DÎNER DEHORS

Shock and Aww Yeah

The Steamboat Warehouse in Washington is celebrated by diners and media alike

by Eric Cormier photos by Joseph Vidrine

People who love to indulge themselves on meats, seafood and vegetables prepared with strong Cajun-inspired influences know they are at a happy place when visiting the Steamboat Warehouse restaurant in Washington.

What diners may not know is that the shock and awe they experience eating food prepared in the restaurant’s kitchen is equally shared by the culinary maestro responsible for the creations.

Port Barre resident Chef Jason Huguet probably pinches himself every day after waking in order to prove his life is not a dream.

For starters, at the age of 30 Huguet became the owner of the rustic warehouse (constructed in 1823) restaurant. Since then, the chef has grown a loyal customer following, created over 30 award-winning dishes, been featured in numerous broadcast and print media outlets and established a wonderful staff.

As a side note ... the chef started working in the same restaurant as a teenage busboy in the 1990s.

Redfish Lafourche: Fresh redfish filet broiled golden in lemon butter & garlic, set on a bed of blue crab & Gulf shrimp stuffing, then drizzled with a creamy florentine sauce.

TRY THIS!

Savory Sampling

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Stuffed Bell Pepper An awardwinning appetizer that melds a veggie, seafood and a cream sauce.

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Steamboat Gang Plank One of the restaurant’s standard menu items that never loses its appeal. A ribeye, bread and crawfish étouffée ... the foundation of a stupendous dinner.

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Seared Tuna Chef Huguet likes this dish a lot. Seared tuna finished with a neat drizzle of blue crab cream sauce. This is going to get a foodie’s attention.

FOR MORE IMAGES OF STEAMBOAT WAREHOUSE RESTAURANT VISIT ACADIANAPROFILE.COM

(left) Sidesaddle Angels: Four jumbo shrimp stuffed with oysters, wrapped in applewood smoked bacon and fried crispy golden, served with homemade New Orleans-style remoulade sauce. (right) Chef Jason Huguet

“A lot of people ask me how soon did I know I wanted to be a chef and I say it is almost like something happened and the career chose me. I never said when I was growing up ‘I want to be a chef’ ... it just happened. It is a blessing how it all happened from beginning to end,” Huguet said.

He is not being flippant in explaining what seems like an easy career path. Things just fell into place and Huguet worked hard the rest of the way.

The guy caught the eyes of established chefs and restaurateurs early in his career. Graduated top of his class in 2000 from the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute in Thibodeaux. Worked at K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen in New Orleans with kitchen stops in Texas before coming back to his culinary home at the Steamboat.

Since taking over the eatery, the menu advertises Huguets list of hits.

For instance, the Sidesaddle Angels are an appetizer that won Huguet a medal at a food contest. The dish consists of shrimp stuffed with oysters, wrapped in applewood smoked bacon, and then fried and plated with a remoulade sauce.

A fan of seafood, Huguet’s Redfish Lafourche is a flavorful dish featuring the salt water fish broiled in lemon butter and garlic then placed on a bed of blue crab and Gulf shrimp stuffing which is all topped with a florentine sauce.

Huguet notes that most of the dishes on the menu have an individual story. One of which stands out to him is on the appetizer list.

“The Black Forest Tenders are the result of a patron. He came in one night and asked me to cut up a filet mignon and fry the pieces,” Huguet recalls.

What started out as a questionable request, is now a top seller.

Another menu grabbing dish, that happens to be one of Huguet’s favorite to prepare, is the Softshell Cypremort.

Huguet loves to eat soft shell crabs, and putting this prize-winning dish together gives him goosebumps. The crab is stuffed with shrimp and crab meat, deep fried and served on angel hair pasta with an herb cream sauce drizzled on top and finished with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Has shock and awe registered in your mind yet? Imagine what is going on in Chef Huguet’s mind and spirit as he relishes all the fun, flavor and happy customers.

It’s like a never-ending dream for all involved. ■ Steamboat Warehouse Restaurant

525 N. Main St. Washington 337-826-7227 steamboatwarehouse.com

Sizzle Season

Flank steak with veggies offers flavorful simplicity

by Marcelle Bienvenu photo & styling by Eugenia Uhl

Spring is not the only thing in the air. Last evening, a gentle breeze carried the aroma of food cooking on grills. My nose tingled as I tried to determine who was cooking what. Someone was definitely flipping hamburgers. Then a whiff — that I think came from down the bayou — of shrimp possibly bathed in lemon butter. Somewhere to my rear, a great cloud of blue smoke indicated someone was tending chicken and possibly a slab or two of pork ribs.

It’s that time of year when everyone is eager to gather in the yard, on the patio, around the pool or on the deck. Any occasion is a reason for a get-together. These days, just about anything can and does find its way to the grill — shrimp, fish, chicken, steaks, burgers, brisket and even a wide assortment of vegetables.

Grilling is probably one of the healthiest methods of food preparation since most of the fat content is burned off over the hot coals and fresh herbs and spices are all that is needed to bring out the true tastes and flavors. There’s just nothing better, as far as I’m concerned, than something cooked outdoors over an open fire. ■

Other sides can be as easy as roasted corn-on-the-cob, thick slices of tomatoes dusted with sea salt and cracked black pepper and sprinkled with crumbled feta and fresh herbs. Cool slices of cucumbers tossed with bits of red onion and drizzled with vinegar is also a refreshing favorite for this time of year. MAIN COURSE

Marinated Flank Steak with Guacamole

MAKES 4 SERVINGS ½ cup olive oil ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons soy sauce ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves 1 medium-size yellow onion, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons chopped garlic 2 tablespoons seeded and chopped jalapeno peppers salt, freshly ground black pepper and cayenne to taste 1 flank steak, about 1½ pounds 2 tablespoons chopped green onions (green and white parts) 2 medium-size Hass avocados, peeled, pitted and diced 1 medium-size tomato, diced sour cream

COMBINE oil, ½ cup of lime juice, soy sauce, ¼ cup of cilantro, yellow onion, garlic and 1 tablespoon of jalapenos in a large shallow dish. Season with salt and peppers. Put flank in marinade, cover and refrigerate for three to six hours, turning once or twice. PREPARE grill. Remove flank from marinade. Grill for five to seven minutes, depending on desired doneness, on each side. MEANWHILE, combine green onions, avocados, tomatoes, remaining lime juice, cilantro and jalapenos in a small bowl and mix gently. Season with salt and black pepper. WHEN READY TO SERVE, slice meat across the grain into thin strips. Serve with guacamole and garnish with sour cream.

ON THE SIDE

Squash and Pepper Kabobs

Preparations can be simple and quick. Fresh vegetables from your garden or roadside stands can be grilled on skewers or in wire baskets.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS 1½ pounds yellow squash (or zucchini) 1 medium red bell pepper 1 medium green bell pepper 1⁄3 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 10 to 12 large button mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed

CUT squash (or zucchini) crosswise into one-inch slices. Halve green and red bell peppers and remove seeds and stems. Cut into one-inch squares. IN A LARGE BOWL, whisk together oil, vinegar, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Add vegetables and toss to coat evenly. Let stand for about 30 minutes. PREPARE THE GRILL. Remove vegetables from marinade. Reserve marinade. Thread squash, pepper and mushrooms alternately onto skewers. Arrange on rack and grill, turning occasionally, and brushing with reserved marinade, until lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.

DESSERT

Peach Crisp

It’s a little early for Ruston peaches, but any kind of peaches will work for this dessert.

MAKES ABOUT 6 SERVINGS 4 cups sliced peaches ¾ cup sugar ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 stick cold butter, cut into chips 6 scoops vanilla ice cream

PREHEAT the oven to 375 F.

COMBINE peaches with 1⁄3 cup of sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl and toss to coat evenly. Put mixture into an eight-inch square baking pan. Set aside. COMBINE flour and remaining sugar in a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle mixture over peaches and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Serve with scoops of ice cream.

TIP IF YOU WANT TO TRY YOUR HAND AT GRILLING FRUIT, TRY THIS: CUT A FRESH PINEAPPLE INTO LARGE SPEARS AND SPRINKLE WITH A LITTLE BROWN SUGAR. GRILL FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN SERVE WITH ICE CREAM OR YOGURT.