Chicken Salad 2 whole fryers, about 3 pounds each 1 cup finely chopped celery 3 carrots 1 cup finely chopped green onions 2 onions ½ cup finely chopped parsley 8 eggs 1 tablespoon salt ½ cup finely chopped bell pepper 1 teaspoon ground red pepper ¼ cup finely chopped dill pickles 1 teaspoon ground black pepper ½ cup finely chopped olives 1 cup mayonnaise (see recipe) Simple as it seems, this is a very old family favorite. What makes it special is the extra flavor that the chicken stock gives. WE like to serve it as part of a buffet at receptions and family celebrations. Place the fryers in a large heavy stockpot and add the carrots, onions, and water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and let simmer until the chickens are tender, 45 minutes or so. Meanwhile, hard-boil the eggs, then immerse them in cold water to cool them quickly. Peel them and separate the whites from the yolks. Reserve the yolks, chop the whites, and reserve them also. When the fryers are tender, remove them from the stock and let them cool. Cool the stock, too, then skim off the fat. Measure out ½ cup of stock and reserve the rest for another use. Bone and skin the chicken and cut it in 1-inch pieces (scissors work well for this). Place the chicken in a large mixing bowl, add the bell pepper, pickles, olives, celery, green onions, parsley, salt, peppers, and chopped egg whites and mix well. Mash the reserved yolks with 5 tablespoons of the chicken stock and 2 tablespoons of the mayonnaise; add to the chicken mixture and mix well. Then mix in the rest of the stock and mayonnaise. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. If you wish to mold the salad, pack it into the molds and refrigerate several hours or overnight. I like to serve it on a big platter garnished with some nice lettuce leaves and wedges of fresh tomato. Serves 8-10. Mayonnaise 2 egg yolks 4 shots Tabasco sauce 1 teaspoon salt juice of ½ lemon 1 garlic clove, minced 2 cups of high-grade vegetable oil ½ cup finely chopped green onions Place all the ingredients except the oil in a blender (with the center of the lid removed) or a food processor fitted with a platic blade and blend or process for 2 minutes. Pour the oil in a very thin stream through the top or down the feed tube until it has all been incorporated. Blend or process for 30 seconds more. Makes about 2½ cups.
Corn and Crab Bisque 10 ears of corn, shucked and cleaned ½ teaspoon ground white pepper 2 tablespoons butter 2 teaspoons dried thyme, or 1 tablespoon fresh 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons dried basil, or 1 tablespoon fresh 1 quart heavy cream 1 pound cooked white crab meat Salt ½ cup chopped green onions 1 teaspoon ground red pepper ¼ cup chopped parsley ½ teaspoon ground black pepper Cut the kernels from the cobs; scrape the milk from the cobs and reserve. Place the cobs in a 6 quart pot and add 4 quarts water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and boil slowly for 45 minutes to 1 hour to reduce by half. Remove the cobs but do not strain. Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, stirring continuously, to make a light roux. Cook the roux 3-4 minutes, continuing to stir. Test the roux by cooking a little bit and tasting; when the raw taste of the flour is completely gone, the roux is done. It should be no darker than the color of rich cream. Heat the cream and add it to the corn stock. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and whisk in the roux. Add the corn, the corn milk, the seasonings and herbs, and simmer 20-25 minutes. Stir in the crab meat and simmer 3-4 minutes more. Stir in the green onions and parsley and serve. Serves 6-8.
Frogs' Legs i hope i'm not the only one that likes these. Oil for deep-frying 1 teaspoon ground red pepper 2 cups beer (not too dark) 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 cups milk 1 teaspoon ground white pepper 4 eggs 12-16 pairs frogs' legs ½ cup flour 2 teaspoons salt We get perfect, tender fresh frogs' legs in the spring and early fall. If you must, you can use frozen frogs' legs, but fresh ones are beyond compare. In a deep-fryer or other large heavy pot, pour oil to a depth of at least 3 inches. Place over high heat and heat to 375°F. Set a fry basket in the oil. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the beer, milk, eggs, flour, and seasonings until smooth. Dip the frogs' legs in the batter, pair by pair, holding them up to let the excess batter run off. Transfer them to the fry basket, holding on to them for a few seconds to keep them from sticking to the basket. Don't overcrowd the fryer - you will probably need to make two or three batches. Fry the frogs' legs until golden brown, 3 - 4 minutes. Remove and drain on paper toweling. Serve hot, with lemon wedges or Tartar Sauce (see recipe). Serves 4 - 6.
Oysters Gigi 12 strips of bacon 3 eggs 2 dozen fresh shucked oysters, drained 12 ounces beer (not too dark) 2 cups flour 2 cups seasoned Italian bread crumbs 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon ground red pepper 1 teaspoon ground black pepper Vegetable oil for deep-frying ½ teaspoon ground white pepper This dish, named for the elder of my two sisters, Eugenie (known as Gigi), is as easy as it is wonderful. It works well as an appetizer. Halve the bacon slices and fry them until they become transparent and begin to render their fat, about 2 minutes. Wrap a half strip of bacon around each oyster and secure with a toothpick. In a small bowl, mix together the salt and peppers; set aside. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and beer and half of the salt-pepper mixture. Mix together the flour and the remaining salt-pepper mixture and place in a large flat pan. Place the breadcrumbs in another large flat pan. Pour oil into a Dutch oven or other large heavy pot and heat to 375°F. Roll the bacon-wrapped oysters in the seasoned flour to coat them well, then dip them in the beer batter, stirring to coat, then roll them in the breadcrumbs. (Do all the oysters at once.) Deep-fry the oysters in the hot oil until they are well browned, 2-3 minutes. Don't crowd the pot - fry in batches if you need to. Drain on paper toweling and serve plain or with Tartar Sauce (see recipe) or cocktail sauce. Serves 6 as a first course, 4 as a main course.
Shrimp And Tasso Pasta 1 pint heavy cream ½ pound tasso or other smoked cured ham, such as Smithfield, diced 3/4 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon ground red pepper ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper 2 teaspoons fresh basil, or ½ teaspoon dried 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried 1 pound spaghetti 1 pound medium shrimp ½ cup chopped green onions ½ cup chopped parsley Pour the cream into a large heavy skillet and place over medium heat. Stir the cream when it begins to rise to keep it from overflowing; when it comes to a boil, add the tasso, salt, peppers, and herbs and let simmer for 8-10 minutes. You can prepare the sauce ahead to this point. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and drop in the pasta. Cook just until al dente. Meanwhile, return the sauce to a simmer, stir in the shrimp, green onions and parsley and cook just until the shrimp are pink, 3-4 minutes. Drain the pasta and divide among bowls. Spoon the sauce over and serve with Parmesan cheese. Serves 8-10 as an appetizer.
Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Topping An easy-to-make casserole featuring two favorite Louisiana products that are widely available across the country - sweet potatoes (or yams) and pecans. What a combination! You'll enjoy this year-round, but particularly at holiday time, alongside your smoked or baked turkey. 5 large sweet potatoes or yams ¹/3 cup milk ½ cup (¼ pound) butter, softened ½ cup heavy cream ½ cup sugar 1 cup light brown sugar 2 eggs, beaten ¹/3 cup melted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup chopped pecans Preheat the oven to 350°F. Scrub the sweet potatoes or yams well and place them in the oven. Bake until tender, about 40 minutes, and remove. When they are cool enough to handle, halve them and scoop out the insides into a large mixing bowl. Mash well. You should have about 3 cups. (You can also peel and cube the sweet potatoes or yams and cook them in a little water until tender in a covered saucepan. Or you can use leftover sweet potatoes or yams.) Mix the softened butter into the mashed yams or sweet potatoes along with the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and milk. Pour the mixture into a baking pan or casserole dish. Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add the brown sugar and stir until it dissolves. Cook the mixture over medium heat until it reaches the soft-ball stage on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat and beat in the butter and the chopped pecans. Pour this mixture over the yams. Bake until very hot and beginning to brown. Serves 6-8.
Tournedos Patout 1 whole tenderloin of beef, about 4 pounds ½ cup chopped green onions 3 tablespoons salt ½ cup chopped parsley 1 tablespoon ground red pepper 1 pound peeled crawfish tails 1 tablespoon ground black pepper Vegetable oil for deep-frying 2 teaspoons ground white pepper 2 eggplants, long, skinny ones if possible 1 pint heavy cream 3 eggs 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, or 1 teaspoon dried 2 cups milk 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried 2 cups all-purpose flour for dredging Dash or nutmeg This is a great example of the new hybrid Louisiana cooking. It takes advantage of the subtle flavor smoking produces and marries it with a creamy crawfish sauce and fried eggplant. If you can't smoke the tenderloin, or don't want to, simply slice it into 1-inch fillets and grill them over charcoal. Prepare your smoker as directed. Remove the silvery membrane surrounding the tenderloin. In a small bowl, mix together the salt and peppers. Season the meat heavily with this mixture - you'll need about 2 tablespoons of it. Place the meat on the smoker and smoke until it registers rare on a meat thermometer, 6-8 hours. Pour the cream into a large heavy skillet and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often, and add the basil, thyme, 1 tablespoon of the salt-pepper mixture, the nutmeg, green onions and parsley. Continue to simmer until the cream thickens; it should fall from the spoon in heavy drops, and the last drop should cling to the spoon. Add the crawfish tails. The liquid in them will thin out the sauce, so continue to simmer until the sauce regains a thick consistency. Meanwhile, pour oil into a Dutch oven or other large heavy pot to a depth of at least 3 inches and heat to 350°F over medium-high heat. Peel the eggplants and slice them crosswise into ¾-inch rounds. Sprinkle with ½ tablespoon of the salt-pepper mixture. Beat together the eggs, milk, and 1 tablespoon of the salt-pepper mixture. Combine the flour with the remaining tablespoon of the salt-pepper mixture and place it in a shallow pan. Dip the eggplant slices in the egg batter, dredge lightly in the flour to coat on all sides, and deep-fry until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes. Be careful not to crowd the pot - you may need to fry in batches. Drain the eggplant slices on paper toweling. Remove the tenderloin from the smoker and slice ½ inch thick. (You can also smoke the tenderloin in advance and rewarm the slices quickly in a skillet with a little butter.) To serve, place 2 slices of eggplant on each plate, top each slice with a slice of tenderloin, and cover with crawfish sauce. Serves 8.
Smothered Okra 2 pounds fresh okra 6 very ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped 2 medium onions, chopped fine 2 medium bell peppers, chopped fine Salt and pepper to taste 3 cups water 1 teaspoon white vinegar Wash the okra well and drain it. Cut of the stem ends and discard, then slice the okra thin. Place it in Dutch oven or other large heavy pot, add the onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, salt and pepper, water and vinegar and stir well. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat and let simmer slowly until the okra is tender, 45 minutes to an hour, adding a little water if the okra seems to be drying out. If there seems to be too much liquid left in the pot, uncover, raise heat, and let some of it evaporate. Serves 6-8.
Smothered Cajun Hash Browns 3 large white potatoes (we use Idaho) 2 teaspoons ground red pepper 2 cups vegetable oil 2 teaspoons ground black pepper 2 medium yellow onions, chopped fine 1 teaspoon ground white pepper 2 medium bell peppers, chopped fine 5-6 shots Tabasco sauce 1 tablespoon salt 2 cups Kentwood water 2 cups chopped green onions 1 cup chopped parsley Peel the potatoes and cut them in ½-inch cubes. Place the oil in a Dutch oven or other large heavy pot over high heat. When it begins to smoke, add the potatoes, being careful not to splatter yourself. Do not stir. Once the potatoes have browned on that side, drain off the oil. Add the onions, bell peppers, salt, peppers, Tabasco and water. Mix well and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes. If there is still liquid in the pot, uncover and raise the heat to evaporate the excess, stirring constantly, but being careful not to break up the potatoes too much. Stir in the green onions and parsley, cover again, and remove from heat. Let stand for about 5 minutes. Serve with eggs or meat, any time of day. Serves 6.
Chicken & Andouille Gumbo 1 tablespoon salt 3 celery ribs, chopped fine 1-1/2 teaspoons ground red pepper 1 gallon fresh chicken stock 1 teaspoon ground white pepper 2 pounds Andouille or smoked 2 cups pork sausage, sliced 1/2" thick 1 roasting chicken or hen, 3-5 pounds medium roux 2 large onions, chopped fine 1 cup chopped green onions 2 bell peppers, chopped fine 1 cup chopped parsley 4-6 shakes Tabasco There's no excuse for not making this gumbo -- you can get the basic ingredients just about anywhere. It is considered a classic, and the addition of a smoky sausage gives this one a nice balance of flavors. In a small bowl, mix together the salt and peppers; set aside. Pull off the fat from the chicken neck and back cavities and set aside; cut the chicken into small serving pieces. Sprinkle half of the salt-pepper mixture over the chicken pieces. In a large heavy skillet, render the reserved chicken neck and back fat. Add the chicken pieces, brown on all sides, and remove. If you have not made your roux in advance, make it in the skillet, scraping loose any particles from the bottom and using the fat in the pan as part of the oil. If your roux is already made, add it to the skillet and get it good and hot. Add half the onions, bell peppers, and celery, stir well, and set aside to cook, stirring occasionally. Place the stock and the remaining onions, bell peppers, and celery in a large (6-8 quart) heavy pot and bring to a boil. Gradually stir in the roux. Add the rest of the salt-pepper mixture and let simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Add the chicken and sausage and continue to simmer slowly for at least 1-1/2 hours, or until the chicken is tender. (The older the bird, the longer it takes.) If the gumbo becomes too thick, add water. Remove from the heat and let sit 15 minutes. Skim off the fat and discard. Stir in the green onions, parsley, and Tabasco and let sit a few minutes more. Serve in large bowls over rice. Serves 6-8.
