditions. Eager to put his newfound worldly experience to work, Neal then moved to New York City and worked for six years at several respected restaurant groups before returning home to Louisiana. When he returned, it was at a time in the early 2000s when Southern cooks and drink-makers were trying to convince the rest of the country that the South was culturally relevant. He’s fought to prove that with…