Louisiana Summer Recipes

Late summer is a great time in Louisiana. Fishing and other water activities are the ideal relaxation. Whether you are on a lake or a bayou, there are many culinary treasures in the water. And for those who favor wild boar, your hunting license allows hunting wild boar all year. Even if you aren’t a hunter or fisher, you can still obtain and cook lots of the natural bounty of Louisiana.

We shouldn’t forget that plants are also part of our natural bounty. I have included a Japanese plum recipe for this issue. These little gems are not native to Louisiana, much like the wild boars, but they are delicious and often overlooked. Every once in a while I see them in a farmers market, but more often, I spot them on the right of way between the street and the sidewalk in the city. The dark green leaves and the light orange fruit look like small apricots. I remember climbing those trees, when I was a child, eating the fruit and spitting the seeds into the grass.

And please think broadly about how to cook our bounty. It is always comforting to eat and cook what we know, but rather than stay in a rut, challenge yourself to consider cooking game more broadly. The pulled wild boar sandwiches do give a nod to a more traditional pulled pork sandwich, but the flavor is deeper and a wonderful surprise. It is worth the extra time to marinate the meat, and the slow cooker keeps the house cool.

Pickled quail eggs are great as an appetizer or a snack. Children love the little things. If you have too many, chop them into quarters and use them in your favorite potato salad. And use the brine for pickling chicken eggs, if you have an excess of those because your chickens or your neighbor’s are producing more than you can eat.

I sometimes think that finding a useful and tasty way to use up leftovers is more fun that cooking that dish the first time. Challenge yourself, because cooking is a creative process. You and your family will be the happier for it. You can’t go wrong. Use the crawfish pimento cheese on pasta for a quick meal or add more cheese to the top for a mac and cheese cousin.

Let your imagination go as wild and wonderful as the food of the Sportsman’s Paradise.

Pulled Wild Boar Sandwiches

3 pounds wild boar chunks
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon ground pepper
¼ cup olive oil
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 sprigs fresh thyme
½ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup fresh orange juice
3 smashed garlic cloves
braising liquid
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup cane syrup
1 sprig fresh rosemary
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 tablespoons Creole mustard
1 bottle dry red wine
¼ cup fresh orange juice
3 smashed garlic cloves
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon hot sauce

1. Rinse and pat dry the boar chunks, then season with salt and pepper. Place in a large bowl with the rosemary, thyme, garlic, lemon juice and orange juice. Toss to coat.

2. Cover and refrigerate overnight, stirring once or twice during the marinating process.

3. Lightly oil the slow cooker with olive oil. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the boar and marinade ingredients to the slow cooker. Spread the meat evenly so it is submerged in the liquid.

4. Cook for 1 hour on high, then 2 hours on low. Test a piece with two forks. If it shreds easily, transfer the meat to a bowl and shred. If not, continue cooking on high for 1 additional hour.

5. Transfer the liquid to a saucepan and simmer until slightly reduced. Remove the garlic cloves. Pour over the shredded boar and toss until evenly coated.

6. To Serve Spread mayonnaise on hamburger buns or small ciabatta rolls. Toast on a skillet until golden. Pile the shredded boar onto the bottom bun, top with coleslaw, then spread Creole mustard and chimichurri. If desired, offer any remaining cooking juices on the side for spooning over the meat.

To make the Chimichurri Combine ½ cup mint leaves, 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary, leaves from 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, zest of 1 orange, zest of 1 lemon, leaves and stems from ½ bunch of fresh cilantro (roughly chopped) and ¼ cup toasted sesame oil in a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients come together into a rough pesto.

Pickled Quail Eggs

Pickled quail eggs are cute, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t delicious.

24 quail eggs
2 tablespoons white vinegar
Brine
1 1/3 cups vinegar (you can use white or apple cider vinegar)
2/3 cup dry white wine
2 cloves garlic, smashed
10 whole peppercorns
6 whole allspice berries
¼ teaspoon whole mustard seeds
2 bay leaves

1. FOR THE EGGS Place the eggs into the pot and fill the pot with water to cover the eggs. Add the vinegar.

2. Place the pot on the stove and allow the water to come to a simmer. Cook 6 minutes. While the eggs are cooking, prepare an ice bath by filling a bowl with water and ice. Remove the eggs from the stove and place the eggs in the ice bath.

3. Peel the eggs (the vinegar helps with that) and set aside.

4. FOR THE BRINE Place the vinegar and wine in a nonreactive pan. Bring the vinegar/wine mixture to a boil. Boil 5 minutes.

5. Remove the pot from the stove. Take 2 pint jars and divide the vinegar mixture between them. Add 1 clove of the garlic to each. Place 5 peppercorns, 3 allspice berries, half the mustard seeds, and 1 bay leaf in each jar. Then add 12 eggs to each jar. Place the lids on and put them in the refrigerator. The eggs are not properly canned, so keep them in the refrigerator. They will be gone before you know it.

Crawfish Pimento Cheese

4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups chopped crawfish tails
Half of an 8-ounce jar of roasted red pepper strips in oil or ½ cup of chopped home- roasted red peppers
1½ cups mayonnaise
1 tablespoon grated onion
1/8 teaspoon liquid crab boil
Biscuits for serving

1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix gently. If it seems too dry, add more mayonnaise 1 tablespoon at a time. When it reaches the correct consistency, chill in the refrigerator. Store covered.

2. To Serve, heat biscuits and split open. Slather with the pimento cheese.

Brandied Japanese Plums

1 pound Japanese plums
1½ cup water
1 cup sugar
4 ounces of brandy
1 whole clove
1 bay leaf

1. Wash and drain Japanese plums. Cut each in half from pole to pole and remove the seed. Place into a bowl.

2. In a pot, In a saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved. Add the plums and simmer for no more than 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and refrigerate overnight.

3. Divide the plums among jars (the number of jars may vary with the size of the plums). Pour the brandy evenly into each jar, then add 1 bay leaf and 1 clove to each. Refrigerate. The plums are delicious served over ice cream.