here's some for all you casserole fanatics..... CONSTANCE SNOW Say casserole and most people think of comfort food, homey but humdrum fare for a weeknight supper. But when they're enriched with cream, wine and other luxuries, the golden-crusted beauties are elevated to party fare. All of these recipes are especially easy on the cook, because they may be prepared well in advance and baked right before guests arrive. They're also simple to transport for potlucks or holiday gatherings. The spinach casserole is great as a hot dip or side dish. Blue cheese is an offbeat addition to the usual crab and artichoke casserole. Wine-spiked and savory, the ham-and-cheese bread pudding must be refrigerated overnight (or for up to 24 hours), ready to be popped into the oven to fuel a large brunch, house-party breakfast or midnight supper. Just remember it needs to spend 30 minutes at room temperature before baking, so allow for the extra time. Three-cheese crab and artichoke casserole Makes 12 to 16 party servings 1/3 cup dry sherry 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature 1 cup mayonnaise 1 egg 1 (16-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped 1 pound crabmeat, picked over to remove any bits of shell ½ cup crumbled blue cheese (2 ounces) Cayenne and white pepper ½ cup soft dry bread crumbs ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (2 ounces) Crackers or thin slices of toasted French bread Warm the sherry and cream cheese over low heat just until the cheese melts, whisking until smooth. Remove from the heat and cool to lukewarm. Whisk in the mayonnaise and egg until smooth. Fold in the chopped artichoke, crabmeat and crumbled blue cheese. Season with cayenne and white pepper. Turn the mixture into a greased 8-inch-square baking dish. (The casserole may be prepared up to this point and refrigerated for several hours. Add about five minutes to the baking time.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the bread crumbs with the parmesan cheese to combine. Sprinkle evenly over the surface of the crabmeat mixture. Bake for 30 minutes, or until breading is golden brown and filling is hot and bubbly. Serve immediately with crackers or toasted bread. Spinach casserole Makes 12 to 16 party servings or 8 side-dish servings ¼ cup butter 2 tablespoons flour ½ small onion, minced 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup half-and-half or evaporated skim milk 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature 1 teaspoon celery salt 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry Salt, cayenne and white pepper 1 cup soft bread crumbs ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (2 ounces) Crackers or thin slices of toasted French bread Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat; whisk in the flour to make a light roux. Add the minced onion and garlic; stir until golden, but not browned. Whisk in the half-and half; stir until thick and smooth. Cut the cream cheese into large chunks and add it to the pot; stir until melted and smooth. Stir in the celery salt and the drained spinach. Season well with salt, cayenne and white pepper. Turn the mixture into a greased 1 ½-quart baking dish. (The casserole may be prepared up to this point and refrigerated for several hours. Add about five minutes to the baking time.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the bread crumbs with the parmesan cheese to combine. Sprinkle evenly over the surface of the spinach mixture. Bake for 40 minutes, or until breading is golden brown and filling is hot and bubbly. Serve immediately with crackers or toasted bread. 24-hour ham-and-cheese bread pudding Makes 20 servings Butter for greasing pans 1 loaf stale French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes ½ cup melted butter 1 pound Swiss cheese, grated ½ pound ham, coarsely chopped 1 bunch green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced 16 eggs 3 ½ cups milk ½ cup dry white wine 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard Cayenne and white pepper 1 cup sour cream 1 cup (4 ounces) freshly grated parmesan cheese Generously butter two 13-by-9-inch baking dishes. Divide the bread cubes evenly among the dishes. Drizzle the bread with the melted butter; then sprinkle in the grated Swiss cheese, chopped ham and sliced green onions. Whisk together the eggs, milk, wine and mustard. Season well with cayenne and white pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the bread mixture, gently pushing down any floating pieces of bread to be sure they absorb the liquid. Cover the dishes with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight, or for up to 24 hours. Remove the dishes from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Bake, covered, for one hour. Uncover and spread each dish with one-half cup of the sour cream; then sprinkle each with one-half cup of the grated parmesan. Return to the oven until surface is lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
hey. i consider chefs working in louisiana restaurants to be louisiana people..... Acme Oyster House Fried Oyster Remoulade Chef Gavin Hart Ingredients: 1 doz Raw Oysters 2 C Acme Oyster House Seasoned Fish Fry 4 oz Remoulade Sauce Ingredients For Remoulade Sauce: Mayonnaise Creole Mustard Ketchup Lea and Perrins Green Onions Celery Garlic Parsley Lemon Juice Tabasco Salt and Pepper Ingredients For Garnish: 1 C Lettuce, shredded 2 Lemon Wedges Method: Heat oil to 350 degrees. Take oysters and lightly dust with Acme Oyster House seasoned flour, or (regular flour with salt, pepper and cayenne). Place into grease. Fry oysters at least for 1 to 2 minutes or to desired feel. Take lettuce and place on plate. Put remoulade in small bowl in middle of plate. Place oysters around bowl. Garnish with lemon.
Chef Ed Moïse Andouille Pudding Yield: 10 2" Squares Ingredients: 1 lb Andouille Sausage 1/2 lb Onion, finely chopped 3 blades Celery, finely chopped 2 oz Green Bell Pepper, finely chopped 2 t Garlic, minced 2 oz Chicken Liver, finely chopped or pureed 2 C Corn Kernels, fresh roasted 2 C Half and Half 5 ea Eggs 2 T Hot Sauce - Tabasco 1/2 t Worcestershire Sauce 1 C Cornmeal - yellow instant 2 t Baking Powder Method: Render andouille over medium high heat until oil has been released, about 5 minutes. Lightly brown. Remove andouille and reserve. Add onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Reduce heat to medium and sauté til soft about 7 - 9 minutes. Do not color. Season with salt mix. Add liver, stirring quickly until no pink remains. Remove from heat and cool. Blend remaining ingredients to cool mixture. Fold in andouille. Oil 12'x12' baking pan. Fill with batter and tap on counter to remove bubbles. Bake 40 - 45 minutes until set and cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool. To Roast Corn: Place whole cobs with husk on a cookie sheet and place in 3500 over for 1 hour. Turn after 30 minutes. Remove, cool and pull off husks and silks. Using a very sharp knife carefully cut cob in half crosswise. Rest one half vertically on the cut side for stability and slice kernels from cob top to bottom as close to the core as possible in a "box" pattern then cut the "corners" of the box. Scrape as much juice from the corn as possible.
Chef Daniel Lima Chicken Nicholas Serves: 4 Ingredients: 2 Lemons (Juice) 4 Breasts of Chicken (or any cut) 1/2 C Chopped Leek 1/2 C Heavy Cream 1/2 C Demi Glace (Veal) 2 T Shallot 4 oz Capers 1 T Garlic Salt and Pepper to Taste Method: Cook shallot, leek and garlic. Add demi glace and lemon juice. Then add heavy cream, salt and pepper and capers. Let reduce by half. Brown chicken in olive oil. Set in pan and bake 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Pour sauce over chicken and let bake an additional 10 minutes.
Chef Lawrence Jackson Coconut Rum Bread Pudding Serves: 8 Ingredients: 12 Eggs separated (reserving both yellows and whites) 2 C Sugar 2 C Coconut Rum (such as Capt. Morgan Coconut or Malibu) 1 C Grated Coconut 1 Loaf French Bread (long), diced 1-1/2 qts Heavy Cream 2 T Vanilla Exract Method for Bread Pudding: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix egg whites, Rum, 1/2 quart cream, 1 tablespoon vanilla, coconut and 1-1/2 cup sugar. Add bread by hand. Pour mix into a 5 x 9" pan or loaf pan. Cover with foil and set in a larger baking pan with about an inch of water. Place in the oven for about 45 minutes or until firm. Sauce: Put remaining cream on stovetop over low heat. Whip in a mixing bowl (by hand) egg yolks, sugar and vanilla over a heated double broiler till the mixture becomes thick. When the cream starts to "skin-up" (just before it simmers) add to egg mixture slowly, whipping rapidly. Return to double broiler and whip until thick and smooth. After, chill sauce by placing bowl over another ice filled container, stirring occasionally. To Serve: Spoon sauce over individual servings of bread pudding.
Chef Dalpat K. Patel Crabmeat Au-Gratin Ingredients: 1 qt Milk 4 oz Margarine 4 oz Flour 1 Studded Onion with Clove 1 C Heavy Cream 2 lb Crabmeat (lump) 1/2 C Shredded Swiss Cheese 1/2 C Shredded Cheddar Cheese Seasoning: Chopped Parsley, Salt and Pepper Method: Melt margarine in a thick bottomed pan. Add flour and mix in. Cook for a few minutes over a gentle heat without coloring. Gradually add the warmed milk and stir until smooth. Add the onion studded with a clove. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Remove onion. Sauté crabmeat and add white wine, cream and sauce. Stir slowly. Put in baking dish. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake in oven until it gives a golden brown color.
Chef Robert Bruce Crabmeat Cheesecake With Pecan Crust Yields: 1 9" tart Ingredients For Pecan Crust: 3/4 C Pecans 1 C Flour 1/2 t Salt 5 T Butter, cold 3 T Ice Water Ingredients For Garnish: 2 T Chopped Shallots 4 oz Sliced Mixed Wild Mushrooms 1 T Lemon Juice 3 oz Worcesershire Sauce 1 oz Hot Sauce 3 oz Heavy Whipping Cream 3 T Soft Unsalted Butter 24 Crab Claw Fingers Salt and Pepper To Taste Ingredients For Filling: 1/2 Small Onions, finely diced 4 oz Crabmeat, shell removed 8 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature 1/3 C Creole Cream Cheese* 2 Eggs Salt and White Pepper Hot Sauce * or substitute equal parts plain yogurt and sour cream Method For Pecan Crust: Grind the pecans, flour and salt in the food processor until fine. Transfer to a bowl. Add butter. Work the butter into the flour until you have crumbs about the size of a pea. Toss in the ice water, lifting the dough up with your fingers to evenly incorporate. The dough will remain fairly crumbly. Starting with the sides and then the bottom, press the dough into the tart pan. Bake the crust in a 350 degrees oven for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the filling. Method For Filling: Cook the onion in a bit of butter over medium heat until translucent. Add the crabmeat and cook until just heated through. Set this aside. In a mixer fitted with a paddle, or by hand using a wooden spoon, blend the cream cheese until smooth. Add the Creole cream cheese and then the eggs one at a time. Fold in the crabmeat mixture. Season to your liking with salt, white pepper and hot sauce. Pour the mix into the prepared crust. Bake at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes until set and firm to the touch. Method For Garnish Topping: Sauté shallots until translucent. Add mushrooms and cook until sweated. Add lemon juice, Worcestershire and hot sauce and reduce by 3/4. Add heavy cream and reduce by 1/2. Whisk in unsalted butter. In a separate sauté pan, add crab claw fingers. Salt and pepper to taste and pour reduction over. Each slice of cheesecake gets crab claws and 2 tablespoons sauce
Chef Armand Olivier III Crawfish Etouffe Approx. 4 Servings Ingredients: 3 lbs Live Crawfish (blanched and peeled) or 1 lb Crawfish tail meat (with fat) 1 Large Yellow Onion (chopped finely) 1/2 Green Bell Pepper (chopped medium) 1/2 C Celery (chopped, medium) 1/2 C Green Onions (chopped finely) 2 Bay Leaves 1/4 C Parsley Salt & Cayenne Pepper to Taste 8 oz Tomato Sauce 16 oz Crushed Tomatoes 2 Toes Garlic 2 C Seafood Stock Method for Roux (medium brown): Put 1/2 cup of olive oil into a sauce pan and bring to heat. Place 1/2 cup of white flour into oil and stir. Stir constantly until desired color is achieved. Method: Add onion, bell pepper, celery and green onions to pan. Allow to cook approximately fifteen minutes, or until vegetables have cleared. Add tomato products, then 2 cups of seafood stock. Bring up to heat, then add bay leaves and parsley. Allow a cooking time of 20 to 25 minutes, then add crawfish tails. Cook an additional 10 minutes. Served hot over rice.
Chef Tom Weaver Crawfish Louise Yeilds 2 10 oz. casserole servings 1 lb crawfish tails and fat (shrmip can be used as a substitute) 1 tbs. butter 3 tbs. olive oil 1 bunch green onions, diced 1/4" in thickness 1/2 cup parmesan cheese 1/2 lb mushrooms, large, julienned 1/4" in thickness 1 tbs. garlic, pureed 1 tomato (medium), diced 1/4" in thickness 1/2 C Italian breadcrumbs salt and pepper to taste Procedure: Heat crawfish tails and fat separately from sauté and move to side; Melt butter and oil; Sauté green onions, garlic, and mushrooms, add tomato; add crawfish. Add breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Heat thoroughly. Can be served immediately or placed in casserole and reheated later.
Galatoire's Restaurant: Shrimp Remoulade (Serves 6) 1 stalk celery 1 bunch green onions 1 bunch parsley 1/4 cup large onion 1 cup ketchup 1 cup tomato puree 1 cup Creole mustard 1 cup red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish 2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce 1/2 cup salad oil 1 1/2 ounces paprika 32 boiled shrimp (21-25 per pound) Mince celery, green onion, parsley, and onions in a food processor. Add ketchup, tomato puree, Creole mustard, red wine vinegar, horseradish, and oil to the vegetables and mix all ingredients in the food processor adding paprika last. Allow the sauce to stand refrigerated 6-8 hours before serving. Evenly coat the shrimp with the sauce in a mixing bowl and serve on a bed of lettuce.
