Louisiana Cookin' March/April 2019

SIX POUNDS, WITH A FEW POTATOES and pieces of sausage. No corn. That’s my typical plate at a crawfish boil or at one of the many boiled seafood joints around south Louisiana. If other fun fixin’s like sweet potatoes or artichokes are available, I’ll indulge, but to me, the crawfish should be the star. For most of us, though, crawfish boils are usually events that happen just a few precious times throughout the season. I am truly thankful that we have access to a bounty of fresh and frozen Louisiana crawfish tails to satiate our cravings. In this issue, we took a deep dive into some of the tastiest, most satisfying, and seriously fun crawfish dishes we’ve ever created. A few of my new favorites are the incredibly easy Crawfish Noodle…

ANYONE WHO IS THINKING ABOUT SPRING in Louisiana has a mind for two things: strawberries and crawfish. Yes, yes, I know they don’t exactly complement each other, but we wait all year for two of our best state events: the Louisiana Crawfish Festival (March 21–24) in Chalmette and the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival (April 12–14). In Ponchatoula, you’ll find me at the strawberry-eating contest. I can’t help myself. I have to. And in Chalmette, you will see me eating my way through the dozens of food booths. Crawfish étouffée over fried green tomatoes, anyone? Yes, please. Crawfish chimichangas? Definitely. Crawfish boudin balls? By the dozen. It is that time of the year when we Louisianans celebrate mudbugs. Did you know that not all crawfish are red? Blue, green, and even black crawfish…

. . . Hats off to a guy named Will Baxter in Lafayette. Having inherited his grandmother’s building that houses an antiques shop, at press time, Baxter was trying to get zoning approval to open a small French bistro—very small. The plans call for an intimate six- to eight-table restaurant with a courtyard for cocktails. This is no lark for Baxter—he’s back in Lafayette after cooking in Michelin-starred restaurants in San Francisco, California. We’re keeping an eye on this one. . . . The New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI) opened in January. The long-awaited project is cofounded by Ti Martin, co-owner of the venerable Commander’s Palace. The five-story, 93,000-square-foot facility is destined to turn out great, well-educated chefs. It’s not a stretch to foresee people coming from all over…

I recently got to talk with Russell Davis, chef/owner of Eliza, a charming 42-seat establishment in Baton Rouge. If you’re smart, you’ll grab one of those seats and order his Crawfish & Spinach Dip. It’s slightly addictive. Eliza, says Russell, offers “elevated casual dining” with straightforward Creole dishes: Eliza is getting good buzz in Baton Rouge. Tell us about the concept. The idea was to do a casual Creole restaurant featuring Louisiana products and Louisiana seafood. It’s all scratch cooking. It’s a nicer experience in a casual setting, which I see as the trend in the restaurant industry. How does that play out in the menu? We are doing simple cooking with honest Creole techniques. Our Louisiana Crab Cakes are a standout—mostly crabmeat, with very little filler. They are served with corn…

AS WE MOVE INTO SPRING, light, veggie-packed dishes are a welcome sight after winter’s rich meals. With the abundance of crawfish tails this time of year, we decided to shake up the classic French Niçoise salad with a bit of Louisiana flavor. Our version features most of the classic components—a lemon-mustard vinaigrette, green beans, potatoes, and olives—but replaces the traditional tuna with crawfish tails for one of the most satisfying meals you’ll eat all season. CRAWFISH NIÇOISE SALAD MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS Our riff on the classic Niçoise salad includes crawfish tails for some Bayou State flair. One of the things we love about this salad is the ability to customize the various components. ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice3 tablespoons minced shallot1 tablespoon Creole mustard2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves2½…

Louisianans love to celebrate the changing of the seasons. And with springtime comes festivals and outdoor activities for everyone. Louisiana’s most well-known festival, Mardi Gras, takes many forms around the state during Carnival season, which always begins on January 6 and ends on Fat Tuesday, which falls on March 5 this year. The traditional parades in New Orleans make up the largest Mardi Gras celebration in the United States. The weeks leading up to Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) are filled with street parties, grand balls, and a festive atmosphere. Traditional Cajun Carnival celebrations, called Courir de Mardi Gras, take place in Acadiana, where costumed revelers on horseback go door to door asking for ingredients for a communal gumbo. The highlight of the event is the chicken run, when participants chase down a…