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The following are recipes for some authentic New Orleans-style cuisine. These are classic dishes, back
from the days long before Emeril Lagasse and Paul Prudhomme were twinkles in their mothers' eyes. And they are still enjoyed today.
When you think of New Orleans food, you probably think of:
 Roux 1 part vegetable oil (I prefer canola) or butter 1 part all-purpose flour Place the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Whisk the flour into the oil and cook slowly, watching carefully and stirring constantly until the roux reaches the desired color, about 10-12 minutes for a light, tan-colored roux; about 15-18 minutes for a medium-dark roux; and about 20-25 minutes for deep, dark brown roux. If the roux burns discard it and start over. A scorched roux will contribute a bitter flavor to the finished dish. If you are using the roux to thicken a gumbo or sauce, stir about 1/2 cup of the liquid from the main dish into it to stop it from cooking. Once it's premixed in this manner, the roux is less likely to form lumps when it's added to the main dish. Top Beignets I strongly recommend the mix from Cafe Du Monde. It is only about $2.50 per box. In fact, I am not even going to give you the recipe, just call, 1-800-772-2927, or send e-mail to office@cafedumonde.com. For the taste, and the simplicity of it, they are worth it. You can also order a can of chicory coffee, which is the perfect accompaniment. Top Jambalaya 2 pounds ham, cubed 2 pounds smoked sausage, sliced into coins 1/4-inch thick 1 large onion, chopped 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 2 celery ribs, chopped 5 garlic cloves, chopped 3 ripe tomatoes, chopped 1 teaspoon dried thyme 2 bay leaves salt and black pepper 2 cups uncooked long-grain rice In a heavy-bottomed skillet with a tight cover, brown the ham and sausage, then pour off the excess drippings. Add the onion and stir over medium heat until limp, about 3 minutes. Then add the green pepper, parsley, celery, garlic, tomatoes, thyme, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes, then add the rice and 2 1/2 cups water. Cover and set over low heat for 25 minutes. Do not uncover until you check for doneness, near the end of cooking time. The dish is done when the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and serve. Serves 10 Top Crawfish Etouffee 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup peanut oil 4 celery ribs, finely chopped 4 large onions, finely chopped 1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped 4 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic 2 bay leaves, preferably fresh 6 fresh thyme sprigs or 1/2 teaspoon dried 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper 4 cups Chicken Stock (recipe follows) 3 pounds crawfish tails, drained with liquid reserved (Shrimp can be substituted, but in that case, call it Shrimp Etouffee) 2 cups heavy cream salt and black pepper white rice, cooked 6 scallions, chopped Make a roux by combining the butter, flour, and oil in a heavy pan and cooking over low heat until a dark caramel color, about 15-18 minutes. Add all the vegetables except the scallions and cook until soft, 5-7 minutes. Add the bay leaves, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, and red pepper. Slowly pour in the stock, whisking to incorporate it into the roux. Add the reserved crawfish liquid and cook over low heat for 1 hour, until no flour taste remains. Add the crawfish tails and the cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 more minutes and serve over steamed white rice. Garnish with chopped scallions. Serves 6-8. Chicken Stock This is great to make when you have roasted a chicken but do not want to waste the meat left on the bones. It also freezes great, for future use. 2 pounds chicken bones (or one, for lack of a better term, carcass) 1 cup chopped carrots 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped celery with leaves 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley Pinch of whole thyme 1 bay leaf Bring 8 quarts of water to a boil in a large stockpot and add all the ingredients. Simmer for 1 hour, until the liquid is reduced by half. Allow stock to cool, skim off all fat that gathers at the surface, and refrigerate until ready to use-up to 3 days. Yields about 4 quarts. Hint: It is very easy to skim off the fat if the stock is refrigerated. The fat in the stock floats and then congeals, for easy removal. Top Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce 1 loaf French bread (day old is fine. That is the point of this recipe: to use up the old bread when the fresh comes in) 1 quart milk 3 eggs, beaten 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons vanilla extract 1 cup raisins 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg (optional) Preheat the oven to 300F. Break up the French bread into small cubes and set in the milk to soak until the bread absorbs all of the milk. Then add the eggs, sugar, vanilla, raisins, and spices. Stir well. Pour the melted butter into a 2-quart baking pan, add the bread mixture, and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool. Prepare the whiskey sauce by creaming together the butter and sugar, heating in a double boiler until hot and well dissolved. Rapidly whip in the egg, avoiding curdling. Let the sauce cool and add the whiskey. Cut the bread pudding in cubes (or cut out with a glass, so it is presented circular) and place on 6 individual serving dishes. Gently heat the sauce and spoon over the top of each serving. Serves 6. Top Bananas Foster 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon 3 teaspoons sugar 6 tablespoons (3/4) stick) butter 3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar 6 ripe bananas, peeled and quartered 1/3 cup dark rum 1/3 cup banana liqueur 6 scoops vanilla ice cream (Do not skimp. Get the good stuff. It is better if you scoop ahead of time, and freeze the scooped balls.) Mix together the cinnamon and white sugar and set aside. In a flambe pan, mash together the butter and brown sugar, then set the pan over a flame until the mixture melts. Add the bananas flat-side down and cook them for about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the flame to add the rum, then return it to the heat and ignite the alcohol. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture into the flame. When the fire burns down, remove the pan from the and add the banana liqueur, then return to the heat and ignite again. Mix well. Place one scoop of ice cream in each of 6 champagne glasses, cover with the hot banana mixture and serve immediately. Serves 6. Top Pralines 1 1/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar 1 1/2 cups white sugar 2 tablespoons butter 1/8 tablespoon salt 1 1/2 cups evaporated milk 2 cups shelled pecan halves 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon vegetable oil In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine all the ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook at a low boil for about 4 minutes (a candy thermometer should register 260F, or a drop of the mixture should form a "hard ball" when dropped into cold water). Remove the saucepan from the heat. Beat the mixture until it cools and becomes creamy, about 2 minutes. Form the pralines by dropping a tablespoon of the pecan mixture onto large pieces of aluminum foil or waxed paper. Let the candies cool thoroughly before storing them in an airtight container. Makes about 40 candies. Top Mint Juleps 6 mint leaves 2 teaspoons powdered sugar 2 ounces bourbon Crushed ice Mint sprigs In the bottom of a tall highball glass, combine the mint leaves with the sugar. Using a spoon, crush the leaves in the sugar, then add the bourbon. Fill the glass with crushed ice and garnish with the mint sprig. Serve with cocktail straw. Top Hurricane 2 ounces Red Passion fruit cocktail mix, available commercially 2 ounces fresh lemon juice 4 ounces dark rum 1 orange slice 1 maraschino cherry Fill a tall, curved Hurricane glass with crushed ice. Add the cocktail mix, lemon juice, and rum. Decorate with an orange slice and cherry. Top |
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