Innholdsfortegnelse for July/August 2025 i Louisiana Cookin'

SAM HANNA is a food and beverage photographer whose work appears worldwide—in books, magazines, television, and packaging. His clients include restaurants, hotels, caterers, retail food clients, agencies, and chefs. His affinity for lighting showcases an organic style, natural in lushness and vitality. The quality levels demonstrate free-wheeling creativity and technical fidelity. Based in New Orleans, Sam’s background includes professional work as a color specialist and photo editor with other acclaimed food photographers. He enjoys client collaboration and exploration of unique concepts. Follow him at hannaphoto.com and @samhannaphoto on Instagram. COLIN WILLIAMS has been the bar manager at Saffron Nola for the past two years and has used his background as a trained chef and sommelier to incorporate traditional Indian flavors into approachable, complex cocktails. Always learning, his current passions include…

Brûléed Banana French Toast MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS 3 large eggs1 cup whole milk¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar2 teaspoons vanilla extract½ teaspoon ground cinnamon8 (1-inch-thick) slices Banana Bread (recipe follows)4 tablespoons unsalted butterBananas Foster Syrup (recipe follows)Garnish: roughly chopped toasted pecans 1. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon; pour into a shallow dish. Working in batches, dip Banana Bread slices in egg mixture, fully coating both sides. Let stand on a plate. 2. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Working in batches, cook bread slices until golden brown and slightly crisp, about 3 minutes per side, adding remaining 3 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, between batches. Top with bananas from Bananas Foster Syrup, and…

No-Churn Peach Ice Cream MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS 2 cups heavy whipping cream2 tablespoons sugar1 tablespoon vanilla extract¼ teaspoon kosher salt1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk2 cups diced fresh peaches1 cup crumbled shortbread cookies, plus more for toppingSliced peaches, for topping 1. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. 2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream, sugar, and salt at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 4 to 6 minutes. 3. In a large bowl, place condensed milk. Fold in whipped cream mixture until just combined and no streaks remain. Stir in diced peaches and cookies. Spoon into prepared pan. Top with more crumbled cookies and sliced peaches. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 5 hours, or up to…

Creole Lunch House Lafayette | 713 12th St. Off the beaten path in Lafayette, this local treasure has made a name for itself at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival with its Stuffed Creole Bread, but the rice-centric plate lunches are the real stars. During the summers, diners look forward to smothered okra stewed with chicken and sausage. Lil’ Cochon’s Cajun Kitchen Iowa facebook.com/lilcochons Countless cars traveling Interstate 10 pass by Lil’ Cochon’s Cajun Kitchen each day, and they are missing out. This Cajun one-stop spot offers not just boudin, cracklin’s, and specialty meats but also killer plate lunches. Tender smothered beef tongue often shows up Mondays and Thursdays, and it’s what this gem is known for. Mama Reta’s Kitchen Lake Charles | facebook.com/mamaretaskitchen Reta Nell Durgan, chef-owner of…

APPETIZERS AND BEVERAGES Bacon-Wrapped Spiced Figs 67 Garden Gimlet 34 Grilled Peaches with Whipped Ricotta and Spicy Honey 60 Passion Fruit Rum Punch 42 Shrimp with Creole Tomato Salsa 52 Spiced Fig-Ginger Cocktail 63 Spicy Paloma 36 Tomato-Peach Shrimp Cocktail 51 Tubing with Dad 93 BREADS AND BREAKFAST Banana Bread 34 Brûléed Banana French Toast 34 Cheesy Andouille Breakfast Croissants 36 Paw-Paw’s Pain Perdu with Vanilla-Infused Figs 66 DESSERTS Brown Sugar Fig Cake 70 Fig Pound Cake Crumb Bars 67 No-Churn Peach Ice Cream 58 Peach Fritters 60 Roasted Peach Shortcakes 59 Vanilla-Infused Figs 66 MAINS Blackened Catfish with Green Onion Rice 25 Brown Stew Snapper 43 Catfish BLTs 25 Catfish Nuggets with Rice Grits and Hot Honey 28 Cornmeal Fried Catfish with Creamy Creole Sauce 28 Figgy Barbecue Pulled…

Whether you’ve got your heart set on booking a charter, shoving off from a dock in a quiet lake, or gliding through a bayou on a kayak, summertime is fantastic for being on the water. Fishermen can work on catching their limit in the many freshwater lakes scattered across central and northern Louisiana, angling for redfish in the brackish marshes, or taking their chances on some larger beasts out in the deep. Wherever you go, it’s a joy to get away from our normal day-to-day routines and disconnect for a bit. In this issue, we worked on some terrific seafood recipes to keep things interesting throughout these warm months. From new and classic recipes with catfish (I’m craving a Catfish BLT and Blackened Catfish with Green Onion Rice on page…

It was during her time filming season 11 of Top Chef that Chef Nina Compton had her eyes opened to New Orleans. Having grown up in the Caribbean on St. Lucia, Nina felt a connection to the multicultural makeup of the city and how that all plays out in the culinary scene. She started working on a cookbook around that time, but she put that on the back burner when she and her husband, Larry Miller, opened Compère Lapin in New Orleans’ Central Business District in 2015. All across the menu, diners who were often quite familiar with the New Orleans Creole mindset were treated to Nina’s interpretation of island Creole flavors and presentations. Saltfish fritters, cow heel soup, and curried goat with pillowy sweet potato gnocchi weren’t the sort…

Known for their lightly sweet, honey-like flavor and soft texture, fresh figs require little prep work and are versatile in the kitchen. Roast them, bake them into pies, add them to salads, or use them to add flavor to your main dishes. Ripened figs are deliciously simple and also perfect for your charcuterie board—split them in half and serve them with soft cheese and honey. Kitchen Tips 1 When selecting your figs, look for fruit that is soft but not mushy. Plump figs with intact, bent stems are best. 2 Hard figs will not continue to ripen, and if they have a sour smell, they are past their peak and should not be used. 3 Once picked or purchased, be sure to use them within a few days, and store…

In the heart of Louisiana’s Gulf Coast, there’s a gem to be found that’s rooted in generations of coastal communities. A small family business, Louisiana Dried Shrimp Co. shows nothing but the greatest respect and dedication to this centuries-old culinary tradition. Creating dried shrimp, where every bite is a celebration of heritage, craftmanship, and the unmatched flavor of wild-caught Gulf shrimp, is ingrained in everything Louisiana Dried Shrimp Co. is about. Dried shrimp might be something you’ve regularly encountered, or it could be an entirely foreign entity to your kitchen—either way, we know that you haven’t truly tasted the best dried shrimp until you’ve tried this tested and true Louisianian delicacy from these incredible makers. For five generations, the Louisiana Dried Shrimp Co. has passed down a passion for excellence…

Spillin’ the Beans Pages 11–15: Photos courtesy of Jaryd Kase (Bodega); Ashley Fischer (Lighthouse Coastal Brasserie); Jenn Ocken (The Colonel’s Club); Kat Griffith (Chef Dupont headshot); Mary Fehr (Étoile). In Season Pages 21–28: Location photos courtesy of Explore Louisiana. Peaches Pages 53–60: Fresh peaches courtesy of Durbin Farms Market (durbinfarmsmarket.com). Figs Pages 61–70: Paw-Paw’s Pain Perdu with Vanilla-Infused Figs recipe and photo reprinted, with permission, from For the Love of the South by Amber Wilson Copyright ©2018. Reprinted courtesy of Harper Design, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Catch & Cook Pages 71–79: Fishing photography courtesy of GW Fins and Fairhope Fish House. Heat Map Pages 81–84: Photography by Randy Krause Schmidt (Creole Lunch House and Magic Grill). Photography courtesy of Jeff Davis Parish Tourist Commission (Lil’ Cochon’s Cajun Kitchen), Visit…

Bodega NEW ORLEANS | bodega-nola.com This Uptown neighborhood café opened in December 2024 and has been serving delicious bites ever since. From breakfast to lunch and weeknight grab-and-go dinners (check for specials at @bodeganola), this spot has everything you need for a tasty dining experience. To add to its repertoire, it also offers catering for special events, office lunches, Mardi Gras floats, and private chef experiences. Its aim is to offer nutritious and inventive food. The style is heavily influenced by Chef Jaryd Kase’s travel and his family’s recipes that come from Eastern European Jewish heritage. Lighthouse Coastal Brasserie HAMMOND lighthousecoastalbrasserie.com At Lighthouse Coastal Brasserie, the Rubio Hospitality Group transports its guests abroad through ambience, taste, and hospitality. Located in the heart of historic downtown Hammond, the brasserie seeks to…

In all my years of living along the Mississippi River, studying foods, and traveling across the globe, I had never heard of a New Orleans dish called yakamein. Some schools of thought suggest that yakamein arrived in New Orleans with Chinese immigrants in the mid-1800s. Their task was to build a railroad from New Orleans to Houston, Texas. Others tend to the idea that African American soldiers fighting in the Korean War brought the dish to New Orleans. Regardless, this delicious one-pot meal made of broth, noodles, green onions, and most often a little beef also identifies as Creole. While my siblings and I grew up without our mother, who died in childbirth, Mary Ferchaud, the African American woman who lived down the lane, came to rear us. Mary cooked…

Louisiana-Style Shrimp Boil MAKES 4 SERVINGS 3 quarts water¼ cup Cajun seafood boil seasoning2 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces1 medium yellow onion, quartered1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 2-inch pieces5 cloves garlic, smashed and divided1 head garlic, halved4 sprigs fresh thyme½ pound sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (peeled if desired)1 pound smoked andouille sausage, sliced 2 inches thick crosswise4 ears fresh corn, trimmed and cut into fourths lengthwise2 pounds large fresh shrimp½ cup unsalted butter½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme½ teaspoon Cajun seasoningSpicy Rémoulade (recipe follows)Garnish: fresh thyme, Cajun seasoning 1. In a large cast-iron Dutch oven, bring 3 quarts water, seafood boil seasoning, celery, onion, bell pepper, 4 cloves garlic, halved garlic head, and thyme sprigs to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook for 15…

In terms of raw coastline, the Bayou State ranks third in the country with 7,700 miles of coastline along the Gulf, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Along those inland waters and then out into the depths, commercial and recreational fishermen spend their days in search of the delicious morsels swimming and scuttling below. For chartered voyages, the next step for those fish is often a quick dockside filleting, and the party heads home, often with a hefty load headed for a chest freezer. In the best cases, those fillets are enjoyed with family and friends, but as Chef Michael Nelson of GW Fins in New Orleans’ French Quarter puts it, by the time folks get around to cooking their catch, “they’re not really looking forward to eating…

Living in Louisiana has opened up an amazing number of opportunities to spend time out on the water. Whether it’s a quick(ish) fishing trip or a day kayaking on Bayou St. John, we have more chances to cast out on the blue than we can handle. This wealth of water activity is a stark contrast to my upbringing in North Carolina’s Piedmont, where lake and river days were more of a planned occasion than a spur-of-the-moment outing. My family was blessed with the experience of owning a speed boat while I was growing up, and during the summers, we would find any excuse to drive out to Jordan Lake and spend the entire day cruising the waves and soaking up way too much sun. The days began with my dad…

Alvin, slight and soft-spoken, is a fixture at FramerDave’s, a shop owned by Dave Imbraguglio, his friend since childhood. The shop is his de facto studio, where he’s typically in a corner painting most weekdays. The walls are covered with his work, hundreds of his paintings, an eye-popping mural drenched in primary colors. HIS VISION The subject matter is mostly Black folks living country life on plantations in the rural South. There are scenes of church suppers, family life, a boucherie. Big Mama—a large, round woman in a headwrap—shows up a lot, captured hanging clothes, cooking, taking a bath standing in a galvanized tub. He paints contemporary scenes, too, of things he’s seen, like a young Black man getting arrested and folks lined up at the Whitney Bank. SELF-TAUGHT He’s…