Mardi Gras Party Book

JKROQ

MARDI GRAS COLLATION

Half a Century of Curated Creative Cuisine!

Laissez le Bon Temps Rouler!

Mint Julip Sazurac Crawfish Pie Crawfish CheeseCake Crawfish Ettoufee Shrimp Gumbo BBQ Oysters Crab Louis Remoulade Muffaletta Eggs Sardou Jambalaya Maque Choux Court Boullion Beef Debris Po Boys BBQ Shrimp Shrimp Creole Taso Ham Bread Pudding Chocolate Whiskey Ice Cream And More!

1|Page

La Cuisine De Maw-Maw This is my favorite time of year as the Bacchanalian Debauchery between Christmas and Lent takes place.

Ah, the joys of New Orleans! I must admit that I have an affinity for this cuisine as I was raised on the Mississippi River which connects North to South and runs through Memphis. Growing up, I had the best of the city and the country, a bit like in the movie “A River Runs Through It”. Couple that with a good John Grisham novel and there you have it. Court Square in Memphis was a nice relaxing place in the middle of downtown, close to Symphony Hall and right across from Goldsmiths which Is now Macy’s.

Times change, people grow, and I have the memories. In my travels, I have had the great experience of enjoying the cuisines of many different countries, but I have a special knack of creating acquaintances and friendships that cover the globe. In this, I have been graced with many different ethnicities and cuisines that most would never have the opportunity to experience, in the pure state. In Houston, Texas, there is wonderful plethora of ethnicities, and if you go from neighborhood to neighborhood, you can just about find any type of cuisine and native culture that you would want to experience. I have lived in New York City, London, Tokyo, Iwakuni, San Francisco, Denver, Memphis, Nashville, and various other parts of the world. From these great places and with my varied careers, I have had the great joy of meeting many people. Among them are Julia Child, Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck, Graham Kerr, and others. It was in the actual meeting of them, that I have been inspired to be very creative and adventuresome in my kitchen, no matter where that kitchen happens to be.

I begin by finding the freshest ingredients I can wherever I happen to be. In Houston, I go to Fiesta for the fish and vegetables as they source locally and usually have some good prices. I am a coupon shopper also! Another place I check is the local fish monger on Richmond and of course I go to China Town for different ingredients. That’s what I like about Houston, it’s very diverse here.

Once the shopping is done, I prepare for a day in the kitchen. Oh, I make sure to have fresh coffee, sweet tea, a bottle of wine and me. To me, the kitchen is the fulcrum of the house and should be pleasant for anyone to come in, sit a spell and talk with the Chef!

The roux is what takes the patience and time. It has to be just right especially for this high class Creole dish! My mother would roll over in her grave if it wasn’t. I have the freshest butter I can find, my Mothers cast iron skillet and flour that I have browned in the oven to brown just a bit to take that doughy flavor out. That’s what interesting about flour as it has a nutty flavor when it’s browned like this. I melt my butter on low heat and put the flour in through a fine mesh strainer. Nothing wrong with being meticulous.

Stir, Stir, Stir and don’t let that roux burn cause if it do, then you have to start over!

2|Page

Once that is done to my liking, I add the other stuff to it, and we are about ready for the serving. By the way, that Cajun seasoning is up to you as I make my own and will include that recipe earlier in this tome.

Living life as an artform is a great way for me to look at my life. I was diagnosed with GRID in the early eighties which is the predecessor of HIV/AIDS which was identified in 1985. I have lived through the stigma and stood up to make a difference. I am honored today, to be alive and well.

The miracles of St. Jude Pediatric Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, never cease to amaze me and my affiliation as a volunteer fundraiser continues to this day. It’s because of that research that myself and many others are here.

I am a professional musician, recording artist, accountant and chef. As my mother told me, a very well rounded person.

In the eighties, while I was performing on and off Broadway, in regional theater, studying and working with the greats, I was also the chief cook and bottle washer at the Pipeline in Memphis. That really inspired my artistic side.

My culinary skills and tastes have developed a lot since my beginnings in Memphis. I have curated recipes around the world and enjoyed every new taste. Southern cuisine has grown to a fusion of exhilarating flavors with nuances of light and heavy spice. Today, I expand on these ideas every time I am in the kitchen. These are some of my menus.

I started in the kitchen with my grandmother and Ms. Lucy Wingo at Douglas Nursing Home, Inc. I have always liked being a creative person and this was a major outlet for that to happen.

Life is an artform and with that, this collection of recipes are the ones I actively use.

3|Page

Contents La Cuisine De Maw-Maw ............................................................................................. 1 Pride ....................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

This food n this chere book be gonna make u slap ya momma! ......................................... 6 Laisse le BON TEMPS ROLUER! ................................................................................. 6 Langniappe .......................................................................................................................... 7 Buffalo Chick Dip.......................................................................................................... 8 Kosher Dill Pickles ........................................................................................................ 8 Olive Spread.................................................................................................................. 9 Salmon Salad ................................................................................................................ 9 Cajun Sausage Balls .................................................................................................... 10 Cajun Hot Wings ........................................................................................................ 11 Pride ............................................................................................................................ 12 Pain .................................................................................................................................... 13 Basic Bread ................................................................................................................. 13 Brioche ........................................................................................................................ 13 Crawfish Foccacia ....................................................................................................... 14 Crawfish Pie ................................................................................................................ 15 Pain De Champagne ................................................................................................... 16 Skillet Cornbread ............................................................................................................ 17 Sweet Dough for Tartlets ............................................................................................ 18 Cocktel ............................................................................................................................... 19 Bloody Mary................................................................................................................ 19 Bloody Mary 2 ................................................................................................................ 19 Drunken Peanut Butter Cups ..................................................................................... 21 Mint Julip ................................................................................................................... 21 Minty Old Fashioned .................................................................................................. 22 Sazurac Cocktail.......................................................................................................... 22 LUNDI GRAS! ................................................................................................................... 23 Kolasyon ............................................................................................................................ 24 BBQ Oysters ................................................................................................................ 24 CRAB LOUIS .............................................................................................................. 24

4|Page Crab and Shrimp Salad ............................................................................................... 25 Hush Puppies .............................................................................................................. 26 Hot Crab Dip ............................................................................................................... 27 Rémoulade .................................................................................................................. 28 Shrimp Creole ............................................................................................................. 29 Shrimp Ettouffee ........................................................................................................ 30 La Collation ....................................................................................................................... 32 Eggs Benedict ............................................................................................................. 32 Eggs Sardou ................................................................................................................ 32 Hollandaise Sauce ......................................................................................................... 33 Cajun Chicken Hot Wings .......................................................................................... 27 Onion Confit ............................................................................................................... 27 The Gumbos ...................................................................................................................... 27 Beef and Sausage Gumbo ........................................................................................... 28 Cabbage Gumbo.......................................................................................................... 30 Gumbo Z’Herbes......................................................................................................... 30 Seafood Gumbo .......................................................................................................... 31 Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo ...................................................................................... 32 Sauce Piquant ............................................................................................................. 33 Jambalaya .......................................................................................................................... 34 Cajun Jambalaya ........................................................................................................ 36 Creole Jambalaya ....................................................................................................... 36 Shellfish Jambalaya .................................................................................................... 36 Smoked Pork Jambalaya ............................................................................................ 37 The Soups .......................................................................................................................... 37 Cajun Shrimp Bisque .................................................................................................. 39 Shrimp and Lobster Stock ............................................................................................. 39 Crawfish Bisque ............................................................................................................ 0 Crawfish Beef Short Rib Chile Gumbo ....................................................................... 38 Creole Andoullie Chicken Gumbo Soup ..................................................................... 40 Cioppino...................................................................................................................... 42 Shrimp and Bacon Chowder....................................................................................... 44 Shrimp Creole Soup .................................................................................................... 44

5|Page Oyster Stew ................................................................................................................. 45 Cours de Legume ............................................................................................................... 47 Green Beans ................................................................................................................ 47 Maque Choux .............................................................................................................. 48 Plats Principaux................................................................................................................. 49 Crawfish Boil............................................................................................................... 49 Galveston Gulf Coast Ocean Pot Au Feu .................................................................... 50 New Orleans BBQ Shrimp .......................................................................................... 52 Oxtails and Collard Greens......................................................................................... 53 Boudin ............................................................................................................................ 53 Cour Boullion ................................................................................................................ 1 Fish Stock ....................................................................................................................... 52 Roast Beef Debris ....................................................................................................... 53 Smoked Pork Tenderloin ............................................................................................ 54 Southern Fried Chicken and Pork Chops ................................................................... 54 Taso Ham .................................................................................................................... 55 Taso Ham 2 ................................................................................................................. 56 Bagay Dous ........................................................................................................................ 58 Beignets ...................................................................................................................... 58 Commanders Palace Bread Pudding .......................................................................... 59 Bourbon sauce ............................................................................................................... 60 Bourbon Cherry Bread Pudding Souffle .................................................................... 60 Captain Morgan Pecan Pie ......................................................................................... 62 Chocolate Whiskey Ice Cream .................................................................................... 62 King Cake .................................................................................................................... 63 Peach Cobbler ............................................................................................................. 63 How’s ya mama an’ them? ................................................................................................ 65

6|Page

This food n this chere book be gonna make u slap ya momma!

Laisse le BON TEMPS ROLUER!

7|Page

Langniappe Welcome one and all! Fire up a stick and let’s have some fun! This is how we great our guests, with a fantastic Jumbalaya of ecstatic delights. In the immortal words of Mark Twain in “Life on the Mississppi” 1883: We picked up one excellent word—a word worth travelling to New Orleans to get; a nice limber, expressive, handy word—"lagniappe." They pronounce it lanny-yap. It is Spanish—so they said. We discovered it at the head of a column of odds and ends in the Picayune, the first day; heard twenty people use it the second; inquired what it meant the third; adopted it and got facility in swinging it the fourth. It has a restricted meaning, but I think the people spread it out a little when they choose. It is the equivalent of the thirteenth roll in a "baker's dozen." It is something thrown in, gratis, for good measure.

The custom originated in the Spanish quarter of the city. When a child or a servant buys something in a shop—or even the mayor or the governor, for aught I know—he finishes the operation by saying—"Give me something for lagniappe."

The shopman always responds; gives the child a bit of licorice-root, gives the servant a cheap cigar or a spool of thread, gives the governor—I don't know what he gives the governor; support, likely.

When you are invited to drink, and this does occur now and then in New Orleans—and you say, "What, again?—no, I've had enough;" the other party says, "But just this one time more—this is for lagniappe." When the beau perceives that he is stacking his compliments a trifle too high, and sees by the young lady's countenance that the edifice would have been better with the top compliment left off, he puts his "I beg pardon—no harm intended," into the briefer form of "Oh, that's for lagniappe."

Come on in, take your shoes off and have a cocktail!

8|Page

Buffalo Chick Dip I have used this recipe for decades and it is a simple, fun appetizer for any gathering. For Mardi Gras, I ramp it up a bit, especially on Twelfth Night.

I use the crock pot slow cooker for this dish and just let it ride. Serve with crostini’s, celery sticks, carrot sticks, sliced lemony cucumbers, blue cheese, camembert cheese, pickled garlic, Kosher Dill Pickles sliced, and garlic toast points on the side.

• • • • • • •

4 chicken breasts 1 package cream cheese 1 cup ranch dressing 2 tablespoons garlic powder 2 tablespoons dried thyme 1 cup Red Hot sauce 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Take the frozen chicken breasts and put in a pot of water. Set to the boil and cook for thirty minutes or until the chicken will fall apart and shred nicely.

Cool the chicken.

In the stand mixer, combine the cream cheese, ranch dressing, cheddar cheese, hot sauce and spices. Mix with standard beater on medium speed until well blended and creamy.

Place mixture into crock pot on the low setting and cover.

Shred the chicken and add to the crock pot, cover and let it be for two hours.

Get on with the other work in the kitchen after a glass of wine or a Bloody Mary!

Kosher Dill Pickles • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 gallon glass jar 10-12 pickling cucumbers 3 quarts water 1/3 cup white vinegar 6 tablespoons kosher salt 3/4 ounce fresh dill 2 garlic cloves, peeled 1 bay leaf 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds 1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds 1 tablespoon pickling spice 1 dried de Arbol chili

9|Page

Prepare jar by washing in hot soapy water, rinse well and air dry or wash in dish washer.

In a large container, stir together water, vinegar and salt until salt is completely dissolved.

Place half of dill in the bottom of the gallon jar. Add all remaining spices, then fit half of pickles in the jar. Sometimes it's like a puzzle to get the right fit. Add remaining dill then pickles, ending up with a single pickle as described in the hints.

Fill jar with brine, being sure to cover the final pickle completely. Lightly place the cover on the jar, put on a plate and set on the counter, out of direct sunlight, for at least 3 days.

The brine should remain mostly clear and each day that it does is an extra day of flavorful fermentation. Your nose can tell you a lot about the process. After 4-6 days, place the jar in the refrigerator to stop the fermentation. Wait another day or two and enjoy! The pickles will be good for up to a month in the fridge, but they never last that long.

Olive Spread This is a recipe I picked up in my travels down the river to New Orleans! It’s a great addition to a muffuletta sandwich.

• • • • • • • • • • • •

5 ounces pimento-stuffed olives (1 cup), sliced, plus 2 tablespoons of liquid from the jar 6 ounces chopped giardiniera and peppers (pickled Italian vegetables) (1 cup), plus 1 tablespoon of liquid from the jar 2 tablespoons drained capers, plus 2 teaspoons of liquid from the jar 3 ounces pitted Kalamata olives (1/2 cup), sliced 2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 tablespoon minced shallot 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried parsley Pinch of dried thyme Pinch of crushed red pepper 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Mix together and let sit overnight in the refrigerator overnight. Serve with crackers, dipper chips, pita bread with very little salt. Add to a Chauterice board with artisianal cheeses, olives, anchovy paste, crostini and andouille sausage.

Salmon Salad

10 | P a g e Making this salad is a great thing for Summers in Memphis. It also goes well for that cocktail party or New Years Day gathering. I really enjoy going to the Peabody for celebrations. The architecture is fantastic, and it is in the center of Memphis Downtown.

• • • • • • • • • • •

2 cans of salmon picked clean 1 small jar of cornichons drained 1 medium yellow sweet onion 5 stalks of celery 3 hardboiled eggs 4 ounces of capers 1 cup mayonnaise ½ cup mustard 2 cloves of garlic 2 lemons juiced Splash of red wine vinegar

Chop all the veggies into a very dice and set aside. I like to marinate them in a mix of olive oil, basil, dill, oregano and a smidgen of grated lemon peel. Chop the capers fine and mix in with the veggies. Add all the ingredients together and put in the fridge until just before people begin to show up.

For serving, I make an ice mold or ice bowl since we are dealing with fish and mayonnaise and mold the salad into a fish shape. I like to do it by hand and use thin sliced half rounds of lemon and lime to form scales, capers for the tail and cover with a paprika dusting.

Serve with your favorite crackers or buttered toast points. Yummy! Goes great with a Martini or Mint Julip.

Cajun Sausage Balls This is a favorite of mine every year. I do use the meat grinder attachment on the Kitchen Aide Mixer for this and many other things. To get the special flavor, the traditional recipe for sausage balls has been expanded. This will make a bunch of balls so be prepared. They do freeze by the way.

• • • • • • • • •

1 pound Andouille Sausage, roughly ground 1 pound sage infused pork sausage 3 cups baking mix such as bisquik or something along that line 8 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese ½ cup macerated onion with juice ¼ cup macerated celery with juice 1/3 cup milk 1 egg whisked at room temperature 2 teaspoons JK Creole Seasoning

11 | P a g e

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with the rack in the middle for even cooking.

Combine the ingredients into a medium mixing bowl and gently meld together with clean and gloved hands. Be careful not to squeeze to tightly as that will destroy the character of the sausage balls and they may fall apart.

Roll the balls by taking a portion about the size of a walnut and gently rolling it into a ball.

Place on the baking sheet and prepare for the oven.

When the sheet is full, cover the remaining for a second baking if necessary and place the baking sheet in the oven. Leave in for 25 minutes and check for doneness.

This recipe makes approximately 80 sausage balls. Serve with Remoulade Sauce, Honey Mustard, Creole Sauce or just plain Hot Sauce in Sour Cream. These will not last long!

Cajun Hot Wings

This is a good place to start the season with all the parades and parties. Mardi Gras, with it’s shifting time frames, is the time of year to party hardy and enjoy each day with a lot of fun and life! Food is central to this very active celebration before Lent begins.

Kosher Dill Pickles Page Cajun Sausage Balls Page Crawfish Pie Page Hot Crab Dip Page Remoulade with Shrimp Page Beef and Sausage Gumbo with Piquant Sauce Page Seafood Gumbo Page Sweet Tarts Beignets Page Chocolate Whiskey Ice Cream Page Chocolate Bread Pudding with Cherries Page

12 | P a g e King Cake Page

Pride My first Pride was in 1975, my first year in College. I volunteered for the Marines in 1976 as I did not feel I was right for college then. Private Schools all my early life and a sheltered but aware childhood led me to make the decision to volunteer. I served for 8 years as an exemplary, openly, respectful, gay Marine. I had to excel at everything I did with that moniker hanging over my head.

My exit Proficiency and Conduct marks topped the charts as a Marine, 5.0 and 5.0 is the top of the charts.

I have never really hidden that I am gay and I have tried to be respectful of others. I was also diagnosed with GRID in the early eighties, before HIV and told get my affairs in order as I only had 3 to 5 years to live. Well, that was a life changer for me and I changed some things I was doing, began to eat and live healthier along with putting my nose to the grind stone in my chosen career as an artist/musician.

I graduated from prestigious universities and conservatories around the world and just kept going, running away from the grim reaper.

I do remember Ronald Reagan as I served in the white house during his Presidency. I was flabbergasted, as a Marine, that he chose not to acknowledge the HIV and AIDS were a problem that existed in the Gay community at the time. The Ryan White Act took another couple of administrations to pass and it was GW Bush that finally signed that act.

I have lost many friends and brothers along the way and I feel I am here to keep fighting and to tell their stories and mine.

I remember Sandy, he was a hoot as Sandra St. Claire and was a part of the Pipettes. He left us way too soon, in the eighties. I remember the loneliness and the fear as we were ostracized at the time out of irrational fear. We were up against a lot of odds, but we stood together.

There is a lot more but I'll stop here for now.

13 | P a g e

Pain We gonna start this celebration by making the bread! Bread is the fruit of life, so to speak, and an important part of the Creole/Cajun menu.

Basic Bread INGREDIENTS: • • • • • • • •

2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour one 8 1/2" by 4 1/2" loaf pan (or spray nonstick pan with butter spray). In large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a mixing bowl with electric mixer on high, beat butter and sugar 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Beat in buttermilk. Add flour mixture, with mixer on low, stir just until blended.

Spoon into prepared pan.

Bake 55-65 minutes, until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on rack 5 minutes. Un-mold, cool for 1 hour before slicing.

Brioche Ingredients • For the sponge • 1 cup all-purpose flour • 1 packet or 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast • 1/2 cup milk, lukewarm • For the dough • 6 large eggs, room temperature • 3 cup all-purpose flour

14 | P a g e • 1/2 cup granulated sugar • 2 teaspoons kosher salt • 1 cup butter, softened, plus more for pans • For the egg wash • 1large egg • 1 tablespoon water • Kosher or sea salt, for sprinkling Make the sponge: To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, add 1 cup flour, yeast, and milk. Using a spatula, mix until well combined, then cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 45 minutes.

Once the sponge has formed some air pockets, add in eggs, remaining 3 cups flour, sugar, and salt. Mix on medium speed until well combined, then gradually increase to mediumhigh speed and continue mixing until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and becomes shiny and elastic, scraping down bowl every 4 to 5 minutes, 10 to 13 minutes.

With the mixer running, add in butter gradually, 1 tablespoon at a time, letting each tablespoon fully incorporate into the dough before adding the next, 13 to 15 minutes.

Continue mixing on medium-high speed for 5 to 7 minutes until the dough passes the windowpane test. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rest about 1 hour or doubled in size.

To bake next day: Once dough has doubled in size, punch down to deflate dough completely, then re-cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight until you are ready to bake the next day. Follow instructions in the next step, letting dough proof until doubled before baking, longer if needed, up to 2 hours 30 minutes.

To bake same day: Once dough has doubled in size, turn out onto a floured surface and punch down dough. Divide in half using a bench scraper. Cut each half into six equal pieces. Flatten each piece into a rectangle, then fold short ends in towards each other as if folding a letter. Flatten again and tightly roll into a log starting with the short end.

Repeat with all pieces.

Grease 8”-x-5” loaf pans with butter. Place 6 pieces of dough seam-side down in one straight row into each prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap.

Preheat oven to 375°. Let dough proof until puffy and doubled in size, 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining egg and water. Brush egg wash on top of loaf and sprinkle lightly with salt.

Bake until deeply golden on top and the center of the loaf registers between 190° and 205°, about 30 minutes.

Let cool 5 minutes then turn loaves out onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely.

Crawfish Foccacia • • •

2 cups lukewarm water 1 teaspoon active dry yeast 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

15 | P a g e • • • •

5 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves, chopped and divided 5 1/4 cups (670 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus coarse sea salt for sprinkling 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

In a large bowl combine the water, yeast, and sugar. Add in 2 teaspoons of the chopped rosemary, half the flour, and the salt, stirring to combine. Add 1/2 cup olive oil. Gradually add in the remaining flour until a shaggy mass forms. Only add in as much flour as you need to create a shaggy slightly sticky dough.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let ferment at room temperature for about 8 to 10 hours, or until doubled in size. At this point you can refrigerate the dough for several days until ready to bake. This will also develop more flavor.

Coat a rimmed half sheet pan with the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. Turn the dough onto the pan and begin pressing it out with your fingertips to fit the size of the pan. Coax and stretch the dough to fit the entire pan, or just about. If the dough springs back, cover and let it rest for 10 minutes before proceeding. Spread your fingers to make little dimples all the way through the dough.

Meanwhile, place a baking stone in the oven and preheat to 450°F. If you don't have a baking stone, invert a heavy duty rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven to preheat.

Sprinkle the dough liberally with coarse sea salt and the remaining rosemary leaves. Bake with the sheet pan on top of stone until the focaccia is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Crawfish Pie • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 lb pound, peeled and partially cooked or fully cooked crawfish tails (12 oz package can be substituted), defrosted 1/2 tsp JKs Creole Seasoning 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste 1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup) 1/2 bell pepper, chopped (about 3/4 cup chopped) 1 large jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (about 1/4 cup) (optional) 1 (4 oz) jar diced pimentos 1 (14.75 oz) can cream-style corn 2 large eggs beaten 1/3 cup vegetable oil plus additional oil for oiling casserole dish 1 cup (4 oz) sharp cheddar cheese

16 | P a g e •

1 (8.5 oz) box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix OR 2 cups of family size Martha White Sweet Cornbread and Muffin mix OR substitute 1-1/2 cups yellow cornmeal, 2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt — increase cornmeal to 2 cups for firmer casserole Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 9″x13″ casserole dish or 10″ cast iron skillet.

In medium bowl, combine crawfish tales, JKs Creole Seasoning, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Set side.

In large bowl, combine onion, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, diced pimentos, cream style corn, eggs, vegetable oil and cheddar cheese. Stir to combine.

Add in the seasoned crawfish tails.

Add the cornbread mix. Pour into oiled 9″ x 13″ casserole dish or oiled 10″ cast iron skillet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 – 50 minutes until bubbly, browned on top and edges begin to pull away from sides of casserole dish.

Remove from oven, let set on counter for 15 – 20 minutes, then cut into 6 slices and serve.

Pain De Champagne • 500 grams Bread Flour (80%) • 125 grams Rye Flour (20%) • 12.5 grams Salt (2%) • 6.25 grams Dry Yeast (1%) • 375 grams Water (60%) . Mix the bread flour, rye flour and salt. If you are using dry yeast, not required prefermentation, add the dry yeast at this point. If you are using fresh yeast, dissolve the fresh yeast into the water before use. 2. Pour the water into the flour and using a dredge (cutting card), mix to blend the water into the flour. 3. Once the water starts to slowly soak into the flour mixture, by cutting the edge (about 3-5cm each) of the dough – place it on top of the dough – repeat this process numerous times to completely letting the water dissolve into the flour, forming a complete dough. Use may use your hand to assist to do this, although making sure that your do not ‘knead the dough’ at this point.

4. Cover the dough with plastic to prevent it from drying and let it rest for 30 minutes in room temperature.

5. Place the dredge underneath the dough and fold up and over to the top, like you are folding a square origami flower. Repeat this process until the entire dough is well combined. Place the dough on a smooth working table and stretch the dough rubbing down, repeating this process for about 20~30 times.

(LOW TEMPERATURE FERMENTATION) Leave the dough in a plastic container at 4~6C for approx. 10〜24 hours.

7. Leave the dough to restore it back to room temperature.

8. Dough size 350g〜400g Flour the bread-board, removing the dough from the container using a dredge or cutting card, making sure your are not damaging the dough.

17 | P a g e (Try to) Leave the dough in a rectangular shape and using a dredge or cutting card, cut the dough into the required shape/weight. The more perfect the rectangular shape (in one go!)it will be easy to handle as you proceed. Dough size 350g〜400g, rectangular shape. Let the dough rest for approx. 10~20minutes. Prevent from the surface to dry.

Pull the dough diagonally to a rectangular or square shape of approx. 20cm. Fold the 1/3 of the dough, picking up the north east/west corner. Fold the 1/3 of the dough, picking up the south east/west corner. Fold the 1/3 of the dough, picking up the west north/south corner. Fold the 1/3 of the dough, picking up the east north/south corner. The dough should become a folded layered (small bun like) dough. Now, fold the surrounding dough to the epicenter; wrapping the dough inwards as to form a circular dome; tightly pinching the seams you're your fingers closing off any gaps. Place the dough on a lightly floured board, rotating the dough to produce a surface tension.

9. Place the dough onto a banneton (basket) with the closed off seam facing up, at 28~30C/60min~90min.

10. Using a sharp blade cut a coupé along the top surface.

11. *Need a stainless steel cover for baking. If you have a gas oven like I have, preset the oven to 250C/cover the dough with a stainless steel cover and bake at 250C/10minutes/manually inserting steam (hot water of 50cc) onto a plate of hot rock (like a steam sauna set up), 230C/10minutes and without the cover for 230C/10minutes.

Skillet Cornbread Gurlfriend, Cornbread can be the root of all evil or a gracious gift from the Gods! I prefer the latter and this curated recipe is one I stole from a good friend after an all-nighter past the Lavender Line on Bourbon street.

The buttery texture and flavor really enhanced the Gumbo it was served with and was a palate cleanser from the night before. If the walls of Lafittes could talk, we would all be Happy Happy Joy Joy! • • • • • • • • • • •

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour ¾ cup yellow cornmeal ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder 3 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons chives and thyme 3 tablespoons diced jalapeno pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1 ½ cup buttermilk 2 eggs, beaten but not frothed 1 stick of butter melted (8 tablespoons)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Grease a cast iron 10 inch skillet

18 | P a g e Get the whisk out and into a good size mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients and whisk together.

When the dry ingredients are well mixed, add the wet ingredients in and whisk to combine.

Add the melted butter and pour batter into the skillet.

Place in the oven and set a timer for 20 minutes. Use the toothpick insertion method to check for doneness in the center of the cornbread.

Enjoy and this is good for a hangover! Hehehe

Sweet Dough for Tartlets • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 cup Crisco shortening 1 cup butter 8 eggs 7 1/2 cups sugar 8 tsp baking powder 4 tsp baking soda 4 tsp each vanilla 4 tsp nutmeg 4 tsp cinnamon 1 cup evaporated milk 1 cup water 5 - 6 lbs all purpose flour (approximate 3 1/3 cups per pound) 16 3/4 cups to 20 cups flour

Directions Preheat oven of 350 degrees.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the Crisco and butter.

In a stand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until foamy. Add the melted butter/Crisco.

Gradually add the baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, and nutmeg to the mixture. Add the evaporated milk and water.

Gradually add the flour and continue mixing until the dough creates a ball that will not stick to the bowl and you can hold it. The dough should be sticky to the touch. If dough is too soft to roll, cover and chill for one hour or more.

On a floured board, roll the dough into balls (about the size of a large egg).

19 | P a g e This is a perfect dough for tarts. This dough doesn’t have to be refrigerated for handling and can be prepared right away. I prefer filling them with figs, blackberries, or sweet potatoes ( can fill them with whatever you like).

Cocktel Bloody Mary The Bloody Mary and Bloody Bull are classics in my New Orleans experiences, especially on Sunday mornings.

Laffite’s in Exile begins my Sunday Funday and it proceeds to Good Friends down the block, brunch at Court of Three Sisters and an afternoon of debauchery at the Ramrod or the Phoenix.

There are many recipes for these cocktails and each one is quite good. For me, it’s the spiciness with the acidity of the tomato juice that kicks it.

The Classic!

• 1.5 ounces Vodka • Dash of Worcestershire Sauce • Dash of Tabasco Sauce • Dash of Pepper • Dash of Chili Powder • Tomato Juice • Lime cut in eighths Into a tall glass fill with ice Pour in the Vodka.

Add the Worcestershire, Pepper, Chili Powder and Salt Add Tomato Juice and shake Garnish with a pickled green bean, lime and enjoy

Bloody Mary 2 I do like to be adventurous and there has not been any box that can contain me, no matter how many people try put me in their box!

20 | P a g e Fred’s Lounge, in Mamou, has one of the best Bloodies in the world! They go to pain staking lengths to make the ingredients and put them together. I just happened to fall into this place, still sober, while on a sightseeing and cruising expedition in the bayou area of the Louisiana. Of course, being the meek, mild, shy, demure young man that I was, 6 years ago, I just had to have a sip of this concoction. Before the afternoon turned into the evening, I had charmed the secrets from the owner. She is such a very nice Cajun lady.

Here is my rendition of this fantastic libation!

I make a base, and this comes from my time behind the professional bars as a mixologist and restaurant owner. The base is what fuels this concoction and makes my job easier.

• • • • •

4 pounds of very ripe tomatoes 3 pounds of the peppers you like most. For me, it’s them little sweet hot cherry peppers and jalapeno.

6 limes with zest removed and juiced 4 tablespoons each of Tabasco, Worcestershire, minced Garlic, Celery Salt, Grated Horseradish 3 16 ounce can tomato sauce or beef stock for a bloody bull ( add later)

Here is the fun part!

Cut the tomatoes into eighths and mince the peppers.

Place on a baking sheet and put in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes, checking on them now and then for the blackening. Don’t burn to a crisp but have just enough black on them for the flavor.

Remove from oven and place in a food processor with the juice and zest of the limes, the other spices and process to a smooth puree.

This is where I stop and place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for use later.

This should yield about 1 gallon of the base.

To make the mix, add a full cup of the puree to a gallon picture of 8 ounces tomato sauce and 16 ounces of tomato juice and mix. This will yield a gallon of Bloody Mary Mix.

Making the Bloody.

• • •

3 ounces of good vodka such as Titos, Dripping Springs or even Smirnoff Ice Enough of the mix to fill the glass

Use at least an 8 ounce glass and rim the top with a lime and then dip in the Cajun Salt mix to rim the glass.

Fill the glass with ice.

Pour in the Vodka and top with the mix.

21 | P a g e Garnish with a blackened shrimp, chicken wing, celery stick, chicken fried bacon and service with extra tobasco on the side.

For a Bloody Maria, substitute Tequila; for a Michelada, add 2 ounces of mix to a beer mug and pull the beer on top of it.

Drunken Peanut Butter Cups I had this martini and had to get the recipe! Try it, it is a true sugar rush! This does involve a little prep of the Reese’s Pieces Vodka, so plan ahead. To infuse the vodka, get a mason jar with the led and add 2 cups Vodka and 1 cup Reese’s Pieces. Put the lid on tightly and shake. Refrigerate overnight or until it is used. Before it is used, strain the Vodka into a clean container and disposed of the Reese’s Pieces that were used or have a Bacchanalia!

For the Martini: • Ice • 3 ounces infused Vodka • 3 ounces whole milk • 2 ounces Chocolate Liqueur • 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup • Peanut Butter and Crushed Reese’s Pieces for rimming Martini Glass Fill a cocktail shaker with ice then pour vodka, milk and chocolate liqueur. Shake until chilled Rim two Martini glasses with the Reese’s Pieces and Peanut Butter.

Drizzle a tablespoon of chocolate syrup into each glass and divide the strained cocktail mix between the two glasses.

Garnish each with a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup!

Mint Julip I am a Southern Tennessee boy and I love my Mint Julips. Nothing like sitting on the patio with a good cigar, the smell of fresh mint growing in the yard along with the cilantro and having an ice cold Julip on a hot Summer day.

Makers Mark Kentucky Bourbon is a must have for this exquisite libation.

This drink is made in a high ball glass and is muddled in the glass itself.

As a before dinner libation, the Mint Julip pairs well with the Presidente Flor De Olivia.

The mellowness of the well-rounded cigar coupled with the ring and length size, make this pairing unique.

22 | P a g e

• • • • •

2 to 3 ounces of Makers Mark 3 to 4 mint leaves 1 cherry just for fun 1 ounce simple syrup Crushed Ice

Put the mint leaves and cherry in the bottom of the high Muddle to get the oils working really well.

Add the simple syrup Put the crushed ice in the glass Pour the bourbon over Stir Garnish with an orange and cherry flag.

Nothing better and reminds me of Home in Tennessee!

ball.

Minty Old Fashioned First, make the simple syrup by putting 2 cup sugar into 2 cups water and heat slowly on the stove over low heat. Stir the concoction to dissolve the sugar and do not let it boil. Set aside and let cool for about 20 minutes.

Place into a high ball glass, two maraschino cherries with stems removed, one slice of orange , sprig of mint and a scant handful of crushed ice. Muddle to release the essence of the fruits and the fresh mint.

Add a dash of Perchataway Bitters Fill the rest to within a quarter inch of the rim with ice.

Pour your Bourbon of Choice over and serve.

Sazurac Cocktail In 1838, Antoine Amedie Peychaud, owner of a New Orleans apothecary, treated his friends to brandy toddies of his own recipe, including his "Peychaud's Bitters," made from a secret family recipe. The toddies were made using a double-ended egg cup as a measuring cup or jigger, then known as a "coquetier" (pronounced "ko-k-tay"), from which the word "cocktail" was derived. Thus, the world's first cocktail was born!

23 | P a g e

• • • • •

1 cube sugar 1½ ounces (45ml) Sazerac Rye Whiskey ¼ ounce Herbsaint 3 dashes Peychaud's Bitters Lemon peel

Pack an Old-Fashioned glass with ice In a second Old-Fashioned glass place the sugar cube and add the Peychaud's Bitters to it, then crush the sugar cube Add the Sazerac Rye Whiskey to the second glass containing the Peychaud's Bitters and sugar Empty the ice from the first glass and coat the glass with the Herbsaint, then discard the remaining Herbsaint Empty the whiskey/bitters/sugar mixture from the second glass into the first glass and garnish with lemon peel.

LUNDI GRAS! Lundi Gras is a fantastic day to get out and see the Krewes! On this day of fun filled rowdiness, the Krewe of Rex greats the Krewe of Zulu and the festivities last all day and way into the night. The Red Bean Parade recognizes one of New Orleans most famous dishes, Red Beans and Rice! There is always something to celebrate. The Dead Bean Parade is a hoot with all the costumes and zaniness that is imbibed into this event.

For the LGBTQ community, there is a Fat Monday luncheon at Arnauds where two Queens are crowned, one from out of town and one from New Orleans. It’s a riot! This tradition is one of the oldest for the LGBTQ community in Louisiana begun in 1949!

Be prepared for a long day because this is the fun of Shrove Monday, now known as Lundi Gras.

24 | P a g e

Kolasyon BBQ Oysters Oh my! I grew up eating these and still cannot get enough of these things! The Four Flames in Memphis was renowned for this delicate and yet hearty dish. Happy hour there, with my mother, was always fun. Yeah, I had a Roy Rodgers until I was old enough for the Bourbon and Branch.

•

• 12 oysters • 1 cup flour • ½ cup yellow corn meal • Salt and Pepper • Enough Vegetable Oil or Lard to cover oysters while frying • JK’s BBQ Sauce A lil wine in the cook

This is some good stuff right chere! Let’s have some fun here. First, soak the oysters in some buttermilk after draining the oyster liquor from them. Let em sit there about 20 minutes in the coolness of the refrigerator. Make the flour and cornmeal mixture by adding the salt and pepper to it and whisking it until it’s well mixed.

Put the oil in the skillet or frying pan and heat it up to over 350 degrees. Bread the oysters by double dipping in the flour mix and the buttermilk. Drop gently into the oil and fry until lightly golden.

Drain on paper towels and put in a chafing dish with JK BBQ Sauce. Serve with toothpicks.

CRAB LOUIS This is a blast from the past and I do remember my Grandmother having this at in Memphis a lot. We lived in East Memphis not very far from the church we attended.

Nanny’s bridge club loved this on the family china in the semi-formal settings at the house. The Southern version is a bit different from the sophisticated Eastern and Western seaboard versions. I would crave this as it was being fixed by Willie Mae!

25 | P a g e

• • • • • •

2 pounds of picked lump crab 6 hardboiled eggs 2 pounds grilled asparagus 2 quarts cherry tomatoes 3 bunches of green onions cut on the bias Crab Louis Dressing

Getting the ingredients together is the hard part. The grill outside was lit and we would come back inside and put it all together later.

First, we had to make the dressing. Mind you, I was about 6 years old when I got to help out In the kitchen.

Crab Louis Dressing: • • • • • •

2 cups mayonnaise Scant ½ cup heavy cream 2 teaspoons chili sauce 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce 3 teaspoons of fresh parsley Juice of 2 lemons

Mix all this together the day before and put it in the fridge to chill.

Get out your best salad plates and lay the ingredients out real nice and purty. Pour the dressing over and enjoy! Now, the ladies of the Bridge Club would have a little nip of Bourbon and Branch along with this or a cup of tea. It was wonderful and later in life, I look back and smile.

Crab and Shrimp Salad This delicate little salad is to die for! Light with an excellent flavor profile to fit into that Spring or Summer Garden Party in the elegant Midtown area of Memphis. The Crab and Shrimp mixed together over the Avocado go well with a White Wine Spritzer, a Dirty Vodka Martini or an Ice Cold Budweiser!

26 | P a g e • • • • • • • • • •

1 pound fresh crabmeat 1 pound shrimp cooked ½ cup mayonnaise ½ cup sweet pickle relish 1 cup minced fresh chives 3 tomatoes thinly sliced 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Salt Freshly Ground Black Pepper Sugar

With your fingertips, pick through the crabmeat to remove any pieces of shell or cartilage. Transfer the crabmeat to a mixing bowl. Pick through the shrimp to remove any fragments of shell, and then add the shrimp to the crabmeat.

Add the Tartar Sauce, chives, and red onion to the bowl. Gently fold the ingredients together until the seafood, chives, and onion are well mixed and evenly coated with the dressing. If not serving immediately, cover and refrigerate.

On 4 chilled main-course salad plates or 6 chilled appetizer salad plates, attractively arrange beds of the baby greens. Scoop the seafood salad in mounds on the center of each bed of greens.

Arrange the tomato slices attractively around the seafood salad and season them with just a pinch of sugar. Arrange the avocado slices attractively among the tomato slices; then, season both the avocado and tomatoes with salt and pepper to taste and drizzle them lightly with the olive oil. Garnish each plate with the remaining chives and the parsley and serve immediately.

Hush Puppies Hush puppies with a twist is where it is at! These bite size morsels are loaded with flavor and have the taste of the Bayou in them!

• • • • • • • • • • •

1 cup plain cornmeal ¾ cup self-rising flour 1 package active dry yeast 2 teaspoons sugar ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon JKs Cajun Seasoning 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 egg at room temperature 1 ½ cup Bulgarian Cultured Buttermilk ¾ cup finely minced onion 4 green onions thinly sliced on the bias

27 | P a g e • • • •

2 jalapeno peppers chopped very finely 1 ear of corn with kernels stripped off 1 ½ cup crawfish tails Oil for frying pan

To begin with, do the prep work. Shopping for this is really fun. I use fresh corn and strip it from the cob. However, the frozen varieties are quite good also, just without the crunch.

Place in pan of butter and warm up for 4 minutes. Set aside Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl with a whisk, including the yeast.

Mix the chopped and minced veggies and the crawfish tails in a bowl and add the Cajun Seasoning to taste.

Combine the egg and buttermilk. Set aside.

When ready to fry these puppies, heat the oil in the frying pan to 350 degrees. I check it with a potato piece for hotness. Combine all the ingredients together and make sure the puppy dough is a little thicker than regular cornbread dough.

Mix well and using a tablespoon or a small cookie dipper, drop dollops of this mixture into the hot oil. Do not overfill the skillet with Hush Puppies as that will cool the oil down and make them greasy. After about a minute, begin to flip the puppies over for even browning.

Drain on paper towels or a paper bag and set in a warm place until they are all done.

Enjoy!

Hot Crab Dip • • • • • • • • • • •

16 oz. can of white crab meat One 8 oz. pack of cream cheese (softened) 1 cup Shredded cheddar cheese ¼ cup mayonnaise 1 small onion (however, using minced dried onions works just as well.)

1 heaping tsp. prepared horseradish 3 tbsp. mayonnaise 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce Juice of 1 lemon Garlic powder (however much you would like.)

Cajun Seasoning

28 | P a g e

Combine ingredients until thoroughly mixed. Place in a greased baking dish such as a pie pan. Don’t forget to spray with cooking spray beforehand. I also like to shake some “Slap Ya Mama” Cajun Seasoning over the top, just for looks. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.

Serve with crackers of your choice and enjoy!

Rémoulade Way down yonder in New Orleans! I simply love this dressing. I make it by the gallon, especially in the Spring and Summer months. There is a story here. When I turned 18, my mother took me on another trip to the Crescent City. We started out having about ten dozen oysters on the half shell before switching to the Shrimp Remoulade. I was hooked.

After that, we proceeded to Pat O’Brians where I got a wee bit tipsy before heading on to Pete Fountains Club on Bourbon Street. Pete sang Happy Birthday to me and I was beside myself. I later worked with Pete and Al Hirt as a clarinetist. What a great trip!

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 cup mayonnaise ¼ cup chili sauce 2 tablespoons Creole mustard 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce or to taste 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 4 medium scallions, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh parsley 2 tablespoons chopped green olives 2 tablespoons minced celery 1 clove garlic macerated and minced ½ teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon salt or to taste ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon capers chopped

We gonna break this down! First off, I make my own mayonnaise.

French Mayonnaise • • • •

1 large egg at room temperature 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

29 | P a g e • •

1 cup olive oil 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Put all that into a blender and you have bout one cup of fresh mayonnaise. Den, you gona put the rest in a blender or food processor and mix it all together. What comes out is a fantastic dressing for salads, shrimp, lobster or crawfish tails.

In a nonreactive bowl, add the seafood of choice, for this I use peeled and beer boiled shrimp. Cover in the Remoulade dressing and let marinate in the fridge overnight.

To make a Shrimp Remoulade salad, pick the freshest of greens and include the tartness of radicchio with a tinge of lemony basil and toss together. Gently drizzle a bit of the dressing on top of the greens. This also makes an excellent starter for New Orleans BBQ Shrimp and Seafood Gumbo. Add the Remoulade on top of Fried Oysters for a different taste sensation.

Shrimp Creole Shrimp Creole is a native Louisiana dish with a very rich and complex flavor profile that involves the traditional tomato base that is so infamous in the Creole Kitchen.

There are variations on a theme here with the Gumbos, Jambalaya and the etouffee are intrinsically different not only in structure but in the flavors.

I said that I was going to give my Creole and Cajun seasoning mix, and this is a good place to do so. I leave the salt out as that can be a personal preference for many.

This recipe involves the Creole and Cajun trinity.

• • • • • • • • • • • •

2 tablespoons butter 1 onion, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 4 celery stalks, diced 6 garlic cloves, minced 2 16 ounce cans diced tomatoes 2 ½ cups seafood stock 2 teaspoons Franks Hot Sauce 2 bay leaves 2 teaspoons creole seasoning 2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp, medium size White rice

JK Creole Seasoning 1 cup sweet paprika 8 tablespoons cayenne pepper powder 8 tablespoons dried sweet basil 8 tablespoons garlic powder 8 tablespoons onion powder 8 tablespoons dried oregano 4 tablespoon salt 4 tablespoon dried thyme 4 tablespoon black pepper 4 tablespoon white pepper 4 tablespoon celery seed

30 | P a g e Begin by prepping all the vegetables and have them ready by the stove. We are going to make a light roux and add tomatoes to make a Creole dish. Cajun will not have tomatoes in it.

In a large pot or cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the vegetables and sweat them until they are soft and almost translucent. This should take about 5 to 6 minutes. A small dash of salt will help this process along.

Add in the tomato, shrimp or chicken broth, hot sauce, bay leafs, and Creole Seasoning.

Bring to a gentle boil and reduce the pot to a gently bubbling simmer. Let that be for about 30 to 40 minutes and treat it as a reduction being created. It should take about 20 to 3 minutes.

Add the peeled and deveined shrimp in the last 3 minutes of cooking and do not overcook the shrimp as they will become rubbery.

Serve with the rice with side garnishes of jalapeno peppers, hot sauce, celery sticks and a small wedge salad covered in blue cheese crumbles.

Apresye!

Shrimp Ettouffee Ah, the joys of New Orleans! I must admit that I have an affinity for this cuisine as I was raised on the Mississippi River which connects North to South and runs through Memphis. Growing up, I had the best of the city and the country, a bit like in the movie “A River Runs Through It”. Couple that with a good John Grisham novel and there you have it. Court Square in Memphis was a nice relaxing place in the middle of downtown, close to Symphony Hall and right across from Goldsmiths which Is now Macy’s.

• • • •

½ cup butter ½ cup flour 1 cup chopped onion ½ cup chopped bell pepper

31 | P a g e • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 cup chopped celery 3 cloves garlic finely minced ½ teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon white pepper ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning ½ cup minced green onions ½ cup fresh parsley leaves 2 to 3 dashes tobasco sauce 1 bottle clam juice 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes or 1 pound fresh 2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp ½ stick butter

Make the roux! Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. When the oil is startin to shimmer a bit, add the flour. Whisk flour into the oil and it will form a paste. Continue cooking over low heat and whisk continuously, until the mixture turns a caramel color and gives off a nutty aroma, about 15 to 20 minutes. Of course, I take it to the next level and bake my flour in the oven on a baking sheet to get that flavor going. Don’t burn it, just brown a lil bit.

To the roux, add the onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic and cook over low heat about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are limp. Add the black pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning, green onions, parsley, and hot sauce to taste.

Add seafood broth and the tomatoes with their juice, stir to blend. Add the salt, starting with 1 teaspoon, then add more if needed. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Add shrimp and stir. It will take about 3 minutes for shrimp to cook, don't overcook.

Remove from heat. Add the butter and stir; the heat from the dish will melt the butter.

Transfer the Ettouffee to a tureen, serving bowl, or if you prefer, over rice. Garnish with the green onions.

This keeps well on a cocktail welcome table in a flambe pan. Serve with crackers for a cocktail party or with a side of rice for a starter with a creole meal. For crawfish etouffee, just substitute crawfish for shrimp!

Serves 4, Prep time 15 minutes, Cook Time 15 minutes

32 | P a g e

La Collation Eggs Benedict 1 tablespoon white vinegar 8 large eggs Hollandaise Sauce 1/2 pound (16 slices) Canadian bacon 4 English muffins, split in half, toasted or 4 buttermilk biscuits Fill a large saucepan with about 4 inches of water, add vinegar, and bring to a boil. Fill a shallow dish or pie plate with warm water. Reduce heat under saucepan to medium, so water is just barely simmering. Break 1 egg at a time into a small heat-proof bowl. Gently tip bowl into water; carefully slide egg into water. Repeat with remaining egg.

When eggs begin to become opaque, remove them from the saucepan with a slotted spoon in the order in which they were added. Transfer the eggs to the dish of warm water. This process should take about 3 minutes.

Prepare the hollandaise sauce, and set aside, keeping it warm.

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add Canadian bacon, and cook until well browned on both sides. Divide bacon among the English-muffin halves. For each serving, use a slotted spoon to remove one egg from warm water; set spoon and egg briefly on a clean cloth or paper towel to drain. Gently place the egg on a bacon-topped muffin, and spoon the reserved warm hollandaise sauce over the top.

Eggs Sardou Eggs Sardou had a humble beginning at Antoines in the 1800’s and was a great way to get over a hangover! Lord knows how much liquor have crossed my lips in the Vieux Carre over many trips to New Orleans.

3 tablespoons butter, divided 1 clove garlic, finely chopped (about 1 teaspoon) 1 small shallot, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup) 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups whole milk 10 ounces fresh spinach leaves (about 5 cups), roughly chopped 1 tin anchovies, rinsed Dash hot sauce Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

33 | P a g e 8 whole canned artichoke bottoms (from one 14-ounce can) 8 eggs Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots and cook, stirring, until just softened, about 3 minutes. Add flour and cook stirring constantly until mixture just begins to brown and flour smells toasted, about 4 minutes. Whisking constantly, slowly stir in milk until no lumps remain. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and stir until wilted. Allow mixture to simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and creamy 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in hot sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep warm until ready to use.

While spinach mixture simmers, melt the remaining tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add artichoke bottoms and cook, stirring, until heated but not browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm until ready to serve.

Poach eggs according to this video until whites are set but yolks are still runny. Poached eggs can be transferred to a bowl of warm water with a slotted spoon as they cook to hold until ready to serve.

Hollandaise Sauce 2 egg yolks 1 tablespoon water 1 teaspoon lemon juice from 1 lemon Kosher salt ½ pound butter Pinch cayenne pepper or hot sauce Combine egg yolk, water, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in the bottom of a cup that barely fits the head of an immersion blender. Melt butter in a small saucepan over high heat, swirling constantly, until foaming subsides. Transfer butter to a 1 cup liquid measuring cup.

Place head of immersion blender into the bottom of the cup and turn it on. With the blender constantly running, slowly pour hot butter into cup. It should emulsify with the egg yolk and lemon juice.

Continue pouring until all butter is added. Sauce should be thick and creamy. Season to taste with salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper or hot sauce (if desired). Serve immediately, or transfer to a small lidded pot and keep in a warm place for up to 1 hour before serving.

Hollandaise cannot be cooled and reheated.

When ready to serve, divide creamed spinach between 4 plates, place 2 warmed artichoke bottoms on top of each portion of spinach, then place one poached in each artichoke. Top with Hollandaise and serve immediately.

27

Cajun Chicken Hot Wings Onion Confit Onion Confit • 1 cup rendered duck fat • 3 pounds sweet onions such as Vidalia, Maui, or Walla Walla Sweet, peeled and sliced stem-to-root into 1/4 inch slices • 4 bay leaves • 1 fresh thyme sprig • 1 tsp. salt • 3 whole black peppercorns • 2 whole allspice berries In a large heavy saute pan or Dutch oven, melt the duck fat over medium heat. Add the onions and seasonings and stir carefully to coat the onions in the fat but not to break up the bay leaves. Make sure there are no pieces of onion skin or any yellowed or soft spots on the onions. If there are, remove them from the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally so they don't stick or brown, until the onions are translucent, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, sterilize a quart jar and lid by placing them in a simmering water bath and leaving them there until needed. When the onions have finished cooking, remove the herbs and spices and discard, then put the confit in the jar. Run a chopstick or tool designed for the purpose around the inside of the jar to release any air bubbles, then seal. The onions will keep several weeks.

I put the confit out with hearty bread on the hors d'oeuvre table. Always use a clean utensil to remove the confit and be sure to leave a layer of fat on top of the onions as an extra seal.

Laissez le Bon Temps Rouler!

The Gumbos Gumbo is perhaps the most literal melting pot. Its influences are African (okra), French (roux), Choctaw Indian (filé powder), German (sausages), Spanish, Italian, and more.

Like almost everything else about gumbo, even its name evades a clear origin story. Some think it came from the Choctaw word for filé powder, kombo. Others suspect it's derived from a West African word for okra, ki ngombo. I think it's cool that there could be two such equally credible etymologies, leaving nearly everything about gumbo perfectly obscured, almost as if it were fated to be this way.

28

Beef and Sausage Gumbo Way down yonder in New Orleans, the gumbo be good! I been making this gumbo for a long time and it good. So good in fact that it don’t take no hot sauce because it be plenty spicy.

There is a difference between Creole and Cajun cooking. The Creole is a combination of French, Spanish and American Indian cuisines and was developed in New Orleans. The Cajun style is from the bayous of Louisiana.

JK Cajun Seasoning 1.5 Cups Paprika 1 cup fine kosher salt 1 cup garlic powder ½ cup onion powder ¼ cup ground black pepper ¼ cup white pepper ½ cup dried oregano ½ cup cayenne ½ cup dried thyme ¼ to ½ cup red pepper flakes

First off, for any good Creole or Cajun dish like this one, one must make a good roux. The standard is one to one on the oil and the flour. I use everything from bacon grease, corn oil to butter and even use some of the fat from the roast in this one to give it an extra punch. To make the roux, I use a black cast iron skillet on medium to medium low heat.

Heat the oil and for this one I used ¾ cup of oil to ¾ cup flour. The oil was a mix of bacon grease, beef fat and corn oil. Stir the mix frequently or use a whisk for about 30 minutes and don’t try to speed it up. It should be a medium to dark brown for that extra flavor.

Here’s the list of ingredients. HOWEVER, this is an art form and can vary from person to person!

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 cup flour ¾ cup bacon drippings 1 cup chopped celery 1 large onion chopped 1 large bell pepper chopped 2 cloves garlic minced 1 pound andouille sausage diced 1 quart beef stock 2 quarts beef broth 1 tablespoon white sugar Salt to taste 2 tablespoons Louisiana Hot Sauce 4 bay leaves 1 16 ounce can tomatoes for a creole gumbo or leave out for Cajun gumbo ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves 2 teaspoons file gumbo powder

29 • •

20 ounces okra, fresh or frozen 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

While that is working, have the roast in 8 quarts of water to make the broth. For seasonings on the broth, I use a whole onion with skin still on cut into quarters, two carrots peeled and cut into large chunks, two red peppers, 6 to 7 beef bouillon cubes and a bit of cayenne for that extra punch. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the meat will pull apart, about an hour or so.

Now, this is the time to consider using a little wine in the broth and in the cook! I prefer a nice red wine and it don’t matter if it’s in a box or not.

You are going to have some time before the beef is cooked and I use this time, after the roux is done, to chop up my veggies. I have got to have the Trinity! Two Cups of Onion, Two Cups of Celery, Two Cups of Green Bell Pepper. It’s mighty fine!

When the Roux is done, add the trinity to the roux and a little broth from the cooking beef to let it cook down for a bit. I add an extra step here and sweat the veggies in a separate skillet with butter and a pinch of salt.

Now, you are ready to add all this to the stock pot after taking the beef out to shred. While you are doing that, brown the sausage and I use two types of sausage here. Andouille and a sage sausage. 1 pound of each. The beef is between three and four pounds.

Add the beef and sausage into the stock pot, cover and let it simmer for about 2 hours. It needs the time to soak up that goodness and come together!

I like to use fresh herbs instead of dried, so I get my fresh thyme, marjoram, a little of the lemon basil, fresh minced garlic. I use one pod of garlic but use what you like to your taste) and put that in the pot. Some folks like adding tomatoes to their gumbo today but that is not the original way. I add a large can of stewed tomatoes to mine, especially for this gumbo. Put the cayenne pepper to it along with black pepper and let it simmer on the stove for about 2 hours. I also spice mine up with some added garlic and onion powder, couple of dried red peppers, paprika to taste and sometimes my fresh chili powder. Add a little sugar to make the spices work.

30

Gumbo takes a while. Be sure and keep an eye on it and stir it or it might stick!

The last ingredient in this Gumbo is fresh Okra or frozen. I cut mine up like I was going to bread and fry it and sauté it in a little butter and vinegar before adding it to the pot. That goes in the last ten to fifteen minutes of the cooking and really watch that because the Okra is the thickener for the Gumbo!

Add some file’ gumbo to it but be careful as that sassafras root can also make it stick! I always add some extra right when I serve it with the rice.

Cook you up some rice, lots of it and serve it with a salad, fresh oysters, bread, hot sauce, fresh jalapenos, or what suits your fancy!

Cabbage Gumbo • • • • • • • •

1 cabbage head 1 can petite diced tomatoes 1 medium onion 1 pound frozen corn kernels 1 8 ounce frozen chopped okra 1 pound thick sliced bacon of choice 1 teaspoon Creole Seasoning Salt and pepper

Cut the bacon into bite size pieces and brown in a skillet. Save the bacon grease for later use in this dish.

Chop the cabbage, onion into bite size pieces and put in a medium warm spot on the stove.

Add the tomatoes, corn and okra on top of the Cabbage and Onion and let the juice of the tomatoes drain into the pot.

Add the cooked bacon and the drippings into the pot and stir.

Cover and let simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Keep a check on that pot and keep it well stirred so it will not scorch. If it runs dry, add a watered down tomato juice by the ¼ cup full and keep it going.

This goes well with cornbread or crostini.

Gumbo Z’Herbes • • •

3/4 cup peanut oil or vegetable oil 3/4 cup flour 1 bell pepper chopped

31 • • • • • • • • • • • • •

2 serrano peppers chopped 1 onion chopped 2 celery stalks chopped 4 cloves garlic chopped 2 bay leaves 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning 1 tablespoon cayenne powder 6 ounces andouille sliced into ¼ inch slices (optional) 6 ounces smoked ham diced (optional) 6 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock for non-vegetarian 2 pounds mixed greens – collards, mustard, turnip, chard, dandelion, etc.

1 tablespoon file powder or to taste Cooked white rice for serving if desired

Instructions Add peanut oil to a large pot and heat to medium heat. Add flour and stir. Cook for 20-30 minutes, constantly stirring, until the roux browns to the color of chocolate.

Add peppers, onion and celery. Stir and cook about 5 minutes.

Add garlic, andouille and smoke ham (if using). Cook another minute.

Add Cajun seasoning, cayenne and stock. Stir to incorporate.

Mix in chopped greens. Cover and cook 90 minutes, until greens are very tender.

Remove from heat and stir in file powder.

Serve over white rice if preferred, or straight into a bowl.

Seafood Gumbo It’s said, in the Crescent City of New Orleans, that a good gumbo will make sure that the Creole and Cajun family will survive through thick and thin! I grew up a Mississippi River Rat as we traveled a lot to New Orleans and St. Louis before there was a complete interstate. I got to tell you, the Gumbo I had with my mother in “Nawlins” made my mouth tingle and water as a child. She would smile and get me another bowl. That was when we were dining at Antoine’s back in the day.

Fais De-Do • • • • • •

1 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup bacon drippings or vegetable oil 1 cup coarsely chopped celery 1 large onion coarsely chopped 1 large green bell pepper coarsely chopped 2 cloves garlic minced

32 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 pound andouille sausage sliced 3 quarts seafood broth 1 tablespoon white sugar salt to taste 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce, or to taste 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning 4 bay leaves 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 2 teaspoons gumbo file powder 2 tablespoons bacon drippings 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen cut okra, thawed 3 pounds gumbo blue crab with shells 2 pounds crawfish tails 2 pounds crawfish with heads 1 pound lump crabmeat 3 pounds uncooked medium shrimp peeled and deveined 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Make a roux by whisking the flour and 3/4 cup bacon drippings together in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat to form a smooth mixture. Cook the roux, whisking constantly, until it turns a rich mahogany brown color. This can take 20 to 30 minutes; watch heat carefully and whisk constantly or roux will burn. Remove from heat; continue whisking until mixture stops cooking.

Place the celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until the vegetables are very finely chopped. Stir the vegetables into the roux and mix in the sausage. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Bring the seafood broth to a boil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Stir and whisk the roux mixture into the boiling seafood broth. Reduce heat to a simmer, and mix in the sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme. Simmer the gumbo over low heat for 1 hour; mix in 2 teaspoons of file gumbo powder at the 45-minute mark.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in a skillet, and cook the okra with vinegar over medium heat for 15 minutes; remove okra with slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo. Mix in crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer until flavors have blended, 45 more minutes. Just before serving, stir in 2 more teaspoons of file gumbo powder.

Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo This is a classic in the quarter.

33

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

2 pounds unpeeled, large fresh shrimp 4 cups rich chicken broth 1 pound andouille or smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices Vegetable oil 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 medium onion, chopped 1 green bell pepper, chopped 3 celery ribs, sliced 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 bay leaves 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning ½ teaspoon dried thyme 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 to 3 teaspoons hot sauce ½ cup chopped green onions Hot cooked rice

Peel shrimp, reserving shells, and devein, if desired. Set meat aside.

Combine shrimp shells and chicken broth in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes. Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, discarding shells. Set broth aside and keep warm.

Cook sausage in a Dutch oven over medium heat until browned. Remove sausage; set aside. Measure drippings, adding enough oil to measure 1/2 cup. Cook oil mixture and flour in Dutch oven over medium-low heat about 35 to 40 minutes, whisking constantly, until roux is chocolate colored.

Stir in onion and next 3 ingredients; cook 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring often. Gradually stir in warm broth; bring mixture to a boil. Stir in bay leaves and next 4 ingredients; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in shrimp, sausage, and green onions; cook 5 to 7 minutes or until shrimp turn pink.

Discard bay leaves. Serve over hot rice.

Sauce Piquant This is a staple sauce for use on just about anything on the Creole table. This is basically a spiced up Bechamel which is one of the mother sauces of French Cuisine.

• 4 cups milk • 1 stick salted butter

34 • • • • •

½ cup flour 1/3 cup vinegar 3 tablespoons Creole Seasoning ½ teaspoon allspice Tabasco sauce to taste

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat while whisking it. Keep it moving so as not to let the butter burn. If it does burn, you will have to start over.

Add in the flour and continue to whisk to create a very light roux, almost white.

Turn up the heat to a medium low and add the milk while continuing to whisk the ingredients. Let it thicken some and add the Creole Seasoning, Allspice, vinegar and Tabasco. Keep whisking as the flour can stick if it is left alone.

This last process should take about 5 minutes. When done, remove from heat and let it sit for another 5 minutes before using.

Jambalaya Jambalaya (pronounced /ˌdʒʌmbəˈlaɪə/ or <jum-buh-LIE-uh>) is a casserole-style dish of Spanish and French influence originating in Louisiana. Jambalaya is traditionally a one pot dish, with a variety of meats and seafood, vegetables, and spicy seasonings. The dish is completed by adding raw rice to the pot's stock so that the rich stock flavor is absorbed by the grains as the rice cooks. Both creole and cajun versions exist; the Creole variety, considered original, is also known as "red jambalaya" due to the inclusion of tomatoes.

The origin of both the name and the dish known as "jumbalaya" are unclear, perhaps appropriately, considering the number of ingredients and variations involved. It developed in Louisiana under various European, African, and Native American influences, and a place and time when written records of recipes were uncommon. Until very modern times, Louisiana cooking was largely confined to the local region with the result that folklore has often became “fact.” Jumbalaya represents the "melting pot" that is New Orleans in a very literal way. The very variety of methods of preparing the dish and the creative use of locally available ingredients, both in place of those from the original recipes and as a way to use leftovers and whatever the local people had to eat, is a hallmark of this tasty dish. As such, it reflects human ingenuity and almost infinite creativity in a very practical way.

Making Jambalaya is fun and I have included ingredients for different flavors.

The Basics!

Ingredients

35 1. The Cajun/Creole “holy trinity”: Celery, onion and green bell pepper (although for some extra color, I’ve also used red and yellow bell peppers).

2. Jalapeño and cayenne: For heat. Feel free to add more or less of either, depending on your heat preferences.

3. Garlic, Creole or Cajun seasoning, bay leaf, thyme: Some of my favorite seasonings.

4. Chicken, shrimp and Andouille sausage: Or whatever proteins you prefer. Feel free to choose one or two, or you can use all three like I do.

5. Chicken stock: If the rice needs more liquid as it cooks, feel free to add in more.

6. Crushed tomatoes: For flavor.

7. White rice: Long grain is traditional, but short grain white rice also works.

8. Okra: Fresh or frozen; we will use this to help thicken the jambalaya.

9. Salt and Black Pepper: Very important! Don’t forget to taste and season with salt and pepper to taste at the end.

Cooking 1. Sauté the chicken and sausage. Sauté until the chicken is cooked through and the sausage is lightly browned. Then transfer to a clean plate and set aside.

2. Sauté the veggies. Sauté the onion, bell pepper, celery, jalapeño and garlic until soft.

3. Add rice, liquids and seasonings. Add in the uncooked rice, chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, Cajun/Creole seasoning, thyme, cayenne and bay leaf. Give everything a good stir.

4. Cover and cook. Then cook for 25-30 minutes, being sure to stir the mixture every 5 minutes or so (to prevent burning) until the rice is nearly tender.

5. Add the okra and shrimp. And cook for a final 5 minutes or so, until the shrimp is pink and opaque. Add the chicken and sausage back in.

6. Taste and season. Season the jambalaya with salt and pepper (and extra Cajun/Creole seasoning, if needed) to taste.

7. Serve warm. Garnished with your desired toppings!

36

Cajun Jambalaya • • • • • • • • •

Trinity Cajun Seasoning Andoulli Sausage Chicken Thighs Bacon Canned Tomatoes Assorted Peppers Cajun Seasoning Added Spices Ground Cumin, Ground Rosemary, Ground Turmeric

Creole Jambalaya • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

¼ pound butter 1 lb andouille sausage, sliced 1 lb Taso ham, diced 1½ cups onions, chopped 1½ cups celery, chopped 1 cup red bell pepper, diced 1½ tbsp garlic, chopped 3 cups white rice 2 cups cooked chicken, diced 5 cups chicken stock 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce 1 Creole tomato, diced 2 tablespoons Creole Seasoning 2 lbs 50-count shrimp, peeled 1 cup sliced green onions

Shellfish Jambalaya • •

Trinity ¼ cup butter

37 • • • • • • • • • • • •

Jampae Seasoning 2 pounds cleaned deveined medium Shrimp 2 dozen Grilled Oysters 2 pounds Charred Mussels 3 pounds Blue Crab Claws 1 pound Cockles 2 pounds Chorizo 4 large Carrots diced 3 cups white rice 4 quarts seafood broth 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes 3 Lemons

Smoked Pork Jambalaya • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

3 cups Trinity 4 tablespoons Cajun Seasoning ½ poundTaso Ham 2 pounds Pulled Smoked Pork 1 pound minced Bacon ¼ cup Vinegar Black Pepper Salt ½ cup Smoked Paprika 1 pound diced Mushrooms Jalapeno Peppers minced to taste 5 quarts Chicken Stock 3 cups white rice Cabbage slaw on side

The Soups “When I am making broths or stocks, I save the cuttings from the vegetables I use in the days dishes and put them into the stock pot also.

The nutrients and deep flavors are usually in the skins and what we usually throw away. I leech all that out and then put them in the compost pile for filler in the garden. Yes, genteel reader, it’s takes decaying plants to add nitrogen and other necessities to the garden plot, especially in Houston and other places with clay like soil. “

38 This is part of my pride and joy, making my own stocks and broths. I have a large freezer in the Gayrage where I can store these little, frozen, niblets of joy and convenience. There is sanity in the madness as I know what is in the broths, I make instead of buying at the local grocers. I also have an herb garden where they are plentiful and organic. No pesticides as I use natural controls.

To make all this work, I make the full stock pot of broth and reduce it some, so the flavors are concentrated. Freezing as an ice cube means I can take one or two cubes and add to whatever I am cooking and have an excellent, rich, full flavor dish.

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s begin with basics! Stock and Broth.

There is a difference between a stock and a broth. I feel it is important to know the difference. My Great Grand Parents lived on a farm and worked it every day. Walking into Mamawâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kitchen was always a great joy to me. She had two stoves that seemed to run 24/7 with fresh garden vegetables and farm raised meats cooking. We could stop by at any time and there would always be food and coffee.

The Bone Stocks that I remember were quite rich and it took me a long time to figure out why. They were also very healthy people and now I know why. The Bone Stocks used in everyday cooking!

To function well, the human body needs the collagen and minerals from not on the joints but also the marrow in the bones. Without that, we develop bone and muscle infirmities.

Also, a lot of cider vinegar was used in making the stocks, to leach out the minerals, fiber and such in them.

The bone marrow is where it is for me and to include that into the mix is what I strive for.

I look back to my Great Grandparents, farmers and never sick a day in their life. Pappaw finally, at a very young age of 90 something, came down with cancer and passed away six weeks later. Otherwise, lived a very healthy and productive life. I take my mark of healthy from him.

Meat Broths have a much more delicate flavor and yet are as powerful in nutrients as a stock. The difference is the broths are easier on the palate than some of the heavier stocks.

I strain all the broths I make, through cheese cloth and a fine sieve strainer. For the Japanese Clear Broth Soups, that would require a double or triple strain.

Make sure that the utensils and pots used are clean and sanitary! I have had great success in this as no one has become ill from cross contamination nor the dreaded food poisoning.

I MAKE THESE BROTHS TO HAVE THEM HANDY FOR A MONTH OR TWO. THE INGREDIENTS CAN BE ADJUSTED FOR SMALLER PORTIONS. The recipes are in the addendum.

39

Cajun Shrimp Bisque • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 pound Shrimp ½ stick butter ½ medium onion diced 2 celery stalks diced 5 cloves of garlic minced 2 tablespoons flour 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 tablespoon basil 1 tablespoon JKs Cajun Seasoning ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 cups half and half 2 cups JKs Shrimp Stock 1 dried bay leaf 3 tablespoons Tobasco Sauce or Franks Louisiana Hot Sauce Kosher salt to taste

Melt the butter in a large, cast iron, skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, celery and garlic to sweat the veggies. Sauté’ until these veggies are soft and almost translucent. Add the flour and let it brown just a bit as in a blonde roux.

Take the skillet off the hotness and set on the center of the stove or on a hot pad. Whisk in the tomato paste, incorporating it completely. Add the Cajun Seasoning along with the other dried spices and continue to whisk.

Put in the Half and Half along with the Shrimp Stock and whisk it all together. Use some forearm muscle to make sure everything is combined.

Put all this back on the heat and bring to a low boil. Immediately turn it down to a light simmer. Add a shot of Brandy at this point, if you are so inclined. I do and it brings out the flavors much better! Let this simmer for about 10 minutes, Add the shrimp and simmer for 2 minutes more. Do not overcook the shrimp as it will turn rubbery.

Serve immediately in warmed soup crocks with scallions as a garnish. Serves 4 substantial bowls.

Shrimp and Lobster Stock

0 This broth is an artform to me and can be quite delicate.

Directions” • 2 to three lobster shells cracked • Shells from 1 to 2 pounds of shrimp • 1 Onion in fine dice • 2 Stalks of Celery in fine dice • 3 Bell Peppers in fine dice • 2 tablespoons of dried thyme • 2 tablespoons of dried marjoram • ½ cup smoked paprika • Thumb size knob of fresh ginger • Juice of 2 lemons • Salt and Pepper to taste

To begin, put the shells from lobster and shrimp along with the fresh ginger in the oven on high heat. Let them char for a bit using the boiler Prepare the large stockpot with at least 6 quarts of filtered water and set on high.

Add the vegetables at this time and let them begin the process.

Once there is a medium char on the shells and ginger, put them into the stockpot along with the other spices, and lemon juice.

Cover the pot after it boils and reduce to a simmer. Let that be for 3 to 4 hours.

Skim and strain through a cheese cloth sieve. Store in the manner you choose.

Crawfish Bisque I have the Times Picayune Creole Cookbook in my collection. It’s a wonderful look back in the history of Nawlins and the way families from all walks of life lived in the early 1900’s. This is my adaptation of a tasty dish. By the way, I also like to suck the heads and eat the tails!

Ca c’est bon!

• • • • • • • •

2 pounds fresh crawfish or 1 pound fresh and one bag frozen crawfish tails Crab and Shrimp boil 2 quarts seafood stock or seafood stock mixed with boil.

1 stick butter 6 tablespoons flour for roux Cajun Trinity finely minced (celery, onion and bell pepper) 1 medium can tomato puree (optional) Water to fill stock pot for boiling crawfish

Fill stock pot with enough water to cover crawfish, shrimp and other shellfish and add bag of shrimp boil. Additional Cayenne, Lemon and other herbs may be added to taste. Bring to boil and drop the shellfish in, only blanching to a light doneness. Remove from the

38 stock and let cool before peeling or you might burn your fingers…LOL. Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat in other stock pot or dutch oven and have flour ready to add, 1 to 2 tablespoons at the time to make a golden brown roux. Stir constantly over low to medium heat for about 15 minutes, judging with the eye as there is really no way to say how long it will take, even for the most experienced chef.

Have the trinity ready to add, as I do this almost immediately as the roux begins to brown and continue stirring. When this reaches a desired doneness to you personally (I like it still crunchy myself) add the clam juice and 3 to 4 cups of the boiling broth to the pot, let simmer over low heat for an hour. I prefer a lighter roux as the spices I add later bring out that great flavor sensation of the head and the sweet. Have ready fresh Nutmeg, finely grated, Cayenne Pepper to taste, Ground Black Pepper to taste, Paprika (at least a quarter cup of this great spice) and add about 15 to 20 minutes before the addition of the peeled and deveined shellfish. The shellfish are added during the last 5 minutes of preparation.

Yum Yum….!

Serves 3 to 5

Crawfish Beef Short Rib Chili Gumbo This chere is one of favorites, especially during Mardi Gras and I even prepare it for Lundi Gras! The secret to this dish is to make it hot and mild for the different tastes of the folks that are attending. It doesn’t take much effort on my part but the results are fantastic!

Serve this with some Smoked Pulled Pork sliders, Bloody Mary’s, Sweet Cabbage Slaw and the cold beer of choice!

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

4 pounds Beef Short Ribs, bones included 1 pound Boudin Sausage 1 pound Andouille Sausage 2 pounds Crawfish Tails 1 pound Chevrette peeled and deveined 2 onions finely diced 5 stalks celery finely diced 5 medium carrots finely shredded and minced 2 bulbs garlic, 1 bulb finely minced ½ cup lemon juice 2 to 3 Jalapeno peppers or peppers of choice, finely minced 5 dried chili peppers of choice 2 tablespoons parsley flakes 2 tablespoons thyme 1 cup chili powder ½ cup paprika

39 • • • • • • • • •

½ cup cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes 3 tablespoons JKs Cajun Seasoning 2 tablespoons grated Mexican Chocolate 3 tablespoons Louisiana Hot Sauce 1 quart each seafood stock and beef stock ½ gallon cheap white wine 1 cup flour 1 cup vegetable oil Hot rice, hot crusty bread, skillet cornbread to serve with

First off, we gonna put them short ribs into a pot with pepper, salt, 1 garlic bulb cut in half, 5 dried chili’s, trimmings from the vegetables being used, bouquet garni of fresh thyme, rosemary, cinnamon bark. Brown the short ribs before adding in the other stuff to create another depth of flavor. Add 3 quarts of cheap wine or water, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 1 hour. (Save the strained broth on this to use as replacement liquid in this dish) Next, we gonna make a roux with the flour and vegetable oil. Have your whisk on the ready cause this gonna take a while. Making the roux requires constant attention and steady stirring. One of the tricks is to brown the flour in the oven before adding to the oil.

I like a dark roux that has not burnt. If it burns, throw it out and start over. This takes about 20 plus minutes but worth the effort!

Put the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. When the oil gets hot, but not smoking, add the flour in and stir slowly. For the adventurous, add two tablespoons each of duck fat and bacon renderings! If you can get crawfish fat, that’s even better. That really brings out the flavor. Stir over medium heat until the roux reaches the color of your choice.

Set the roux aside and let’s get to the veggies! Prepare and set aside.

Set a large pot on the stove and add two tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Put the minced garlic into the pot and let it get soft. Add the Sausages and brown until the grease is rendered. At this point, you can remove the grease by straining the meats and returning to the pot or leave it in. The roux will combine it into the Chili Gumbo.

Add the vegetables and let them sweat with just a couple pinches of salt.

Add the roux and stir into the mix. It will make a paste ready for the liquids.

Add the stocks and the cheap wine and let simmer while taking the meat off the short ribs.

I have a meat grinder to make a bit of mincemeat, but it must finely chopped for this recipe.

Add to the pot, cover and relax with a cold beer or a good cocktail!

40 After about 2 hours, or right before serving, add the crawfish tails and Chevrette to the pot and cook for 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Serve hot with the accompaniments!

Creole Andoullie Chicken Gumbo Soup • • • • • • •

1 cup finely chopped onion 1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper 2 pounds okra, chopped 3/4 cup finely chopped celery 1 1/4 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

41 • • • • • • • • •

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper Vegetable oil 1 ½ quarts seafood stock 1 cup chopped tomatoes 2 cups tomato juice 1 tablespoon file powder 1/2 pound andouille sausage 1 teaspoon minced garlic Cooked rice, for serving

In a bowl, combine the onions, bell peppers, okra and celery; set aside.

Combine all but 1/2 cup of the flour, the salt, garlic powder, and red pepper in a plastic bag, add the chicken pieces and shake until chicken is well coated. In large heavy skillet heat 1 1/2-inches of oil until very hot (375 degrees F.) Fry the chicken until the crust is brown on both sides and meat is cooked, about 5 to 8 minutes per side; drain on paper towels.

Remove the pan from the heat and pour the hot oil into a cup, leaving as many brown particles in the pan as possible. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any stuck particles, then return 1/2 cup of the hot oil to the pan. Place the pan over high heat. Using a long handled whisk, gradually stir in remaining flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until a roux is formed and is a dark red-brown. Remove from heat and add the reserved vegetable mixture, stirring constantly until the roux stops getting darker. Return to a low heat and cook until the vegetables are soft.

In a separate large pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the roux by spoonfuls to the boiling stock, stirring between each addition. Reduce to a simmer and add the andouille and remaining ingredients, except file powder. Simmer for 45 minutes.

While gumbo is simmering, bone the cooked chicken and cut meat into 1/2-inch dice. Add to the gumbo. Add file powder 5 minutes before serving and continue to simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve gumbo on a mound of cooked rice

42

Cioppino The joys of Fisherman’s Wharf in San Fran to the old Momma Leone’s in NYC ending with Pete and Sams in Memphis. The wonderful flavors of this Italian Soup bring back a lot of good memories for me. Cioppino is a unique fish stew. Each chef has their own rendition and that’s what I love about this dish.

Couple it with a dry white wine, fresh focaccia and it’s total bliss!

Cioppino is an excellent fish stew. I really like this dish as it is served on the Piers of San Francisco. It’s very simple to make. The seafood broth is very full of flavor and is made from the shells of lobster, shrimp and crab. The more the shells, the richer the stock.

The choice of seafood relies on person tastes. Some go with all white fish but for me, I really like a rich Halibut along with a Deep Flavored Fresh Salmon from Alaska. All a

matter of taste. The flavor profile is • • • • • •

1/2 cup butter 1 onion, chopped 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, chopped 1 tablespoon dried basil

43 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 1/2 cups white wine (optional - can replace with additional fish or chicken stock) 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes 5 cups fish or seafood stock* 2 bay leaves 1 pound small clams 1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded 2 pounds crab (I used 1 whole cooked Dungeness crab, with its legs removed from its body) 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 pound bay scallops 1/2 pound cod fillet, cut into large chunks (or other firm-fleshed fish like halibut or salmon) Fresh basil and parsley, chopped, for garnish

To make this stew, gently open the flavors of the garlic by browning the garlic in a cast iron skillet with the EVOO. Add the onion and fennel while gently moving the veggies around the skillet. The Himalayan Sea Salt will help theses veggies to sweat and add flavor to the dish.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large stock pot, then add the onion, fennel, garlic, parsley, sautéing until the onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, basil, salt, thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes and Sautee 2 minutes longer.

Add the white wine, crushed and diced tomatoes, fish stock, and bay leaves, then cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 30 minutes so the flavors can blend.

While the meat simmers, prepare the crab by removing the crab legs from the body (if not already done for you) and using a nutcracker to crack the shells (leave the meat in the shell) so that the meat can be easily removed once the cioppino is served.

Increase the heat to medium and add the clams and mussels to the broth and cook for 5 minutes until they start to open. Then add the crab legs and cook for another minute, followed by the shrimp and scallops. Finally, lay the chunks of cod on top of the broth and cover and cook for 3-5 minutes until the mussels and clams are open, the shrimp curl and the scallops are just firm.

Ladle the cioppino into large bowls garnish with chopped fresh parsley and basil. Serve with warm, crusty sourdough bread! Have plenty of napkins, extra bowls for shells, and nutcrackers and tiny forks on hand for the crab. Serves 4 to 6.

44

Shrimp and Bacon Chowder 8 oz. bacon, chopped • 1 onion, diced • 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour • 3 c. low-sodium chicken stock • 2 c. half-and-half • 1 russet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2" cubes • 1/4 c. chopped green onions, plus more for garnish • 1 lb. medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined, roughly chopped • Salt, Pepper to taste In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown bacon until crisp. Transfer bacon to a plate and reserve fat in pan.

Add onions and cook until softened, 6 minutes. Add flour and stir continuously with a wooden spoon until absorbed, about 1 minute.Stir in chicken stock, half-and-half, potato, green onions, salt, and pepper and simmer on medium-low until potatoes are tender, 10 minutes.

Add shrimp and simmer until pink, 2 to 3 minutes, then stir in half the cooked bacon.

Garnish with remaining bacon and green onions.

Shrimp Creole Soup This soup is a take-off on the fabulous Creole Sauce that is a delicacy in the French Quarter to the connoisseur.

• • •

2 tablespoons olive oil 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 large onions, chopped

45 • • • • • • • • • • • • •

2 stalks celery, chopped 1 green bell pepper, chopped 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 cups (.47 liter) JK’s seafood stock or shrimp stock 28 ounces (737 grams) diced tomato Dash Worcestershire sauce Dash hot sauce 2 bay leaves Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 pounds large shrimp shelled and deveined 1 pound smoked bacon or pancetta, diced and cooked to a light crispy texture 1 cup cooked rice 4 tablespoons green onions, sliced for garnish

Heat a large heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil. Cook garlic, onions, celery, and green bell peppers. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cayenne and let caramelize. Add the seafood stock, tomatoes, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and bay leaves.

Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 35 minutes. Add shrimp and cook about 4 more minutes, until they are bright pink and cooked through. Garnish with green onions.

Oyster Stew This is one of my favorites! Number one, I love oysters.

Number two, making a soup with this delicate shell creature only enhances the flavor of the oyster!

46 This seems like an easy recipe, but it is not. First off, if the oysters come to the boil, that destroys the flavor. So, take this step by step to make sure the quality of the soup is there.

Don’t hurt the integrity of the oyster!

• • • • • • • •

4 dozen oysters with reserved liquor 3 quarts of heavy cream 3 tablespoons of flour 4 tablespoons of butter or 4 tablespoons rendered bacon fat 4 rashers of bacon crispy fried One bunch of parsley minced fine Hand full of peppercorns Salt and pepper to taste

Let’s begin!

Step one, shuck the fresh oysters and save the oyster liquor in a bowl. This is important as the soup depends on it. Mince the parsley and set it aside for later.

Fry the bacon or pancetta, drain and save the renderings.

47 In a stock pot, melt the butter or bacon renderings, over low heat and have the flour ready to make a nice, white roux. You have to keep stirring the roux, so it doesn’t burn or stick.

This is very important, and I use a whisk for this step.

In a double boiler, put the heavy cream in the top pot and keep the bottom pot on the high boil level. Stir, Stir, Stir! Add the roux to the double boiler and continue to stir. Smash or grind the peppercorns into a fine mosh and add to the double boiler along with the oyster liquor. Keep stirring.

Finally, add the oysters two at the time, to the double boiler. Don’t let that mix boil or it will make the oysters tough and hideous to eat. At this point in time, I add a dash of Tabasco Sauce to this delicate dish.

Serve up in heated bowls with garlic bread and subtle white wine. I also like a good Schizo Cigar with this appetizer. It adds something to the oysters, and I enjoy the Men’s Smoking Room in the house.

Oh, the Parsley goes on top of the soup along with capers and a touch of fresh grated horseradish.

Serves 6.

FOR A FAMILY OF TWO, USE 2 DOZEN OYSTERS, 1.5 QUARTS CREAM.

Cours de Legume Green Beans What Southern meal would be complete without fresh green beans included? Dennis would not let my use canned stuff that much and I take pride in bringing things from scratch. For the Pipe, it took a lot of beans being snapped and cleaned but it was worth it! I’ll break this down from ten bushels of beans to enough to serve 8. LOL • • • • • • • •

3 pounds of fresh green beans, hand picked 2 large white onions diced 2 pounds of fresh mushrooms 4 stalks of celery diced 1 pound of pork, bacon or salt pork diced Salt and Pepper to taste 2 Red Peppers, hot ones 5 quarts of Chicken Stock

48 This is an involved production and it’s enjoyable! I can buy the chicken stock already made but I choose to make my own, so I know what is in it. So, here’s my secret to excellent stocks.

Chicken Broth The day before or the week before, I get a whole chicken including the organ meats and cut it up to put it in the pot to boil. I add filtered water, a garlic bud but in half, fresh carrots, white onions, along with the skins, salt, pepper and the chicken parts. The organ meats, I wrap up in cheese cloth and tie off before I put it in the stock pot. Put the full pot on the back burner, bring it to the boil, reduce to a low simmer and put the top on it.

Check it every hour to see if it needs water and find something else to do. I let it simmer for about 5 to 6 hours, pulling all that natural goodness out. About the three hour mark, I pull the chicken out, strip it of the meat and set that aside, crack the bones and put those back in the pot. Yes, I’m a health nut and that’s ok, but it’s all the good vitamins and minerals that we need to function.

I let it reduce and make broth cubes out of the reduction. They freeze well in Ziploc bags and are always there for cooking. For this batch of green beans, I’ll use three broth cubes and about a gallon of filtered water.

Now the fun part, putting it all together. Be sure to wash and snap the green beans, that’s important! Put all the ingredients in a stock pot, set it to the boil and turn it to a medium simmer for about an hour. Voila! Green Beans and the pot liquor is excellent also!

Maque Choux A delightful, creamy spicy fresh corn dish from the environs of the Cajun Table that is fit for any FA DO DO in the Bayou’s.

• • • • • • •

4 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound corn kernels, fresh or frozen 1 medium mild onion diced ½ green bell pepper diced ½ red bell pepper diced 2 tablespoons garlic, minced ½ cup heavy whipping cream

In this dish it is important that all the vegetables be sautéed to translucency and are soft on the palate. Be careful not to scorch or burn anything as that would make me throw it away and start over.

Heat the oil in a small skillet and add the onion, red and green bell pepper and cook until soft.

Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute over medium heat.

49 Add in the corn and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, stirring so as not to stick.

Pour in cream, bring to a slight boil and reduce heat. Let this simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly so as not to stick.

Your Maque Choux is ready to serve! 4 servings

Plats Principaux

Crawfish Boil Oh my! All kinds of thoughts come up for this and It is really an affair to remember! First, you have to gather up a lot of friends that love the mud bugs. Compile many coolers with various beers. Gather the mud bugs and create a party!

This is my special way of doing things and it’s always fun! This is not for the faint of heart!

• 10 pounds mud bugs • 8 pounds shucked corn • 5 pounds Andouille Sausage • A big pot!

• 5 gallons water • 3 pounds small potatoes • 3 cups cayenne pepper

50 • • • •

2 cups dried thyme 18 sliced lemons 2 cups salt 15 bay leaves

Dat’s what it take to get started with the cooking. Put the big pot, filled with water, on the gas burner outside de House. Dat’s important, just remember dat. Have a big box of wine, cause the cook gonna need it, or Abita Beer from New Orlins! Put a little wine in the cook beforehand and share some jokes. Keeps the cook on his toes.

Make sure the water is boilin big time and put a little wine dere and in de cook.

When de water be boilin, put the corn, potatoes and spices in de pot. Let them boil for about ten minutes. Den, you put the mudbugs in dere. When dey rise to de top, they be done. Put on the lights, crank up the music and slap it all on a table covered in newspaper.

We gonna do dis right!

Galveston Gulf Coast Ocean Pot Au Feu Welcome to the fabulous Gulf Coast of the USA! In order to appreciate the regional differences along the Coast, there are some other recipes in this section , that enhance the experience of dining along the coast.

• • • • • •

1 1/2 pounds unpeeled, large raw shrimp 4 ribs of celery in fine dice 1 large Texas Sweet Onion or a Mild Yellow Onion 2 qt. Jere’s Shrimp and Lobster Broth 1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped

51 • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 green bell pepper, chopped 1 tablespoon butter 3 garlic cloves, smashed and minced 1 pound small red potatoes, quartered 1 bottle beer 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves 2 fresh bay leaves 2 teaspoons Jere’s Creole Seasoning 1 1/2 pounds fresh white fish fillets, (such as snapper, grouper, or catfish), cubed 1 pound cooked crawfish tails Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Griddle Corn Cakes Spiced Mayonnaise

Peel shrimp; place shells in a saucepan. (Refrigerate shrimp until ready to use.) Add celery ends and onion peel to pan; chop remaining celery and onion, and reserve. (Using the leftover bits of onion and celery will layer the flavor and result in a flavorful broth.) Add broth; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook sausage in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring often, 7 to 8 minutes or until browned. Remove sausage; pat dry. Wipe Dutch oven clean. Sauté celery, onion, and peppers in hot oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes or until onion is tender. Add garlic, and sauté 45 seconds to 1 minute or until fragrant.

Stir in potatoes, next 4 ingredients, and sausage.

Pour broth mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into Dutch oven, discarding solids.

Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Add fish; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until just opaque. Add shrimp and cook 2 to 3 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. If desired, stir in crawfish, and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until hot. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon seafood into warmed soup bowls. Top with broth mixture.

Serve immediately with Griddle Corn Cakes and Spiced Mayonnaise.

52

New Orleans BBQ Shrimp This dish is a must have every time I go to New Orleans. I have a long history of living and working in the Crescent City as a musician and chef. This recipe is a further developed extension of the infamous Shrimp Manale, created by Chef Emeril Lagasse.

When I make it, I use large shrimp with the heads on as that adds more flavor to the broth.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 6 cloves garlic, minced 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning (see note) 1 teaspoon oregano 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 green onions, sliced 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 lemon, sliced 2 pounds medium to large fresh shrimp, unpeeled Into a medium size pot, place the olive oil and butter in the pot on medium low heat. Have a quart of the Shrimp Lobster broth on the side ready to pour in. Put the minced garlic in and let it become aromatic. Add in the rest of the ingredients, minus the heads on shrimp along with the quart of broth. Turn the heat to simmer and let it reduce to half.

Put the shrimp in and stir for 5 minutes or until the shrimp turns pink. Keep the heat on simmer.

Have a large bowl ready for this excellent concoction.

Spoon the shrimp in with a slotted spoon and fill the bowl, using a ladle, with that superior broth.

Serve immediately with hot French bread and a plate for the shells. It will take lots of napkins to enjoy this dish!

53

Oxtails and Collard Greens You don’t get much more into the soul food tradition than this! The oxtails used to be a throw away part of the animal but now are coming into prominence in good Southern Cuisine. I use fresh as possible and like sourcing from farm to table as I prefer to know where the foods I use come from.

• • • • • • • • •

5 pounds oxtails 10 pounds collard greens 10 pounds mustard greens Salt Pepper Three hot red peppers 5 cloves fresh garlic minced 1 large onion diced 1 gallon of water to begin with

Wash the greens well in saltwater. It usually takes two to three washings to get the grit off. Trim the leaves from the stems by pulling them off. I keep the stems for other uses.

Put the water on to boil with the oxtails in the pot. Add bacon or country ham to taste.

When boiling, add the rest of the ingredients and reduce to a simmer for about two hours.

Be sure and check the pot to add more water when needed. I sometimes use homemade chicken or beef broth to add more flavor to the dish.

When done, put the greens and oxtails in a big serving bowl and I serve the pot liquor on the side. The pot liquor is full of the necessary stuff for my joint lubrication and to cut down on that old arthritis pain. Adding fresh turmeric to the cooking pot also increases the medicinal quality of this great dish! I recommend it highly.

I heard, from Dr. PD Jones in Milan, Tennessee that the pot liquor had curative qualities in it. That makes sense to me and I always have at least two cups of this fantastic juice with some Apple Cider Vinegar in it as a side dish just for me. I credit my health and wellbeing, after all these decades, with following the sage advice of a few trusted friends and colleagues. Serves 4 to 6

Boudin • • • •

1-1/2 pounds lean pork shoulder, finely diced 1 pound pork liver 1 quart water 3/4 cup chopped yellow onions

• • • •

1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers 1/4 cup chopped celery 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon cayenne

1 • • • •

1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves 1/4 cup chopped green onions, green parts only 1 ½ cups medium-grain white rice

teaspoon of the cayenne and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper in a large heavy pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the pork and liver are tender, about 1 hour. Remove any scum that rises to the surface.

Put the pork, water, onions, bell peppers, celery, 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4

Cour Boullion Now dis is a classic dish in the Creole world!

The Cajun is a lot different, but this Is fantastic! Gently melded flavors combine into a genteel sauce with just enough spice to make it palatable for the fashionable Creole Lady and manly enough to encourage Gentlemanly conversations with an Absinthe and Cigar in the smoking rooms! It is said that Hemmingway met the green Absinthe people here in the New Orleans at the Old Absinthe Bar.

Redfish Cour Boullion: •

½ pound red snapper fillets, cut into large pieces

52 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

½ pound peeled and deveined jumbo fresh shrimp 2 teaspoons JK Creole seasoning 5 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup minced white onion ½ green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped ¼ cup chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup all-purpose flour 2 cups fish stock (Fumar) 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with liquid ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper ⅓ teaspoon cayenne pepper Hot cooked rice Garnish: sliced green onion

In a medium bowl, combine snapper, shrimp, and Creole seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

In a medium Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Add bell pepper, celery, and garlic; cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle vegetables with flour, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add stock, Worcestershire, and tomatoes; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add snapper mixture, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Cover and simmer until fish flakes apart easily with a fork, about 20 minutes. Serve over hot cooked rice, and garnish with green onion, if desired.

Fish Stock I love a good seafood broth and it is the basis for a lot of dishes. Make this is large batches and either reduce for broth cubes or freeze in quart quantities.

• • • • • • • •

8 to 10 pounds bones and heads of white fish, washed and cleaned.

2 cups white wine 1 gallon of filtered water 1 pound mushrooms diced 2 leeks chopped 3 carrots chopped 1 onion macerated 2 handfuls of fresh parsley

• • • • •

3 lemons quartered A good dose of thyme 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds 4 bay leaves Salt and Pepper to taste

Into a large stockpot, combine all ingredients over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.

Strain the stock through a cheese cloth sieve and prepare it for storage.

Roast Beef Debris • • • • • • • • • • •

3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 (4-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 medium yellow onion, sliced 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 cup tomato paste 4 cups beef broth 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon hot sauce

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a medium Dutch oven.

Sprinkle beef with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Brown the beef for about 3 minutes per side.

Remove beef from Dutch oven and set aside.

Add onion to the grease in the Dutch oven and cook 1 minute.

Add tomato paste and thyme and stir into onions. Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Reurn beef to Dutch oven and spoon sauce over it.

Cover Dutch oven and bake for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until beef easily shreds. Remove beef from Dutch oven and place on a cutting board. Let cool 10 minutes.

Remove all liquid from Dutch oven. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the liquid and return to Dutch oven. (the rest of the liquid can be tossed away.) Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until reduced by half.

Shred beef and check for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Return beef to Dutch oven once the liquid has reduced by half. Turn heat off and stir beef into the liquid.

54

Smoked Pork Tenderloin This is my way of doing pork tenderloin coins with all the seasonings of a whole hog BBQ in Tennessee.

• • • • •

½ cup JKs Cajun Seasoning 3 pound pork tenderloin JKs BBQ Sauce Grill, Oak or Maple charcoal Smoker Grill set up

JKs BBQ Sauce 1 cup Cider Vinegar 1 cup Ketchup ¼ cup Yellow Mustard ¼ cup Chili Powder ¼ cup Paprika ½ cup Dark Brown Sugar Salt to taste ½ cup Pepper (to taste) ½ cup Cayenne Pepper (to taste) Dash Angostura Bitters Tabasco Sauce to taste

Two days before the party, get the tenderloin and unwrap it. Place it on a cutting board and wipe dry with paper towels.

Use the Cajun Seasoning as a dry rub mixed with two tablespoons of brown sugar.

Slather the rub on and wrap tightly in Saran Wrap.

Place in the refrigerator for two days and let it marinate.

The day of the party, lite off the smoker and achieve a temp of 250 degrees that will remain constant.

It will take about 2 hours to smoke the tenderloin and to keep it from drying out, have the BBQ sauce as a basting beside the smoker. Baste every 20 minutes.

Check with a calibrated meat thermometer for 165 degrees internal temp in the very center of the tenderloin.

Remove from the smoker and tent the tenderloin with aluminum foil, setting aside until ready to cut.

Cut in medallions and serve.

Southern Fried Chicken and Pork Chops Well bust my buggy whip and pass the shine! This is one of my favorite recipes that I have developed from growing up in the kitchens of Douglas Nursing Home and with my grandmother, Mimi. I grew up in the South on the Mighty Mississippi River and this was a staple not only for pork chops but for chicken also. The seasonings provide the taste, but the buttermilk marinade gives it a moist, chewy finished chop that tops the moon on flavor.

• • • •

2 cups flour 4 to 6 nice size pork chops ¼ cup marjoram ¼ cup sage

55 • • • • • • •

¼ cup salt ¼ cup pepper ¼ cup paprika ¼ cup chili powder ¼ cup garlic powder 1 to 2 cups butter milk Corn Oil or Crisco heated to 370 degrees

To begin, I get a Ziploc bag large enough to hold the chops and enough buttermilk to coat them. Put it all together in the bag and put that in the fridge either for a couple of hours or overnight.

When I feel adventurous or the Preacher is coming over for Supper, I add dried thyme, marjoram and black pepper to the marinade overnight and let it soak. For those that like a little spice in their life, I add cayenne pepper to the buttermilk also and let it ride.

When I am ready to begin the cooking process, I take two cups of flour, mix in the salt, pepper, marjoram, sage, paprika, sugar, chili powder and paprika into the flour with a whisk. Drop the pork chops into the bag with the flour mixture and shake well thoroughly coating them.

Then into the hot oil! I like using an electric skillet as I can control the temperature of the corn oil or the melted Crisco to fry the pork chops and keep them moist.

Make sure the oil is at 370 degrees before putting the chops in otherwise the coating will become mushy and not stick too well. I flip them after about 5 minutes and put the top on the skillet to let them cook evenly. When they are done to your liking, take them out and place on a paper towel to drain and there you have it!

Taso Ham Tasso ham is a specialty of south Louisiana cuisine. In this case "ham" is a misnomer since tasso is not made from the hind leg of a hog, but rather the hog's shoulder. This cut is typically fatty, and because the muscle is constantly used by the animal, has a great deal of flavor. The butt, which will weigh 7 to 8 pounds, is sliced across the grain into pieces about 3 inches thick. These are dredged in a salt cure, which usually includes nitrites and sugar. The meat is left to cure briefly, only three or four hours, then rinsed, rubbed with a spice mixture containing cayenne pepper and garlic, and hot-smoked until cooked through.

Though tasso may be eaten on its own, it is more often used as part of a flavor base for stews or braised vegetables. It is used in dishes ranging from pasta to crab cakes to soup

56 and gravy. Appropriate to its roots, tasso is most often found in recipes of Cajun origin, such as jambalaya.

• • • • • • • • • • •

5 lb Boston butt pork shoulder 8 oz kosher salt 4 oz white sugar 1/2 oz pink curing salt 1/4 cup white pepper 1/4 cup cayenne pepper 2 tbsp dried marjoram 2 tbsp ground allspice 2 tbsp granulated garlic 2 tbsp dried thyme Slice the pork butt into 1” thick steaks.

Combine the kosher salt, white sugar, and pink curing salt in a large flat container. Mix well. Dredge the pork steaks in the dry cure, pressing the pork into the cure to coat all surfaces. Shake excess cure off the pork and place in a clean container. Cure the pork in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

Rinse the cure off of the pork with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.

Combine the remaining seasonings in a bowl and mix well. Season all surfaces of the pork steak with the seasoning mixture.

Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640 Pellet Grill to 225ºF, set up for indirect grilling/smoking.

Place the pork steaks on the second shelf of the grill and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 150ºF, about 2 hours. Remove from the grill.

The pork can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three weeks, and in the freezer for up to three months.

Taso Ham 2 • • • • • •

1 3/4 cups sugar-based curing mixture (such as Morton® Tender Quick®) 1 1/2 cups white sugar 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons onion powder 2 tablespoons garlic powder 1 gallon water

57 • • • • • • • •

10 pounds pork butt roast 2 tablespoons ground mace 2 tablespoons garlic powder 2 tablespoons onion powder 2 tablespoons smoked paprika 1 tablespoon dried sage 1 tablespoon dried thyme 2 tablespoons honey

To Make the Brine: In a medium bowl, combine curing mixture, sugar, pepper, 2 tablespoons onion powder, 2 tablespoons garlic powder and water. Mix until the salt and sugar are dissolved in the water.

Pour brine over pork. Allow pork to soak in brine for one week in the refrigerator.

Remove pork from brine, then discard brine. Rinse and pat dry the pork.

Preheat an outdoor smoker for 200 to 225 degrees F (95 to 110 degrees C).

To Make the Rub: In a medium bowl, mix together the mace, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 2 tablespoons onion powder, paprika, sage, thyme and honey.

Evenly coat the pork with the rub and work it in with your fingers. Place a roasting rack in a drip pan and lay the meat on the rack.

Smoke at 200 to 225 degrees F (95 to 110 degrees C) for 12 hours.

58

Bagay Dous Beignets

• • •

• 3/4 cup water • 1/2 cup whole milk • 1/3 cup granulated sugar • 11/2 teaspoons active dry yeast • 1 large egg, beaten • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for kneading and cutting • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt • 1 quart peanut or vegetable oil, plus more for the bowl • 1 cup powdered sugar • Measuring cup and spoon • Large Dutch oven • Candy or deep fry thermometer Rolling pin Pizza cutter or sharp knife Large fine-mesh strainer

Warm the water and milk. Place the water and milk in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 1/2 minutes on full power. Alternatively, you can warm the milk and water in a small saucepan over medium heat for about 1 minute. The mixture should be warm but cooler than 100°F. Proof the yeast in the warm milk mixture for 15 minutes. Whisk the sugar into the milk mixture, then sprinkle with the yeast and set aside for 15 minutes until the yeast has become foamy.

Beat in the the egg, butter, and flour. Add the egg, salt, butter, and 2 cups of the flour to the milk mixture. Beat with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula until the mixture is thick but smooth. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour and beat again until just combined.

You’re looking for a thick batter-like consistency that is closer to drop biscuits than bread dough here.

59 Cover a work surface with flour and knead the dough. Dust a work surface with about 1/4 cup more flour and dump the dough onto it. Gently fold the dough over itself 3 to 4 times (the dough will be sticky and a little loose). Gently shape the dough into a round and place in a well-oiled bowl (you can reuse the mixing bowl if it is mostly scraped clean). Cover with a clean kitchen towel.

Let the dough rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or overnight. Set the bowl in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Alternatively, you can cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise overnight in the refrigerator for 8 to 10 hours.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven to 370°F. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven fitted with a deep-fry thermometer over medium-high heat until 370ºF. Line a baking sheet with two layers of paper towels. If the dough is in the refrigerator, pull it out just before you heat the oil to give it 20 to 25 minutes to lose its chill while the oil warms up.

Roll out and cut the dough. While the oil is heating, dust a work surface with about 1/4 cup of flour and dump the dough onto it. Roll the dough out to a 17x11-inch rectangle that is about 1/4-inch thick. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the dough into 20 to 22 (about 2-inch square) pieces. Don’t fret if some of the corner pieces are more triangular, and don’t reroll the dough.

Fry 3 to 4 pieces at a time for 2 to 3 minutes. Fry 3 to 4 squares at a time: Gently add the beignets to the oil (you can use your hands or tongs). Immediately use a large heatproof spoon to ladle the hot oil over the pieces. Fry the first side until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Using the spoon or tongs, flip the beignets and fry until the second side is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes more.

Transfer the fried beignets to the baking sheet. Transfer the pieces to the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough.

Dust the beignets heavily with powdered sugar just before serving. Just before serving and while still warm, use a large fine-mesh strainer to generously dust the beignets with powdered sugar.

Commanders Palace Bread Pudding Ingredients: • 1 cup sugar • 4 ounces butter softened • 5 eggs beaten • 2 cups heavy cream, room temperature • pinch cinnamon

60 • • •

1 tablespoon vanilla 1 ounce raisins 12 slices of 1" thick French bread

Directions: Cream the butter and sugar.

Add the eggs, raisins, flavorings and add the cream slowly so as not to curdle.

Pour over the bread and let soak for at least 10 minutes.

Take bread from custard carefully and place in the bottom of baking pan.

Pour custard over bread and bake in a water bath at 300F convection for 40-50 minutes covered with aluminum foil.

When the custard is done it should still be soft not hard

Bourbon sauce • • • • • • •

1/2 cup cream 1/2 cup sugar pinch cinnamon 1/2 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon water 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon bourbon

Bring all ingredients to a boil except for water, cornstarch and bourbon.

Make a slurry and add to boiling liquid.

Return to boil and remove from heat.

Add the bourbon and let cool for service.

Bourbon Cherry Bread Pudding Souffle I came across this fantastic Bread Pudding Souffle during a Garden District Parade Party.

I had to have the recipe and go from there. The texture is so delicate that it literally melts in your mouth.

• • • • • • • • •

¾ cups sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg 3 medium whole eggs 1 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 5 cups New Orleans breads. The light French Bread or the Brioche. Cut this into cubes and it be best when it over a day old.

1/3 cup bourbon or rum soaked dried cherries ¼ cup raisins

61 I begin this dish about a week before the party by putting the cherries into a quart jar with 1 to 2 cups bourbon or rum. Let them soak, tightly covered, until ready to prepare the Souffle. This fantastic pudding is well worth the effort.

Il y a un secret pour empêcher un souffle de tomber! N'ouvrez pas la porte du four pendant la cuisson!

“There is a secret to keeping a souffle from falling!

Don’t open the oven door while they be cookin! “ Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan; set aside. Combine 3/4 cup sugar, the cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Beat in whole eggs until smooth; whisk in cream and vanilla. Add bread cubes; stir, allowing bread to soak up custard.

Scatter raisins in greased pan; top with egg mixture.

Bake until pudding is firm to the touch, 25 to 30 minutes. The tradition is using a clean broom straw as a cake tester, but here, a toothpick or chopstick will work wonders. Just make sure it comes out clean when inserted in the middle.

Let all this cool for a couple of hours and have a glass of wine!

Souffle la • • • • •

¾ cups sugar 9 egg whites from medium size eggs ¼ teaspoon crème of tarter Butter and some medium size ramekins Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Butter six 6-ounce ceramic ramekins; set aside.

I use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment for this. Add the 9 egg whites that are at room temperature to the mixing bowl. Whisk egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.

Gradually add remaining 3/4 cup sugar; continue whisking until shiny and thick. Test with a clean spoon. If whites stand up stiff, like shaving cream, when you pull out the spoon, meringue is ready. Do not overwhip, or whites will break down and souffle will not work.

In a large bowl, break half the bread pudding into pieces using your hands or a spoon.

Gently fold in a quarter of the meringue, being careful not to lose the air in the whites.

Divide a portion of this mixture among the ramekins. Place remaining bread pudding in bowl, break into pieces, and carefully fold in rest of meringue. Top off souffles with this lighter mixture, piling it high, about 1 ½ inches over top edge of ramekins. With a spoon, smooth and shape tops into a dome over ramekin rims.

62 Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately. Using a spoon at the table, poke a hole in the top of each souffle, and spoon the room-temperature whiskey sauce into the souffles.

Captain Morgan Pecan Pie • • • • • • • • •

½ cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups light corn syrup 1½ cups firmly packed dark brown sugar ½ cup unsalted butter, melted 6 large eggs, lightly beaten 3 tablespoons Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3½ cups pecan halves

Preheat oven to 375°.

On a lightly floured surface, roll Piecrust to a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch deepdish pie plate, pressing into bottom and up sides. Fold edges under, and crimp as desired.

In a large bowl, whisk together granulated sugar and flour. Add corn syrup, brown sugar, and melted butter, whisking to combine. Whisk in eggs, Spiced Rum, and salt until well combined. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared crust.

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300°and bake until set and an instantread thermometer inserted in center registers 200°, 1 hour and 40 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes more. Let cool completely before serving.

Chocolate Whiskey Ice Cream I love making ice cream and have the small chiller to make just enough. This recipe makes one pint of ice cream and is quite good. It goes well with the bread pudding.

• 4 egg yolks • ¼ cup whiskey • ¼ cup sugar • 1 ½ cup heavy cream • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean stripped and seeded • 1 scant teaspoon of cinnamon • 3 ounces semisweet chocolate • ¼ cup mini chocolate chips

63

Whisk egg yolks, whiskey and ¼ cup sugar in a medium bowl and set it aside for later.

In a double boiler, add the cream, vanilla bean and seeds or extract along with the cinnamon. Add the semisweet chocolate and continue to gently whisk until the chocolate is melted.

The egg yolk mixture has to be tempered so it will not fry the egg when it is added. To temper, take a teaspoon of the cream mixture from the pot and add it slowly while whisking the egg mixture. Do this three or four times until the yolks are at the temperature of the cream.

Add the mixture to the cream and stir until it thickens up.

Pour the mixture into a bowl with ice and set in the refrigerator to cool for about and hour.

Once it is cooled, fold in the chocolate chips and add to the ice cream maker.

It should take about 20 minutes for the ice cream to be ready. When it is done, put the finished product into a tightly sealed container for the freezer and place it in the freezer until ready to use.

I garnish the dish with a couple sprigs of fresh mint and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.

King Cake The King Cake tradition is always a bit of a laugh and a lot of fun. The tradition is that whoever gets the King Baby has to provide the King Cake next year. I have done that many times only to find out the cake was stacked with extra babies in it. We all brought it that next year. LOL

Peach Cobbler What is the South without a cobbler on the table? Cobbler are a mainstay below the Mason Dixon and when the fresh fruits are in season it’s nary a day that goes by without something like this coming out of my kitchen.

Living in the city though, it’s a challenge to find good fruit at times. So, I do a lot of canning in the summer and fall so I can have these scrumptious things throughout the year.

First off, take the peaches, if they are fresh, and get the fuzzy skin off. I cut them in chunks and put them together in a bowl covered with the sugar to let them develop a natural juice.

Don’t get too upset as I also do fermentation and have things sitting around, like Kimchee and Pickled Vegetables that take a while, and this only leaves the peaches out for an hour or so.

While that’s happening, continue with the rest of the meal as this needs to be served hot out of the oven.

64

• • • • •

8 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced into thin wedges 1/4 cup white sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Come back to the bowl and add in your lemon juice and cornstarch and let it set for about ten minutes • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice • 2 teaspoons cornstarch Heat your oven up to 425 and get the peaches in their juice in a nice large cast iron skillet or a baking dish. I have my Great Grandmothers well-seasoned skillet for days like this.

Put them in the oven and let them get to temperature. Meanwhile, make your biscuit dumplings to go on top of the cobbler. In a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.

• • • • • • •

1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup white sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces 1/4 cup boiling water

When the skillet with the peaches gets hot and bubbly in the oven, take it out and add the biscuit dumplings to it and put it back in the over for thirty minutes. Your topping should be golden brown and sweet!

Hope you got some Ice Cream because it’s good!

MIX TOGETHER: • 3 tablespoons white sugar • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Simplified Instructions for Peach Cobbler.

65

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly and pour into a 2-quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.

Remove peaches from oven and drop spoonsful of topping over them. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden, about 30 minutes.

Howâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ya mama anâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; them?

66