Louisiana Cookin' September/October 2018

WHEN WE ANNOUNCE our slate of Chefs to Watch each fall, it’s the culmination of a yearlong process. From deliberating with our Chefs to Watch Advisory Board through the selection process, I am always astounded by the number of incredibly talented chefs we have cooking in the Bayou State. This year’s class of Chefs to Watch highlights the wide range of styles that are making up the Louisiana restaurant scene. At first glance, the Caribbean influences of Danny Alas and Justin Rodriguez seem to have little in common with Dustie Latiolais’s pork-obsessed creations, but the common threads are the cultures that have merged throughout the state. We will be gathering in the famed main dining room of Galatoire’s on August 27 for a meal featuring a dish from each of the…

THE DILEMMA: You don’t feel like cooking, but you’re tired of the same old restaurants. Good news: Restaurants are opening statewide at lightning speed, and eating local can be an adventure. As the guy who lives up to his pledge to eat my way across Louisiana, I’m pretty impressed at some of the most unconventional new dining options. I think you will be, too. TASTY TRUCKIN’ Take New Orleans, for example: A local couple, Sharonda and Ross Baudy, visited Austin, Texas, and noticed how many food trucks seemed to be doing good business there. They came back to New Orleans, bought a vacant lot near Tchoupitoulas Street (if you can’t pronounce that, you’re not from New Orleans), and founded Deja Vieux Food Park, a space for multiple food trucks to do business.…

Ella Brennan was the pride of New Orleans. She really was. We lost her this year at the age of 92, but her highly talented daughter, Ti Martin, will carry on the family tradition at Commander’s Palace. Miss Ella was the grande dame of Creole and Cajun fine dining and once said, “I don’t want a restaurant where a jazz band can’t come marching through.” She was known for working closely with her chefs at Commander’s Palace, which turned out some of the finest culinarians in New Orleans, including big names like Emeril Lagasse. The restaurant remains the destination of choice for New Orleanians celebrating just about anything and a must for tourists who want a true taste of the city. Our condolences to the family, and our thanks to…

Tacos are big in Baton Rouge right now. We caught up with Therese Schneider, the Majority Whip at Gov’t Taco, a place that proudly declares, “In Tacos We Trust.” Now that I can relate to. This place is the brainchild of food aficionado Jay Ducote, who was the first food vendor to commit to the White Star Market on Government Street. So . . . just what is a Gov’t Taco? I see your title is “Majority Whip.” What does a majority whip do at Gov’t Taco? Just the person that runs the ship . . . captain of the ship, you might say. I have to see that everybody stays in line. Your tacos have names that are riffs on government phrases—Clucks & Balances, The Magna Carrot, etc. Do you plan…

CHEF NATHAN RICHARD has been alligator hunting since he was a kid in Thibodaux. Now, at Cavan in Uptown New Orleans, he is both passionate and resourceful when cooking with alligator—in fact, he has hosted several dinners featuring nose-to-tail preparation of the swamp-dwelling reptile. While a lot of folks say that alligator tastes like chicken, Nathan says it should taste like the water it comes from. “I think alligator has a very unique and different flavor,” Nathan says. “To me, it tastes like that muddy, swampy water. That’s where they live, that’s where they breed, so to me, that’s what it should taste like.” One of the most popular ways to serve alligator meat is by frying it, and Nathan takes that to new levels with his alligator tacos, bringing in smoky,…

LATE SUMMER IS PRIME TIME for eggplants in Louisiana. While the dark purple-hued vegetable often shows up in butter-laden casseroles, its sweet flavor is just as delicious when blended into a light, creamy dip. Eggplants get the star treatment in this simple dish, which comes together easily with a few pantry staples. Roasting the eggplant with a bit of oil and rosemary allows its flavor to really shine and gives it the perfect consistency for scooping up with pita chips or crunchy veggies. EGGPLANT CAVIAR MAKES 2 CUPS 2 medium eggplants, halved lengthwise (about 2 pounds total)2 large cloves garlic, unpeeled2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided2 sprigs fresh rosemary, cut into 1-inch sections1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice¾ teaspoon kosher salt½ teaspoon ground cumin¼ teaspoon smoked paprika2 tablespoons low-fat plain Greek yogurtRainbow carrots, sliced…