Louisiana Cookin' January/February 2020

I SHOULD SAY HERE that I did not grow up eating king cake. In my time in Louisiana, though, I feel like I’ve made up for my comparative lack of years with boundless enthusiasm. In years past, my wife, Christa, and I would chart out the weeks from the Feast of the Epiphany through Mardi Gras day to see how many cakes we could reasonably expect to try. At work, our diligent managing editor, Caitlin, and I would do the same, cross-checking our personal lists to avoid overlap. This Carnival season isn’t quite so long as last year’s, but we still have quite a bit of time to indulge (and, despite our best efforts, overindulge) in this ultimate Louisiana treat. Like many folks we’ve spoken with, we enjoy making a few…

ACORN NEW ORLEANS The New Louisiana Children’s Museum opened its doors in New Orleans City Park last summer, and in addition to its exhibits, it is also home to a restaurant run by Dickie Brennan & Co. Overlooking City Park’S Little Lake, Acorn uses local ingredients for its menu of updated favorites and children’s dishes, like Mac and Cheese. The environmentally conscious café also has a play kitchen for kids. acornnola.com THE VINTAGE BATON ROUGE The second location for the Vintage was set to open this past fall in downtown baton rouge, in the space that formerly housed Magpie café on the corner of Third and Laurel Streets. Like its sister location in New Orleans, the red stick location will serve craft coffee and gourmet beignets, in addition to the breakfast and lunch…

CAULIFLOWER RICE has been all the rage in recent years as a low-carb rice alternative. Simply cauliflower that has been broken down into rice-size pieces, it can replace rice in just about any recipe. It’s tender and chewy when cooked, and it cooks quickly in a little oil or butter on the stove. Cauliflower rice is available fresh and frozen in many grocery stores, but if yours doesn’t carry it, you can easily make it at home by pulsing cauliflower florets in a food processor or shredding them on a box grater. Try it in our lightened take on classic red beans and rice. RED BEANS AND CAULIFLOWER RICE MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS Pickled shallots add just the right touch of acidity to smoky red beans served with cauliflower rice. 1 pound dried…

DURING LOUISIANA’S COLDER MONTHS, winter citrus is at its peak. Oranges, Meyer lemons, grapefruit, and more are abundant this time of year, and there are countless ways to cook with them. Their tangy juice and fragrant zest can liven up just about any savory or sweet dish, and these recipes showcase some of our favorite ways to use fresh Louisiana citrus. CITRUS COURTBOUILLON MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS Meyer lemons and oranges infuse our red snapper courtbouillon with delicate citrus flavors. 1½ pounds skinless red snapper, cut into 1½- to 2-inch pieces4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning*, divided¼ cup unsalted butter1½ cups finely chopped red onion¾ cup finely chopped green bell pepper¾ cup finely chopped celery6 cloves garlic, minced¼ cup all-purpose flour3 tablespoons tomato paste1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves1 bay leaf2 cups seafood stock, room temperature1…

GROWING UP in St. James Parish in the 1950s, my siblings and I were not aware of the festivities of Mardi Gras 55 miles downriver in New Orleans. All we knew was that when Ash Wednesday rolled around, my mother had all eight of us lined up at the altar rail to get ashes. Thus began the holiest season of the year, when the church was draped in purple cloth to represent mourning and our Friday evenings were spent praying the Way of the Cross and attending adoration, which was truly a sacrifice for young boys who wanted to be in the swamp. From the Sunday pulpit, Father Lester Schexnayder emphasized Lent as a time of preparation, a kind of “spiritual spring cleaning.” We understood that meant preparing the heart and…

IN LOUISIANA'S ACADIANA REGION, miles away from New Orleans’ crowds and colorful floats, a different type of Mardi Gras celebration takes place. Many towns in this region celebrate the cultural tradition called courir de Mardi Gras, which translates as the Fat Tuesday run. In Cajun Country, locals get together on Fat Tuesday for a day of revelry that includes the traditional courir, during which costumed participants travel the countryside, chasing chickens and collecting ingredients to be used later that day in a community gumbo. The Cajun Mardi Gras tradition dates back to medieval France, when disguised revelers would go house to house begging for food in exchange for performing a dance or song. The Cajuns brought the tradition to south Louisiana, where it is still celebrated today. Customs vary from town…