Tomato Tart and Artichoke-Crab Dressing Recipes

Louisiana, ever resilient, has been been hit by a number of disastrous events in the recent past. There have been wildfires, floods and snow, on top of our usual hurricanes. But both the people and the landscape have been working overtime to repair the damage. And the disasters make us ever more conscious of how fortunate we are to live in this state — full of a diverse landscape and rich with comestible resources. 

The bayous and coastal areas are blessed with wonderful seafood. We have an embarrassment of choice — flounder, redfish, crabs, shrimp, oysters and more. We certainly love to eat them together, and we easily use them when we can. The artichoke casserole’s nod at both the crabmeat and ease of preparation are a welcome combination.

Rice and sugar cane, not native, but completely embraced by the state’s cuisine, both find their way to the table regularly. Rice, used at every meal, from calas to a side in gumbo or a bed for shrimp Creole, or for dessert as rice pudding. Sugar, of course is in everything from our morning coffee and salad dressings to desserts. And if not sugar, cane syrup is found in cakes, on pancakes and in all manner of treats.

The land is full of wild boar and deer. The skies are full of duck and quail. They make for a delicious reminder that these undomesticated animals still exist on our land. We could not be more fortunate. Of course, there is a flip side of animals — wild boar can be very destructive of our agriculture. They can destroy a field of soybeans overnight. So it is an act of conservation to eat wild boar that has been caught through the Department of Agriculture’s programs.

Our fields produce figs, citrus and tomatoes, among other wonderful fruits and vegetables — some native and some brought here from other places. We conserve them by eating them and keeping a demand for them going. Imagine a Louisiana table without fig preserves or a wonderful tomato sandwich or a Meyer lemon lemonade. It isn’t possible. So eat well of the fruits of Louisiana to make sure they are conserved for the next generation.

Tomato Tart

1 package frozen puff pastry
4 to 6 very ripe tomatoes
2 tablespoons salt
¼ cup mayonnaise
10 garlic cloves, mashed
½ pound thinly sliced gruyere cheese
4 slices bacon, crisped and crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove pastry package to defrost. While pastry is defrosting, slice tomatoes. Place onto a baking pan, sprinkle with salt and allow the tomatoes to throw off some of their juices. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and mashed garlic. Stir and allow the flavors to meld for at least ten minutes.

2. When dough is defrosted, straighten with a rolling pin, removing the folds from being packaged. Place onto separate baking pans. Lay the cheese slices in a single layer over the surface of the pastries.

4. Dry tomatoes on a paper towel. Place them onto the cheese slices about ½ inch inside of the edges. Using a brush, paint the tomatoes lightly with the mayonnaise mixture.

5. cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and repaint the tomatoes with the remaining mayonnaise. Continue to cook another 20 minutes. After a total of 40 minutes sprinkle the crumbled bacon over the tarts. Cut each tart with a pizza cutter into 4 pieces. Serve immediately. Makes 2 tarts

Artichoke-Crab Dressing

3 cans artichoke hearts, well drained
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
10 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup dry white wine
2 ¾ cups unseasoned breadcrumbs
¾ cups chopped parsley
¼ cup plus 2-3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
1 pound crabmeat, picked over to remove pieces of shell or cartilage
½ teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Chop the artichoke hearts into coarse pieces. Place them into a large bowl. Set aside.

2. Heat the olive oil and butter together in a skillet. Add the chopped onion and allow to sauté for 10 minutes, stirring as needed. Add the garlic and stir. Scrape the onion and garlic and oil/butter into the bowl. Add the wine, breadcrumbs, parsley and ¼ cup cheese. Mix well. Add the seasoning, crabmeat and black pepper. Mix again.

3. Divide the well-mixed mixture into 8 ramekins. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan evenly over the tops of the ramekins. Place the ramekins onto a baking sheet and place them into the prepared oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove and serve immediately. Makes 8 servings

Wild Boar Sausage Jambalaya

I tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds wild boar sausage
2 onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon of your favorite unsalted Cajun or Creole seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon cayenne
smoked paprika
3 ½ cups chicken stock
2 cups rice
1 bunch scallions, green and white parts, sliced

1. Add the oil to a cast iron or cast aluminum Dutch oven. If the sausage is in a casing, slice into thin slices. If the sausage is not in a casing place it loose into the pot. Heat the oil and saute to render the fat and cook the sausage, about 7 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and reserve.

2. Add the onions to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and celery. Continue cooking for 5 more minutes. Add the bell pepper and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring as needed to keep the vegetables from sticking.

3. Add the spices and seasonings and stir into the mixture. Add the chicken stock. Return the sausage back to the pot, including any juices that have settled in the bottom of the bowl. Add the rice and stir well. When the broth is boiling, reduce the heat and cover the pot. Cook about 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked. Allow to sit covered for 5 more minutes off the heat and serve garnished with scallions. Serves 4-6