Exploring the world of food and bringing home my finds for you! Lots of chocolate recipes, Italian, comfort food like Louisiana Cajun and food videos.
23 October 2009
3 Oyster Recipes: Awesome Louisiana Food From National Food Conference
The famous Chef Poppy Tooker from New Orleans
From Denny: Food writers from America's newspapers, magazines and web sites descended upon New Orleans this past week to experience the best of the city's culture and cuisine at the Association of Food Journalists annual conference, held at the New Orleans’ International House Hotel.
Lucky you and me that the people hosting it were from my own Baton Rouge newspaper, The Advocate, as well as the New Orleans Times-Picayune so, of course, they decided to share some of the recipe goodies! (Too bad they didn't provide more photos.)
True to Louisiana they named their food themes for panel discussions in an amusing fashion: The New Orleans You Don’t Know, Beyond French, Spanish and African-American Hands in the Pot, The Sicilian Connection or Why Do All the Neighborhood Restaurants Serve Spaghetti and Meatballs, and Creoles Are Not a Fairy Folk: An Updated Definition, With Food.
At their discussions came some history of the Louisiana cuisine. German immigrants of the peasant farmer class began settling in Louisiana as early as the 1720's, just north of New Orleans. They soon intermarried with the French, eventually assimilating seamlessly into the Cajun and old Creole families.
Because of the negative overtones of the conflicts with Germany during World Wars One and Two, recognition of the culture and their cuisine faded. Only recently has there been renewed interest. Weird fact about New Orleans: There is not one German restaurant in the entire city!
The more recent Vietnamese immigrants have yet to influence Louisiana cooking in any noticable way. What we do see is the Vietnamese have lovingly embraced Cajun and Creole products like our fish and seafood: shrimp, crawfish, oysters, redfish and gar. Instead of incorporating Vietnamese products into Louisiana cooking, most Louisiana people prefer to dine on Vietamese food on its own terms in its pure state: noodle bowls, steamed vegetables, fish patties and stuffed bread rolls called banh mi.
Since Hurricane Katrina when neighborhood ethnic grocery stores were devastated, New Orleans Vietnamese families now have the goal of self-sufficiency. They operate neighborhood-based communal gardens and markets so they will no longer have to wait months for a store to reopen in order to feed their families.
Another immigrant group that came to Louisiana were the Italians. While most of America thinks of the Deep South associated with African-American slavery, there were white slaves as well. Even after slavery had officially been abolished in America it still existed in another form for immigrants as the indentured servant. Italian indentured servants came in the 1890's to work on the sugar plantations for two years as payment for their passage to America. Even after all that hardship they have managed to pass down through the generations their culture and recipes to the next generation.
Tuesday's post will pick up with more from this conference. Right now, let's get down to the yummy oyster recipes they gifted us!
Photo of another version of charbroiled oyster, the nacho style from cgkinia @ flickr
Drago’s Charbroiled Oysters
From: Tommy Cvitanovich of Drago’s Seafood Restaurant
Makes: 18
This is the perfect dish for those who want to enjoy oysters in their unadorned form, but can’t or won’t eat them raw. Once you start eating these charbroiled ones, you won’t be able to stop. Don’t attempt this without freshly shucked oysters and an outdoor grill.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. butter, softened
2 tbls. finely chopped garlic
1 tsp. black pepper
Pinch dried oregano
1-1/2 dozen large, freshly shucked oysters on the half shell
1/4 cup grated Parmesan and Romano cheeses, mixed
2 tsps. chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
Directions:
1. Mix butter with the garlic, pepper, and oregano.
2. Heat a gas or charcoal grill and put oysters on the half shell right over the hottest part. Spoon the seasoned butter over the oysters enough so that some of it will overflow into the fire and flame up a bit. The oysters are ready when they puff up and get curly on the sides, about 5 minutes.
3. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan and Romano and the parsley on top. Serve on the shells immediately with hot French bread.
Photo of another version of baked oysters by boo_licious @ flickr
Baked Oysters Rio Mar With Chorizo and Spinach
From: Adolfo Garcia of Rio Mar and La Boca restaurants
Serves: 12 as an appetizer
Ingredients:
4 links Spanish chorizo (dried, not the uncooked Mexican chorizo), about 24 ozs., peeled and chopped
Olive oil as needed
1/2 medium chopped onion
3 tbls. chopped garlic
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Manchego cheese
2 cups cooked, well-drained spinach, about 1 lb. fresh
Salt and pepper, to taste
24 shucked oysters
Butter, to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Process chorizo chunks in a food processor until finely ground, about 4 minutes. In a skillet over medium heat, brown chorizo with onions and garlic in a little olive oil, about 10 minutes. Cool mixture.
2. Combine bread crumbs and cheese in a small bowl. Chop cooked spinach, and
add all but 3 tablespoons of the cheese-bread crumb mixture.
3. Combine cooled chorizo mixture with the spinach mixture; season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Place 12 (8-ounce) ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Portion half of the chorizo-spinach mixture among the ramekins. Place two oysters in each then cover equally with remaining mixture. Garnish with reserved cheese-bread crumb mixture then dot with butter. Bake until brown, about 8 minutes.
Uncle Frank’s Oyster Dressing
From: Chef Chiqui Collier from the New Orleans Cooking Experience
Serves: 12-15
Chef Chiqui Collier says that this recipe, her family’s version, is probably the school’s most requested. Oyster dressing is a New Orleans tradition. This recipe freezes well and improves in flavor when made a couple of days ahead.
Ingredients:
3 tbls. olive oil, plus more as needed
1/2 large white onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green onion/scallion, sliced
3 tbls. minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
1 dozen large freshly shucked oysters and reserved liquor
2 to 3 sprigs thyme or pinch of dried thyme
Pinch salt
Pinch lemon-pepper
1/4 loaf stale po-boy French bread, cubed (about 2-1/2 cups)
Couple drops of Kitchen Bouquet
Directions:
1. Fill a medium frying pan over medium heat with about 1/4-inch of olive oil. Add white onions; cook until softened and transparent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and green onions; cook 5 minutes more. Stir in parsley and cook an additional 2 minutes. Set onion mixture aside.
2. Place oysters and the liquor in a saucepan. Cook until the edges curl, about 5 minutes. Remove oysters with a slotted spoon, and coarsely chop; reserve cooking liquid. Add thyme, salt and lemon-pepper to the liquid; add bread to soak up the liquid.
3. Place the cooked onions, soaked bread and cooked, chopped oysters together in a large bowl. Toss well to mix. In the same skillet that the onions were sautéed in, add more olive oil. Over high heat, fry the dressing in two batches for about 5 minutes. Add a drop of Kitchen Bouquet to each batch.
4. Spread the cooked dressing in a large baking pan. The recipe can be made ahead to this point. Bake at 350 degrees until warmed through, about 40 minutes or longer if cold from the refrigerator. If desired, spoon some of the turkey drippings over the dressing before serving.
Baked Tomatoes are very tasty to serve as a side with an oyster dish.
Baked Tomatoes
From: New Orleans Times-Picayune food editor Judy Walker
Makes: 4 to 6 servings as a main dish
This recipe is adapted from the Christian Women’s Exchange “Creole Cookery,” published in 1885 and republished as a facsimile in 2005. The dish was served at the Hermann-Grima House.
Ingredients:
12 large tomatoes (2 to 2-1/2 lbs.)
1/2 loaf French bread, thinly sliced
2 tbls. unsalted, softened butter, plus more as needed
1 tbl. salt, or to taste
1 tbl. black pepper, or to taste
2/3 cup fine bread crumbs
Directions:
1. Heat a saucepan of water to boiling. Plunge tomatoes into it to loosen peels. Remove peels.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take 6 to 8 of the most solid tomatoes and place them in a medium-size buttered baking dish. Butter the bread, using it to fill spaces in the dish.
3. Purée the remaining tomatoes in a food processor, adding the 2 tablespoons butter, salt and pepper. Pour the purée into the baking dish over the tomatoes. Cover evenly with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes.
*** For part two of the food conference - 5 Cajun, Creole Recipes: 2 Gumbos, Dirty Rice, Pickled Shrimp, Shrimp Stuffed Vegetable Pear
*** Thanks for visiting, everyone, have a great day!
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22 October 2009
Busy Day at The Social Poets, Posts on Dan Browns Book The Lost Symbol and Obama
From Denny: There's so much going on with the news coverage about Dan Brown's new book, The Lost Symbol. He sure has tapped into the popularity of conspiracy theories and fast-paced mystery thrillers.
The Today Show both interviewed him and did some short news stories as clues for unraveling the mysteries in the book, great fun! Take a look.
Video: Interviewing Novelist Dan Brown on The Lost Symbol, Life as an Author, Masons
Video: Good Stories and Clues 1 to 4 for The Lost Symbol
Video: Dan Browns New Book The Lost Symbol
Video: The Lost Symbol - Secrets of the National Cathedral, Masons on Dollar Bill, Todays Masonic World Power
Video: Obama Talks About Womens Issues
Photo by lepiaf.geo @ flickr
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21 October 2009
Cheeky Quote Day! over at The Social Poets
*** Comedians like Jay Leno keep us laughing with a ready quip!
From Denny: In the mood for some hilarious Jay Leno quotes? Hike on over to The Social Poets for this week's Cheeky Quote Day! segment. If ever there is a cheeky guy Jay Leno is rated at the top.
For 35 Jay Leno Quotes, Cheeky Quote Day 21 October 2009, go here.
Here's a trio sampling:
* A Minneapolis company has come out with a credit card size shotgun that fits in your wallet. The inventor says he invented it to give people a sense of security. Oh yeah, what makes you feel more secure than sitting on a shotgun? Now how does this work? What's the first thing a thief steals? Your wallet, oh, now he's got your gun too!
* In California, 50 women protested the impending war with Iraq by lying on the ground naked and spelling out the word 'peace.' Right idea, wrong president. (George Bush was in office, not Bill Clinton.)
* Wait till these Enron guys find out that in prison, the term "Insider trading" has a whole new meaning.
*** Thanks for visiting!
For 35 Jay Leno Quotes, Cheeky Quote Day 21 October 2009, go here.
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20 October 2009
2 Easy Cake Recipes: Louisiana Praline Toffee Bundt Cake, Southern Livings Popular Praline Cake
Photo by Arthur D. Lauck
From Denny: I love this time of year when I can bake something heavenly with fresh pecans! They are wonderful in cakes, cookies and even as a coating for pan-frying your favorite fish. This last weekend I went downtown to the local farmers' market and purchased some awesome locally grown roasted pecans.
Don't live in Louisiana but want to buy some local pecans? Not to worry: to purchase these Louisiana pecans from a friendly farmer by the name of Buddy Miller I always enjoy visiting, go to his site called Plantation Pecan Company, go here.
This is a recipe I found in my files from a newspaper food section from a few years ago, coming from a regional church cookbook. The only other praline cake recipe I found online was from Southern Living. That one is good and quite popular and I'm always a player for cream cheese in a cake; this one is even better because of the Heath toffee bits! Your choice; you decide which one you prefer - or both. :)
This cookbook can be purchased, go here.
Praline Bundt Cake
From: St. Isidore Catholic Church cookbook, by Paula Gebhart
Ingredients:
Cake:
1 package Betty Crocker Supermoist yellow cake mix (or other brand)
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil (canola oil is good as its flavor is neutral)
3 eggs, large
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup Heath toffee bits
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds.
Beat on medium 2 minutes, scraping bowl. Fold in pecans and toffee bits.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool 30 minutes in the pan and then remove from the pan. Cool completely.
Glaze:
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter (not margarine)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons corn syrup
2 Tablespoons milk
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup Heath toffee bits
Directions:
In quart-size pan, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and milk. Heat to roiling boil, stirring frequently; remove from heat.
Immediately beat in powdered sugar and vanilla with wire whisk until smooth.
Drizzle over cake and sprinkle with Heath toffee bits.
Here's the Southern Living recipe too:
Photo by Jennifer Davick
Praline Bundt Cake
From: Southern Living, December 2007
Prep: 30 min.
Bake: 1 hr., 22 min.
Cool: 1 hr.
Yield: Makes 12 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup butter, softened
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 (16-oz.) package dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Praline Icing, recipe follows
Sugared Pecans, recipe follows
Directions:
1. Arrange 1 cup pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 5 to 7 minutes or until toasted. Cool on a wire rack 15 minutes or until completely cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
2. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add brown sugar, beating until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
3. Sift together 2 1/2 cups flour and next 3 ingredients. Add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat batter at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in toasted pecans and vanilla. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 12-cup Bundt pan.
4. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and let cool 30 minutes or until completely cool.
5. Prepare Praline Icing, and spoon immediately over cake. Sprinkle top of cake with Sugared Pecans.
***
Praline Icing
Prep: 10 min.
Cook: 5 min.
Yield: Makes about 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients:
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat; whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.
Stir gently 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture begins to cool and thickens slightly. Use immediately.
***
Sugared Pecans
Prep: 10 min.
Bake: 20 min.
Cool: 30 min.
Yield: Makes about 5 cups
Ingredients:
1 egg white
4 cups pecan halves (about 1 lb.)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
Directions:
1. Whisk egg white until foamy; add pecans, and stir until evenly coated.
2. Stir together sugars; sprinkle over pecans. Stir gently until pecans are evenly coated. Spread pecans in a single layer in a lightly greased aluminum foil-lined 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.
3. Bake at 350° for 18 to 20 minutes or until pecans are toasted and dry, stirring once after 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool 30 minutes or until completely cool.
Note: Store pecans in a zip-top plastic freezer bag at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 weeks.
*** Thanks for visiting, everyone, and have a great day!
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Recipe: Easy Chocolate Macaroons
Photo by Kraft Food
From Denny: Killer combination here of white and dark chocolate, coconut and pecans make the perfect cookie! Park this in your holiday recipe file for quick easy crowd pleasers.
From: Kraft Foods
Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 27 min
Makes: About 2 dozen cookies or 24 servings
Ingredients:
2 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
2 squares BAKER'S White Chocolate, chopped
2 cups BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut
1 cup PLANTERS Chopped Pecans (or buy local for freshest)
Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Microwave unsweetened chocolate and milk in large microwavable bowl on HIGH 2 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.
STIR in remaining ingredients. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto greased baking sheets.
BAKE 10 to 12 minutes or until tops are set. Immediately remove from baking sheets to wire racks. Cool completely.
Kraft Kitchens Tips
Size-Wise
Sweets can add enjoyment to a balanced diet, but remember to keep tabs on portions.
Storage Know-How
Store in tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
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