Innholdsfortegnelse for March - April 2016 i Louisiana Cookin'

LAST MAY, ON A GLORIOUS Louisiana springtime morning, I had the pleasure of serving as a judge for the Crawfish Mambo Cookoff. The sun was shining, breezes blew by from time to time (it’s located on the University of New Orleans’ Lakefront campus), and I got to eat myself silly on some wonderfully-boiled crawfish. How much, I’m not sure, but there were almost 50 teams. That should give you some idea. In addition to the bright red mudbugs, each of the teams threw in a veritable cornucopia of fixings, from the expected (sausage and potatoes) to the lesser-used (mushrooms and artichokes) to the exotic (pineapple and sweet potato). The latter additions initially threw me for a loop, but I quickly warmed to them. The pineapple in particular was the star…

WORLD-CLASS CHEFS SERVE AMERICAN SEAFOOD, AND YOU SHOULD, TOO. It can be easy to get lost in a sea of options when looking at your local grocer's seafood selection. Between hard-to-read labeing and even some dubious business practices, imported seafood-which isn'tregulated as well as American seafood and can contain toxins, antibiotics and more-can sneak onto your table. For better-tasting, fresher and more responsible seafood, you should ask for American seafood. Don't take it from us, though. See what these three New Orleans chefs, all of them Kings of Louisiana Seafood, have to say about why American seafood is a better choice. CHEF AARON BURGAU Resturant Patois 2014 King of Louisiana Seafood How do you know your seafood will have fresh flavor? You have to start by looking for a reputable…

5 dishes to try CANEBRAKE BATTERED CRAWFISH CORNDOGS CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE GUMBO BRAISED BEEF SHORT RIBS BREAD PUDDING PICKLED SHRIMP WITH BURRATTA, NITRO HONEY CREAM, AND ARUGULA PESTO AFTER THEIR EXPULSION by the British Canadian government in 1755, exiled French Acadians began arriving in the region of Louisiana now known as Acadiana. These weary travelers, twice forced from their homes, found a lasting safe haven along the swamps and grasslands of the Bayou State. Hundreds of years later, Cajun culture permeates the region, with food offering a unique link to the area’s ancestral roots. In the kitchen of Dark Roux in Lafayette, Chefs Ryan Trahan and Cory Bourgeois have grown their passion for historical local foods, and the people who produce them, into a thriving business. During their time working…

BEVI SEAFOOD COMPANY 236 Carrollton Ave. New Orleans 504.488.7503 beviseafood.com HOOK & BOIL KITCHEN & CATERING 209 N. Morgan Ave. Broussard 337.330.8443 hookandboil.com TONY’S SEAFOOD 5215 Plank Rd. Baton Rouge 225.357.9669 tonyseafood.com CRAWFISH TOWN USA 2815 Grand Point Hwy. Henderson 337.667.6148 crawfishtownusa.com CAJUN CLAWS 1928 Charity St. Abbeville 337.893.9437 facebook.com/ TheOriginalCajunClaws HOOK’D UP BAR & GRILL 100 Marina Del Ray Dr. Madisonville 985.845.8119 hookdupbarandgrill.com STEAMBOAT BILL’S ON THE LAKE 1004 N. Lakeshore Dr. • Lake Charles • 337.494.1070 steamboatbills.com CRESCENT CITY FAVORITE If you’re a fan of classic boiled crawfish, look no further than New Orleans’ Bevi Seafood Company, where owner Justin Leblanc has been boiling up pots of the savory mudbugs for the past few years at the store’s Airline Drive and Carrollton Avenue locations. Justin works with two…

“ESSENTIAL EMERIL IS A GENEROUS SLICE OF THE AMAZING JOURNEY I’VE HAD UP UNTIL NOW IN THIS GLORIOUS WORLD OF FOOD.”—EMERIL LAGASSE ONE OF LOUISIANA’S most adored adopted sons is back with Essential Emeril: Favorite Recipes and Hard-Won Wisdom from My Life in the Kitchen (Oxmoor House, 2015). The 308-page collection is the superstar chef's most personal yet, featuring his favorite recipes, best-kept cooking secrets, and behind-the-scenes stories from his life in the kitchen. Essential Emeril is accessible enough for the kitchen novice while still having plenty to offer the seasoned cook, with numerous preparation tips and opportunities for experimentation. The cookbook begins by mapping out what Emeril considers the “essentials.” Readers will learn his must-haves for success in the kitchen, including classic recipes for everything from appetizers to soups…

MARCH 5-6 Los Isleños Fiesta St. Bernard visitstbernard.com/events/los-islenos-fiesta 12 Heartstrings & Angel Wings Gumbo Cookoff Henderson heartstringsandangelwings.org 18-19 Iowa Rabbit Festival Iowa iowarabbitfestival.org 18-20 Annual Audubon Pilgrimage St. Francisville audubonpilgrimage.info 18-20 Amite Oyster Festival Amite amiteoysterfestival.com 19 Acadian Memorial Festival St. Martinville | 337.394.2258 stmartinville.org/Festivals.html 19 Bloomin’ on the Bricks Natchitoches natchitoches.net 20 World’s Championship Crawfish Étouffée Cook-off Eunice | 337.457.2565 March 31-April 3 Crawfish Festival Chalmette louisianacrawfishfestival.com APRIL 1-2 Hogs for the Cause New Orleans hogsforthecause.org 7-10 French Quarter Festival New Orleans fqfi.org 8-10 Strawberry Festival Ponchatoula lastrawberryfestival.com 8-10 Cajun Hot Sauce Festival New Iberia iberiatravel.com 12 Best Chefs of Louisiana New Orleans acfno.org 15-16 Downtown Lake Charles Crawfish Festival Lake Charles downtowncrawfest.com 24-27 Laotian New Year Celebration Broussard | 337.364.3403 20-24 Festival International de Louisiane Lafayette festivalinternational.org 22-24…

CAJUN FRENCH MEETS COUNTRY-WESTERN For hundreds of years west-central Louisiana has been home to a diverse variety of cultures that are reflected in its unique cuisine. Beginning with the earliest American Indian residents and continuing with French, Spanish and German settlers, each has brought something special to the heartwarming dishes of the region. Rich in heritage and brimming with down-home hospitality, the Prairie Home Cooking Culinary Trail is home to iconic Cajun products such as Tony Chachere’s Famous Creole Cuisine, Targil Seasoning & Butcher Supplies, Savoie’s Cajun Food Products and LouAna cooking oils. Additionally, you’ll find countless mom-and-pop shops turning out savory pork and rice boudin sausage, crispy fried cracklins, Cajun sweet dough pies, seafood pistolettes and craft beers. CHEF CHAT Nancy Brewer | The Kitchen Shop, Grand Coteau What…

DURING THE WEEK of April 22nd through the 30th, while many Creole establishments around New Orleans are riding the seasonal high that comes with spring’s seafood bounty, Alon Shaya of Besh Restaurant Group’s Shaya will be observing a different kind of season. Alongside the pillowy, wood-fired pita bread he’s become famous for, Alon will be firing up mountains of matzo, a traditional Jewish unleavened bread, for his celebrated Seder menu at his namesake Israeli restaurant. Seder plates are traditionally served during Passover, the commemoration of the Jew’s liberation from slavery in Egypt. Sensing a demand for Jewish cuisine in New Orleans, the chef, who earned his chops turning out unforgettable Italian food at New Orleans’ Domenica, began serving the Seder menu several years ago at the stylish eatery. Other Israeli…

WHEN NEW ORLEANS was a younger city and salespeople roamed the streets selling produce, calas, and pralines, there were also vendors plying Creole cream cheese, a tart farmer cheese that made its way from France to the New World. Over time it became a popular Crescent City pantry staple, and in addition to being sold by street vendors, the cheese was often made in home kitchens. Creole cream cheese is a simple clabbered-milk cheese that has a texture between ricotta and crème fraîche. The cheese's tangy flavor makes it wonderful in sweet and savory applications. We know you’ll enjoy this timeless New Orleans delicacy. CREOLE CREAM CHEESE MAKES 3 CUPS 1 gallon skim milk, room temperature (70° to 80°) ½ cup low-fat buttermilk ½ teaspoon liquid rennet 1. In a…

LOOKING OUT ON A WELL-STOCKED pond with fishing reel in his hand, 2013 Chef to Watch Chris Wadsworth looks completely in his element. While he can’t get to his family’s fishing and hunting camp at Trinity Trace in Kentwood, Louisiana, as much as he'd like, he cherishes his time here. After a few minutes, he pulls in a decent-sized largemouth bass, cleans it, and heads back to the house to start a fish stock, the base and backbone of his camp-style crawfish étouffée. This sort of rustic, elemental cooking has always been central to Chris, and now he is able to practice it daily at his newest restaurant, Goûter, in Baton Rouge. At Goûter, just like at his camp, Chris uses a lot of cast-iron cookware, back-to-basics cooking with a…

WITH THE INFLUX OF SICILIAN immigrants through the Port of New Orleans in the 1800s came a number of recipes and traditions that are now firmly ingrained in Louisiana’s culture. Throughout the winter, and especially up to St. Joseph’s Day (March 19, this year), stuffed artichokes are a delightful sight. In reader Mary DeStefano’s recipe for stuffed artichokes, she’s stayed true to tradition. Her version includes a well-seasoned breadcrumb mix with a pop of lemon. She often serves these alongside baked redfish and stuffed manicotti. STUFFED ARTICHOKES MAKES 4 SERVINGS 4 very large artichokes, leaf tips trimmed and inner choke removed ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic 8 cups fine dry unseasoned bread crumbs 1½ cups finely grated Parmesan cheese 1 cup finely shredded provolone cheese…

IN THE ANCIENT BRICK COURTYARD of Sylvain in New Orleans’ French Quarter, guests can pass a quiet spring afternoon with memorable comfort food from chef Martha Wiggins paired with seasonal cocktails from bar manager, Darrin Ylisto. This spritely sipper balances herbal liqueurs with fresh mint and a bright pop of lemon. CROQUET COCKTAIL MAKES 1 SERVING Recipe courtesy of Darrin Ylisto, Sylvain, New Orleans, Louisiana 1 teaspoon Herbsaint* 1½ ounces Plymouth Gin ½ ounce yellow Chartreuse ½ ounce lime juice ¼ ounce Rich Simple Syrup (recipe follows) 3 mint leaves 1. In a 5½ ounce glass, add Herbsaint. Swirl to coat, and discard remaining Herbsaint. In a shaker, combine, gin, Chartreuse, lime juice, Rich Simple Syrup, and mint. Fill with ice; cover and shake until cold. Double-strain into prepared glass.…

Also just out is Poppy Tooker’s new book, Tujague’s Cookbook—Creole Recipes and Lore in the New Orleans Grand Tradition (Pelican Publishing, 2015). Tooker offers a colorful history of the venerable restaurant, as well as recipes covering its entire 160-year history. It’s a great read and a true resource for old New Orleans cooking. A couple of years ago, Sam Irwin released Louisiana Crawfish: A Succulent History of the Cajun Crustacean, so he’s high on my list of Louisiana writers. This year he offers his new tome, It Happens in Louisiana: Peculiar Tales, Traditions and Recipes from the Bayou (Arcadia Publishing, 2015). Irwin is a historian and photojournalist, so be prepared for some exquisite images of Louisiana, along with some good down-home recipes from various Louisiana chefs. Irwin’s take on our…

DEVILED EGGS ARE an easy and delicious option for those who love to entertain. They’re a crowd-pleasing party snack, and it’s relatively easy to make them look nice, which is a win in our book. These deviled eggs are as tasty as they are pretty, but just as important, they’ve got some surprising health benefits. Packed with 13 essential nutrients, vitamins, and high-quality protein, eggs are naturally nutritious. We’ve kept the rest of the recipe light by replacing mayonnaise with Greek yogurt and adding Louisiana crabmeat, which is naturally nutrient-rich and low-calorie. Serve this Southern staple as a passed appetizer at a Good Friday crawfish boil or as a side on your Easter brunch table. The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity. Whip them up 30 minutes ahead of…

IMAGINE THIS FAMILY BUSINESS: a restaurant, grocery store, or bar at street level. You and your family live upstairs, you go home for lunch, your kids do their homework safe and snug nearby, and they come down to help in the shop if you need it. What could be more practical? Once corner stores like these were everywhere in New Orleans—starting in the French Quarter and moving into neighborhoods as the city grew. The growth of the corner store was largely a 19th century phenomenon. The huge increase in population that followed the Louisiana Purchase made shopping at the city’s public markets more difficult than it had been. The corner store also reflected the town’s walking culture and the citizenry’s desire to get food without leaving the neighborhood. This was…

In the month of March, while the rest of the country is just beginning to thaw, Louisianians excitedly usher in one of our most longed-for seasons. To us, spring means one thing: glorious Louisiana crawfish are at their peak. The spicy, meaty mudbug tails are available frozen year-round, but fresh crawfish mean boils, and plenty of them. A steaming mountain of boiled crawfish is one of the most iconic Bayou State images. Gathering with friends and loved ones to eat crawfish, dance, and laugh, is part of our cultural fabric. A crawfish boil is more than what is on your plate; it’s a treasured pastime. In Louisiana, everyone has his or her own idea about what makes the perfect pot. Some boil masters season their water, whereas others prefer to…

CHEF EMILY VANLANDINGHAM, owner of Locally Preserved, grew up in a small farming community in southern Maryland, where she spent countless enjoyable days with her grandmother, picking and preserving seasonal fruits and vegetables. The early exposure to the rhythms of harvesting and processing seasonal produce nurtured a lifelong love of creating fresh and delicious food. Emily attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York, and after graduating, eventually found herself in New Orleans working in the kitchen of Stella!, a former French Quarter fine-dining restaurant. Emily later opened her own local catering business, Feed Me Eat Pretty, which gave her the opportunity to resume her childhood custom of making small-batch seasonal jams, jellies, and syrups to add extra flavor to her menu offerings. With a growing legion of clients…

AFTER A CRAWFISH BOIL, everyone has their favorite way to spruce up the extra tails. Omelettes, soups, frittatas, and more are in heavy rotation during crawfish season, but one of our all-time favorite ways to serve the tender tails is with a creamy pasta. It always hits the spot. CREAMY CRAWFISH PASTA MAKES ABOUT 4 SERVINGS ½ cup unsalted butter ½ cup chopped yellow onion ½ cup finely chopped celery 1 clove garlic, minced ¼ cup all-purpose flour 1½ cups heavy whipping cream 1 cup chicken broth 1/3 cup dry white wine 1 (16-ounce) package cooked crawfish tails 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 1¼ teaspoons Creole seasoning 6 cups hot cooked fettuccine Garnish: chopped fresh parsley, chopped fresh celery leaves, lemon…