Recipes

Call of the Wild

SPRING/SUMMER Spring and summer are the seasons seafood lovers look forward to during the cold, gray winter. Shrimp, crab, red snapper and redfish are some of the most longed for delicacies. Start dinner with crab cakes and then have red…

One Pot Dishes

Mardi Gras is early this year, which is unfortunate for bakeries since they will have a short king cake season. For celebrants, the Feb. 21 date virtually guarantees the weather will be damp and cold. In addition to booze, parade-goers…

Get Stuffed

I used to say travelers know they have reached South Louisiana when hot boudin is available at roadside gas stations. That was once a reliable indicator, but I doubt that it still is. Fields of sugar cane and crawfish ponds,…

Split Pea Soup with Ham

  Makes 6 to 8 servings 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 stalk celery, diced 1 medium carrot, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound split peas, picked over and washed 4 cups ham or chicken stock…

Smokey Pepper and Onion Stew with Eggs and Tostados

  Makes 4 servings 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 large onion, halved and sliced 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced 1 serrano pepper,…

Asparagus and Sugar Snap Frittata

  Makes 4 servings 1 cup sugar snap peas 8 spears thin asparagus 6 large eggs 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon butter freshly ground black pepper PUT a medium-sized sauce pan of salted…

Pears Poached in Red Wine

  Makes 4 servings 2 cups red wine 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 2 large Bosc pears 4 ounces sour cream COMBINE wine, sugar and cinnamon in a nonreactive pan. HALVE, core and peel pears. Add pears to pan,…

Pecan Pie

  Makes 8 servings CRUST 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter 4 tablespoons ice-cold water FILLING 4 large eggs, at room temperature 1 cup light brown sugar 1/2 cup cane syrup 2 teaspoons…

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

  Makes 4-6 servings 2 pounds butternut squash, cubed 2 medium onions, sliced 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock coarse salt and chipotle chile pepper to taste freshly grated Parmesan cheese PREHEAT oven to 450…

Pork Stewed with Okra and Tomatoes

  Makes 4 servings 1 pound boneless pork stew meat 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 1/2 pounds okra, topped, tailed and sliced 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice 1 cup…

Grilled Okra

  Makes 4 or more servings 1 pound whole okra pods Extra virgin olive oil Coarse salt COAT okra with olive oil and cook on a hot grill, turning it as needed, until okra is softened and browned all over.…

Baked Chicken Thighs with Lemon, Oregano and Potatoes

Makes 4 servings 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided 4 chicken thighs 1 cup water 2 pounds russet potatoes 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper PREHEAT oven to…

Shrimp Tacos

Makes about 16 tacos 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile pepper corn or flour tortillas shredded cabbage thinly sliced radishes lime…

Skillet Cornbread with Cane Syrup

Makes 4 or more servings 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 3/4 cup stone-ground cornmeal 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1 egg, lightly beaten 3/4 cup buttermilk butter cane…

Turnip Greens Soup with Orzo

Makes 4 servings 2 pounds turnip greens 4 cloves garlic, chopped 5 cups chicken stock 1/2 cup orzo 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to…

Take Two

Gin & Tonic 1 slice lime 1 slice cucumber 1 large basil leaf 2 ounces gin ice cubes 4-6 ounces tonic water Place lime, cucumber and basil leaf in a tall glass or balloon glass. Add gin and press on…

Just Desserts

Open almost any Louisiana cookbook and you’ll find a big section of dessert recipes, a testament to our love of sweets. The recipes often include both traditional and modern desserts. As tastes change…

Berry Blast

Louisiana has an abundance of official symbols (the state doughnut is the beignet, the state crustacean is the crawfish and the state vegetable is the sweet potato, for example), but I only recently learned that we even have an official…

Kitchen Gourmet: Versatile Veggie

Eggplant With Garlic, Parsley And Parmesan 2 long, thin Asian eggplants (about 4 oz. each) 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 2 teaspoons chopped parsley ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus additional, if needed coarse salt and freshly ground…

Kitchen Gourmet: Love or Leave

Tip If your grill doesn’t have large spaces between the bars, you can cook the okra directly on the grill without fear of it falling into the fire. Otherwise, use a finer-meshed grill tray or basket on top of the…

Kitchen Gourmet: Local Catch

Tip Use your favorite salsa, either homemade or commercial, for this recipe. Crema is a slightly tangy Mexican cream. If unavailable, substitute sour cream thinned with a little milk or cream.   It’s a tradition in these parts to take…

Daybreak

Buttermilk Biscuits, Sausage and Country Gravy A favorite dish that is enjoyed all across the South. In Louisiana, it is…

Kitchen Gourmet: Put an Egg On It

Asparagus And Sugar Snap Frittata 1 cup sugar snap peas 8 spears thin asparagus 6 large eggs ¼ teaspoon coarse salt freshly ground black pepper ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon butter Put a medium-sized sauce pan of…

Raisin’ Cane (Syrup)

Cane syrup, once known as New Orleans syrup, is a product particularly associated with Louisiana. Historically, it was a sweetener made on small family farms by grinding sugarcane and boiling down the juice to make syrup. During World War I,…