Louisiana Cookin' January - February 2018

MORE THAN COSTUMES AND PARADES, more than king cake and brimming bowls of milk punch, Carnival is about embracing tradition and spending time with family and friends. As my family has grown over the last few years, that has become even more true. Throughout the season, the four of us like to take time between parades to soak in the French Quarter joie de vivre and, sometimes, share a meal with friends. One of the family traditions we’ve started is Bananas Foster at Brennan’s on Royal Street in New Orleans. While the girls are a still a little young at this point to really get the whole picture of what’s going on, their eyes light up at the sight of the flambéed bananas (just like everybody else in the room). In this…

IT MAY SURPRISE YOU THAT CITIES from San Diego, California, to Deadwood, South Dakota, to Washington, D.C., are gearing up for their annual Mardi Gras celebrations. (Yes, I promise that Deadwood, South Dakota, population 1,270, does indeed celebrate Mardi Gras.) But let’s be real—this time of year, Louisiana is Mardi Gras, and that is probably why you are searching for your glue gun, more sequins, and whatever else it takes to get your costume together. And me? Well, I’m just working my way through as many king cakes as I can. No surprise there, right? This year, Fat Tuesday falls on February 13, which incidentally just happens to be the day I will polish off my 47th king cake of the season, most likely stuffed with cream cheese and blueberries. While…

We begin this year without two of our favorite decades-old New Orleans restaurants. Both Vega Tapas Café and Café Giovanni closed late last year. Thanks to both for all those years of great dining and good times. It was our pleasure. Talk about working your way up the corporate ladder—New Orleans native Chef Douglas Braselman started with the Emeril’s organization at Emeril’s New Orleans , working under the guidance of Chef David Slater . He later moved to become chef de cuisine at Emeril’s Orlando at Universal’s CityWalk in Florida. But now, Douglas has been promoted to chef de cuisine at Emeril’s New Orleans, the company’s flagship restaurant. As for David, he has been promoted to director of culinary development at Chef Emeril Lagasse’s corporate headquarters in New Orleans. Hearty congratulations…

It can be a challenge staying fit with the way Louisiana’s homegrown foods so often compel us to eat rich, creamy dishes. But do we have to sacrifice flavor and tradition to eat well? No! Don’t take my word for it. I sat down with Ochsner Eat Fit NOLA founder, registered dietitian Molly Kimball . The Eat Fit NOLA program pairs dietitians and local chefs in hopes of coming up with healthier menu items that taste great. Tell us more about Eat Fit NOLA. It’s a nonprofit. We are registered dietitians, and we work with chefs or anywhere food and drink is sold to help them incorporate healthier options on their menus. We started in New Orleans, and in 2018, we’ll launch Eat Fit Northshore. Later, we hope to expand to…

WHEN IT COMES TO COOKING A HARE, we like it just about any way it comes. Stewed, fried, smothered, or braised, the flavorful meat becomes a tender treat while retaining some of the wild woodsiness that reminds you it’s a game meat. If you’re a hunter (or know one), you may have a freezer brimming with rabbit from October to February, but even if you don’t, many well-supplied grocery stores will stock frozen rabbit (or be able to procure some for you, if asked). If using a wild hare, be prepared to simmer the stew a little longer to reach the desired tenderness. RABBIT AND VEGETABLE STEW MAKES ABOUT 4 SERVINGS 1 (3-pound) rabbit, cut into serving pieces* 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour,…

IN LOUISIANA, THE HOLIDAY SEASON starts with Thanksgiving and continues all the way through Mardi Gras Day, so every once in a while, we need to treat ourselves to something a little lighter. Here, we lightened up a decadent oyster stew and got to use one of our favorite time-saving tricks: freshly shucked Louisiana oysters. PERNOD-POACHED OYSTER STEW MAKES 6 SERVINGS 2 russet potatoes, peeled and quartered 2 cups whole milk 2 cups seafood stock 1 tablespoon Pernod Ricard* 1 pint fresh oysters, drained (reserve oyster liquor) ¼ cup unsalted butter 1 shallot, minced 1 clove garlic, minced ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce ¼ teaspoon celery salt Garnish: hot sauce, chopped fresh thyme 1. In a medium saucepan, add potatoes and water to cover; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until fork tender,…