today is my birthday and i want to celebrate with real louisiana cooking. all of these recipes come from louisiana cookery by mary land (1972 dated....no age jokes ya'll).....all of these pre-date emeril (who i like but makes things way too complicated)....here we go....simple and beautiful.... duck hunters camp gumbo (you could easily substitute chicken parts....very rich and very good): make a roux and add on pint of hot water. add five cups of duck gizzards, salt, pepper and a dash of tabasco. slowly add another pint of hot water and cook for forty minutes or until gizzards are done. then add duck livers, two bay leaves, a pinch of rosemary, and celery salt. add more hot water and simmer thirty minutes until livers are done. serve in a bowl with boiled rice and file. serve with hot french bread and red wine (serves 4-6). quick bisque pound one pound of cooked crawfish tails and saute for five minutes in butter with minced parsley and minced shallots. add on e can of bouillon and one can of tomato soup. simmer twenty minutes (serves two). soupe aux crabs tally-ho cook one dozen fat crabs in three quarts of gently boiling (never hard boiling) water seasoned with spices, salt and pepper. pick out crab meat and put aside. put four tablespoons of cooking oil in a frying pan, heat, and brown two tablespoons of flour slowly. when brown, add one medium size onion, on clove of garlic, two tablespoons of celery, one tablespoon of lemon and two tablespoons of parsley, all chopped fine, and cook for ten minutes. next put in one can of tomato paste and let fry until it leaves the pan dry when stirred with a spoon. add picked crab meat and let come to a boil. add one box of vermicelli and boil ten minutes longer. season with bay leaves and thyme (serves 8). bayou court bouillon use slices of any large fish. dip in pancake flour and fry in olive oil about twenty minutes. put aside. next mix one quart of chicken soup stock, one pod of garlic, one cup of chopped parsley, one cup of chopped shallots, two sprigs of thyme, two bay leaves, one sprig of marjoram, and one dash of red pepper. simmer ten minutes and add one cup of dry white wine. pour over fried fish and serve with garlic bread (serves 4). turtle soup cut one pound of turtle meat into small pieces. boil meat with spices one hour or until meat is tender. drain and make a roux. add meat to roux with six peeled tomatoes, four minced peppers, and one cup of minced shallots. add on quart of stock and simmer one hour. add any desired herbs. lace with sherry. top with minced hard cooked eggs (serves 2). oyster soup new orleans mince one green spring onion and one sprig of celery. smother in butter, adding one teaspoon of flour and one dozen minced oysters and simmer two minutes. add one pint of hot water or hot chicken broth. simmer slowly ten minutes. add a pinch of chopped parsley. season with salt and pepper to taste. (serves 2). red bean cajun soup soak one pack of red beans in cold water overnight. drain and place in pot with one cup of minced shallots, on cup of minced peppers, on teaspoon of salt, two quarts of water, six teaspoons of worcestershire sauce, and a ham hock or piece of game or fowl. simmer for two hours or until beans are tender. mash the beans and strain. lace with sherry (serves 4). spanish corn soup saute grated corn cut from six ears with two cups of minced green peppers and two cups of minced shallots. add one quart of fowl stock, four teaspoons of chili powder one can of minced pimiento, salt and pepper. simmer about an hour. add cream if desired (serves 2). onion soup slice ten large onions. saute in butter. add one quart of beef or game stock and simmer fifteen minutes. add one teaspoon of blackstrap molasses, one fourth teaspoon of salt, and one teaspoon of white pepper. simmer for ten minutes. sprinkle pieces of toasted french bread with parmesan cheese and drop in soup when ready to serve (serves 2). cracklin' salad make one cup of cracklings and keep crisp in warm oven. mix with one bunch of water cress and one head of garden lettuce. serve with french dressing or mayo (serves 6). okra salad boil two pounds of young okra in salted water for twenty minutes or until tender. chill and sprinkle with minced shallots. serve on lettuce with french dressing (serves 4). hot potato salad peel and boil two pounds of old potatoes. mash with a little olive oil and season with salt and white pepper. add a dash of tabasco and prepared mustard. mix with minced sweet pickles. serve hot on water cress with a little bit of mayonnaise (serves 6). salada mince three pounds of raw spinach with four hard cooked eggs and a little minced onion. add one fourth cup of chopped olives, on half cup of pieces of salami, and one can fo anchovies. mix with french dressing chopped raw asparagus may be added (serves 6). crab cups boil twelve crabs and remove meat and claw meat. mix with two teaspoons of minced onion and a dash of cayenne, salt, pepper, and one-fourth cup of minced celery, two minced pimientoes, and chili powder. mix with mayo or french dressing or both. this salad may be served in pimiento cups (serves 4) salade louisiane fry six frog legs, remove meat from bone, and cut up. mix the meat with one cup of flaked, cooked fish and one pound of boiled crawfish. dress with mayo. serve on water cress with crackers toasted with butter, celery salt, and paprika (serves 8) brennan's shrimp remoulade make a sauce of six tablespoons of olive oil, one half teaspoon of pepper, one fourth cup of minced celery hearts, one half cup of chopped white onions, two tablespoons of vinegar, four teaspoons of creole mustard, a little horse radish, a little minced parsley, and salt and pepper to taste; chill several hours. chill two pounds of boiled, cleaned and peeled shrimp for several hours. place the shrimp on shredded lettuce and top with the sauce (serves 8). turkey salad cut up two cups of cold, cooked turkey (or chicken) and mix with two minced apples and one cup of shelled walnuts (or pecans). mix with mayo. serve on water cress (or on french bread) (servers 6). ok....i'm takin' a break...we've covered soups and salads....will be back to cover all the entrees and desserts. entree's: ethel stevens' roast rub a five-pound roast with salt and pepper and insert one clove of garlic in center. roast in oven at 130 degrees, increasing to 170 degrees by the time meat is done (about three hours). (use meat thermometer). baste often with butter and white wine. (serves 10). garlic butter roast fry three minced pods of garlic in olive oil until brown. rub thin roast with salt, pepper, and olive oil. fry for forty minutes in garlic oil. when done, romeove meat and add a small amount of hot water to garlic and oil to make gravy. add a small amount of garlic if desired. beer steaks soak thin, tender steaks in beer overnight. bake for forty minutes or more in ginger beer. spread powdered ginger mixed with honey over top and brown. blanquette fry steaks for forty minutes. add some stock and a bouquet garni. simmer a few minutes. add cooked green peas and sliced hard cooked eggs. cajun steak first you make a roux, then add two jars of wild grap jelly and let melt. add one cup of good red wine and let steep. in another skillet, fry for thirty minutes steak that has been prepared by rubbing with salt, pepper and flour. when done, pour roux into skillet and add more wine if desired. nesbitt's fried steak use tender meat, which does not need to be marinated. pound salt and pepper into steak rounds. dust with flour and fry in butter thirty minutes or until done. sauteed mushrooms may be served with it. brennan's pompano en papilotte cut pompano into fillets of five oz. each. parboil for five minutes. for the sauce, mix one tablespoon of melted butter and one tablespoon of flour, and add flour chopped green onions, some chopped mushrooms, two truffles, tow ounces of white wine, and one pint of fish stocke. simmer for ten munutes. season to taste. add eight boiled, cleaned, peeled shrimp to the sauce. add the same number of oysters and saute with a dash of white wine and the yold of one egg. moisten a heart shaped parchment bag with butter. fill the bag with alternating layers of sauce and fish. fold bag and bake in a hot oven for ten minutes (serves 1). redbone bass use any fresh water fish. clean and scale. make a roux. add two cups of cream, two tbl of dry mustard, two teaspoons of minced dill, a dash of cayenne, and salt. pour sauce over fish and bake in a casserole. cook fifteen minutes per pound (serves one or two). walleye skin, clean and stuff a fish with a dressing of bread crumbs, egg yolks, creole mustard, pickles, salt, and pepper. baste with a sauce or diluted mushroom soup. this fish may also be barbecued or broiled. cook fifteen minutes per pound. (serves 2). crab pie saute in butter one pound of boiled crab meat with three teaspoons of minced chives, three teaspoons, of minced celery, three minced pimientos, andone minced bell pepper. soak two cups of toast crumbs in white wine. mix with other ingredients and one cup of cooked rice. place in a casserole and bake twenty minutes (serves 6).
ok.....i'll get back to louisiana foods in a minute......just got my b-day gifts and lo and behold....two new cook books.....(hey georgia cooking is pretty good too): "the lady and sons too" by my gal paula h. deen fiery cajun shrimp 2 cups (4 sticks) melted butter 1/2 cup worcestershire sauce 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 14 cup ground pepper 2 teaspoons texas pete hot sauce (or whatever & how much you like) 4 cloves garlic minced 2 teaspoons salt 5 lbs unpeeled medium shrimp 2 lemons thinly sliced stir together the butter, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, pepper, hot sauce, garlic, and salt. pour half this mixture into a large heatproof dish. layer half the shrimp and half the lemon slices in the dish; then form a second layer with the remaining shrimp and lemon slices, and pour remaining sauce into the dish. bake, uncovered and 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink, stirring twice. pour off the sauce into individual serving dishes. serve the shrimp with plenty of french bread for dipping in the spicy butter sauce. the second book is called "mrs. wilkes' boardinghouse cookbook"......mrs. wilkes looks like everybody's grandma and sadly she passed away last year.....so here's to you mrs. wilkes: chop suey "believe it or not, this was a popular regular feature on the menu for many years. it is still a family favorite, especially with beth martin, margie's sister-in-law" 1 lb round steak 1 lb pork ham salt pepper flour for dredging vegetable oil 1 celery stalk chopped 3 medium onions diced 1 (5 oz) bottle soy sauce 2 (14 oz) cans bean sprouts 2 tablespoons chinese molasses cut the steak and ham into bite sized pieces. season with salt and pepper, dip in the flour, and brown in cooking oil. add the celery, onion, souy sauce and juice drained from the bean sprouts. cook slowly for about an hour stirring from time to time. add the bean sprouts. cook for about 20 minutes. mix the molasses with enough flour to make a thick consistency and add to the vegetables. serve on rice.....serves about 8. i don't believe it....in her book, paula deen pays tribute to mrs. wilkes and on page 172 of her cookbook has mrs. wilke's bake bean casserole....here it is: baked bean casserole 2 tbl bacon fat or vegetable oil 1 cup sliced onions two 1 lb cans boston-style baked beans 1 cup diced cooked ham 1 tbl prepared mustard 2 tomatoes peeled and sliced 2 teaspoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon salt preheat the oven to 400 degrees. heat the fat in a heavy skillet, add the onions, and saute until tender. combine the beans, ham, and mustard; arrange half this mixture in a 2 quart casserole. place half of the onions and tomatoes over the beans; sprinkle with half of the sugar and salt. repeat with the remaining ingredients. bake covered for 30 minutes. uncover the casserole and bake for 5 minutes longer. here's one more of mrs. wilkes' recipes in paula deen's book: beef stew casserole 2 lbs beef stew meat 1 tsp salt pinch of pepper 1/2 cup all purpose flour 2 tbl vegetable shortening 1 large onion quartered 1 cup apple juice 2 medium unpeeled cooking apples sliced 3 carrots cut into long, narrow strips 1 cup diced celery 1 bay leaf 1/4 tsp dry oregano sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper, then dredge it in the flour. heat the shortening in a heavy skillet. add the meat and cook until browned on all sides. add the onion. pour in the apple juice and bring to a boil. cover and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, our until the meat is tender. place the apples, carrots, and celery in a casserole, then pour the stew into the casserole. add the bay leaf and oregano and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. remove and discard the bay leaf. serve the stew over mashed potatoes or rice.
i know i've kind of been dissin' emeril (even though i think i own 4 of his books)....here is one of his best recipes and signature dessert dish in all of his restaurants (i've made it about 3-4 times and it is good but does take some time).... emeril's banana cream pie: For custard filling: 5 large egg yolks 1/4 cup cornstarch 3 to 3 1/2 cups heavy cream 2 cups sugar 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped For pie crust: 3 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 ripe banana, mashed 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted 3 pounds bananas, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch slices For drizzled toppings: 3/4 cup caramel sauce, recipe follows 1 cup chocolate sauce, recipe follows For whipped cream topping: 2 cups heavy cream whipped to stiff peaks 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 teaspoons granulated sugar Garnishes: Shaved chocolate Powdered sugar Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare custard filling, in a mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, cornstarch, and 1 cup of the heavy cream. Whisk to blend well. Set aside. Combine the remaining 2 cups cream, the sugar, and the vanilla bean in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to dissolve the sugar and bring to a gentle boil, about 10 minutes. Slowly add the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Be forewarned: this mixture must break and look curdled otherwise it will not set up properly and it will be runny. Pour it into a glass bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap down over the surface of the mixture to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool completely at room temperature. When cooled, remove the vanilla bean and pour the mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a wire whip. Beat at medium speed to combine the mixture. If it will not combine, warm another 1/2 cup heavy cream and slowly add it to the mixture. Whip until you have a thick and creamy custard. To prepare pie crust, in a mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and mashed banana. Mix thoroughly. Add the butter and mix well. Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Bake until browned, about 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and cool, for about 10 minutes. To assemble, spread about 1/2 cup of the custard on the bottom of the crust. Arrange about a third of the banana slices, crowding them close together, over the custard. Next, spread 1 cup of the custard over the bananas. Arrange another third of the banana slices close together over the custard. Top with 1 cup of the custard and the banana slices. Top with the remaining custard, covering the bananas completely to prevent them from turning brown. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours. Cut the pie into wedges and serve with a drizzle of caramel and chocolate sauce. Top with the whipped cream and shaved chocolate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Caramel Drizzle Sauce 1 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup water 1 cup heavy cream In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is a deep caramel color and has the consistency of thin syrup, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cream, return the saucepan to high heat, and boil the sauce until it regains the consistency of a thick syrup, about 2 minutes. Cool. The sauce can be refrigerated until ready to use. Allow it to reach room temperature before drizzling it over the pie. Yield: 3/4 cup Chocolate Sauce 3/4 cup half-and-half 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Combine the half-and-half and butter in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Heat the mixture until a thin paperlike skin appears on the top. Do not boil. Add the chocolate and vanilla and stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool. The sauce can be kept refrigerated for several days, but must be returned to room temperature before serving. Yield: about 1 1/2 cups
