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Let's just hope someone doesn't replace it with the Teri Hatcher. Very difficult to swallow.
Oh we could go on and on, couldn't we, Willy? ;)
The Christmas Double Puff Pastry that looks great on the plate, and so appetizing, but is filled with only hot air and a tiny crumble of overcooked turkey curry at the bottom...
The Stacy Cake: a sugar pink zeppelin-shaped cake, with Tanya Roberts lounging in her teddy airbrushed along the side - but again, as fitting for the zeppelin shape and the brain capacity of said actress, filled only with yes, you guessed it, hot air ...
Well, while I will never be able to eat and enjoy my preferred Monica (except in another one of my cheap fantasies), the following recipe is one I can!
Crawfish Monica is a Louisiana food tradition, and those who have been to the annual Jazz Fest know of it's legend. It has been the top selling dish at that festival for the past 30 years. Ingredients include pasta (often rotini), crawfish tail meat, onion, garlic, creole seasoning, cream, wine, salt, pepper, and butter. The dish was created by chef Pierre Hilzim, who is the head of Kajun Kettle Foods. He named it after his wife Monica Davidson. Parsley can be used as a garnish, and for those who cannot obtain Louisiana crawfish tails, shrimp, crabmeat, and oysters can be substituted for the crawfish.
The formula for this dish is restricted by Kajun Kettle Foods and unless you live in the U.S and have $150 US to order the complete dinner kit, or just the sauce as a separate item, you'll have to go with a knockoff recipe. In this case, I used the one from the international star chef Emeril Lagasse you'll see below, with some slight modifications on my part. I hope those who try this out will enjoy it as much as we did!
Ingredients-
1/2 pound rotini pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons Emeril's Essence seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (or more if you like it hotter!)
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 pound crawfish tails*
1/4 cup (2oz) finely chopped green onion (green part only)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Preparation-
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Return to the pot and toss with the olive oil and reserved cooking liquid. Cover to keep warm.
In a large saute pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, Essence, salt, and stir for 1 minute. Add the white wine and cook until nearly all evaporated. Add the cream, lemon juice, and cayenne and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced. Add the crawfish tails and cook, stirring, to warm through. Add the cooked pasta and green onions and toss to coat with the sauce. Cook until the pasta is warmed through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add 1/2 cup of the cheese, stir through. Turn out into a serving bowl and sprinkle more Parmesan cheese on top.
This was a great weekend food wise and not just for "Crawfish Fest". I also found an amazing Italian specialty store about 20 minutes away and went there this weekend. When I walked in, several employees were walking around drinking espresso and offered me a cup- talk about making you feel at home! They have an amazing range of Italian meats, cheeses right on the wheel, and they make their own raviolis and every kind of pasta product you could imagine right on the premises. Usually I'd have to drive all the way to South Philly for this quality, and even then I wouldn't get the espresso for free. I got a box of fresh, hand made that morning, lobster ravioli and when they offered me a second box at 1/2 price, it was literally "an offer I couldn't refuse" :)) They have a new patron for life and I can't wait to make a box this week and better yet I have another box in the freezer! Molte grazie to Roma's Italian Specialty Market, you guys rock!!!
In addition to the ravioli, which I will make a rosa sauce for along with a spinach/sun dried tomato hash, this week's menu will also feature another New Orleans style meal now that I have my creole mustard. I will coat pork chops with that and cover with Creole seasoned bread crumbs before baking. There will also be garlic pepper and Southwest seasoned chicken tacos, and my self invented "blue eyed Paesan chicken pasta", chunks of Italian seasoned chicken, roasted red peppers, and bacon sauteed in a garlic butter sauce over spaghetti. That will get me through this week while I think about what I'm going to make next week. If anyone wants tips or recipes, please feel free to ask.
Next week as well, I want to talk about apples and cover some other "A" foods and spices we haven't touched on before moving to the letter B. Thanks so much to everyone who's participated, you've already given me some great recipes and food insights I never knew and I hope I have done the same for you :)
I will hopefully buy a new hotpot today. I am going to figure out how to make lasagne in it somehow. All of your cooking sounds scrumptious, by the way.
I would never survive in Japan with my oven and stove top. And mail order. As much as I beef about the state of affairs here, I wouldn't live anywhere else in the world. Well, maybe I could be talked into the Caribbean ;)
I just love apples. I'll always remember being a kid and those special times Mom would go to the bakery and come home with fresh and warm apple strudel, for which I am a sucker. No matter how full I may protest to being, I will always find room. And I think that it most certainly is the most popular fruit in my country, hence the saying "as American as apple pie". Which is funny, because the only species native to North America is the crab apple and those are generally very sour and not very enjoyable.
Other than it's myriad uses in baking or just as a snack in hand, apples go extremely well with the meats we get from the pig, such as ham (I like to slice them and bake the slices with the ham), pork chops (apple sauce), and bacon (just trust me on this one, especially if the bacon was smoked with apple wood). Ciders are a refreshing apple based drink, and one day I intend to make an apple chutney. Below you will find a basic list of some of the most popular varieties in America, please feel free to discuss which you love best, and for our non-American contributors, please tell me what kinds are popular where you live and how you like to enjoy them :)
Cortland. This apple, a cross between a Ben Davis and a McIntosh, was developed by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York. It entered the commercial market in 1915. Cortlands are grown mainly in the Northeast, the northern Great Lakes states, and eastern Canada. A medium-to-large red-and-green-striped apple, it is crisp, juicey, and sweetly tart. Because of its white flesh resists browning, Cortlands are favored for salads and fruit cups. It is also a good all-purpose apple.
Golden Delicious. Grown in most regions across the country, Golden Delicious is the second-most grown after Red Delicious, to which it is not at all related. The Golden Delicious (or Yellow Delicious, as it is sometimes called) was discovered in West Virginia in 1914, when it was called Mullin’s yellow Seedling. This is a medium-to-large pale yellow or yellow-green apple that is mild and sweet. Although it is crisp when harvested in September and October, its pale flesh often becomes dry and soft. Its skin shrivels when not kept under refrigeration. Particularly desirable for snacks, fresh desserts, and salads, the Golden Delicious is a good all-purpose apple.
Red Delicious. The Red Delicious is grown throughout the United States and is America’s most popularly grown apple. It was called hawkeye when it was discovered in 1872 in Peru, Iowa, and was renamed Red Delicious in 1895 by the Stark Brothers. This bright red apple is crisp and juicy when harvested in September and October. Although Red Delicious is considered a good keeper by the industry, its sweet and mild-tasting flesh is all too often a mealy, mushy disappointment. It is best used for snacks, salads, and fruit cups.
Empire. A cross between Red Delicious and McIntosh, the Empire was introduced into commercial production by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in 1966. Grown mostly in the Northeast and upper mid-western states, this medium, red-on-yellow (sometimes all-red) apple is crisp and juicy. With its sweet and spicy flesh, it is one of the very best for eating out of hand, in salads, and in fruit cups.
Fuji. This flavorful, aromatic apple is the number-one seller in Japan, where it was developed in 1958 by crossing Ralls-Genet and Red Delicious. A pretty apple with yellowish green skin blushed with orange-red stripes, it has dense, crisp, and sweetly tart light yellow flesh. Fuji retains its flavor even when stored at room temperature and develops a better flavor when held in long-term storage. An excellent apple for eating out of hand, adding to salads, and making into applesauce.
Gala. Developed in 1934 in New Zealand by J.H. Kidd of Greytown, Wairarapa, Gala is a cross of Kidd’s Orange Red and Golden Delicious. The thin, red-orange skin — actually red striping over gold — encases aromatic, semisweet, yellowish white flesh. Crisp and juicy, it is a good apple for eating out of hand, using in salads, and pairing with soft, mild cheeses.
Granny Smith. They originated in Australia in 1868 and are named for Maria Ann "Granny" Smith, and are thought to be a hybrid between Asian orchard and European wild apples. Green, extremely tart, crisp, juicy and versatile, they’re available year-round. Grannies are a favorite of pie-bakers. They’re also excellent for snacking and salads.
Ida Red. This apple was scientifically developed in 1942 at the University of Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station. It is a cross between a Jonathan and a Wagener. Although it is grown in greatest volume in the northeastern and upper mid-western states, its production is increasing by popular demand throughout the country. It is medium to large, bright red, and has creamy white flesh that is very firm, crisp, and juicy. All-purpose apples, the sweetly tart, deliciously spicy Ida Reds are especially good for snacks and desserts, and their firm quality makes them particularly desirable for baking. The flavor improves after several months in controlled-atmosphere storage.
Macoun. A cross between a McIntosh and a Jersey Black, this is a medium red apple that sometimes has an unattractive gray bloom. However, its snow-white flesh is supercrisp and juicy, and its honey sweetness makes up for its mild flavor. This is most desirable for eating fresh, for snacks, salads, and fruit cups. it also makes good applesauce. Macoun is a poor keeper — it gets soft and loses flavor in storage — so it is rarely available after November.
MacIntosh. John McIntosh discovered this apple in Ontario, Canada, in 1830. Ranking third in volume in the United Sates, it is grown throughout the northeastern and upper Great Lakes states, eastern Canada, and British Columbia. It is a medium red-on-green apple, with sweet flesh that is crisp, juicy, and slightly perfumed. Macs are excellent to eat fresh in autumn; later, they are best used for sauce. McIntosh apples collapse when baked whole or in pies.
Northern Spy. This apple originated at East Bloomfield, New York, around 1800. Today, it is grown mostly throughout the Northeast, the northern Midwest, and eastern Canada. This is a medium-to-large apple with a pale green-to-yellow undercast, heavily striped with red. its mellow, creamy flesh is crisps, juicy, and richly aromatic — qualities that are prized by the commercial processing industry. it is an excellent all-purpose apple and freezes well. Because it is a biennial bearer, Northern Spy is declining in popularity with commercial orchardists.
Winesap. Thought to have originated in New Jersey in the late 1700s, Winesap is one of our oldest apples still in commercial production (Newtown Pippin is the other). Although it is grown in most apple-producing regions, its easiest volume comes from the Northwest and the Mid-Atlantic states. The Winesap is of medium size, with a thick red skin and crisp, crunchy, and juicy flesh. The flavor is sweetly tart with a winy aftertaste. it is an excellent all-purpose apple.
:)
Are there any apples I've listed that you are familiar with, or any recipes you have as the Portuguese might cook with them?
I have personally worked and cooked with Fujis, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, and MacIntosh and they are among my favorites of those I've listed. When I work with cider, I always buy direct from a farm and never mass produced ciders from the grocery store. We actually have a local working farm about a minute away that makes the cider themselves, and I get notified in season when they are ready for purchase. When they are not open, there is another farm about 7-8 miles away with a year round store that sells unbelievably yummy apple cider donuts sprinkled with sugar, that I cannot live without!
I didn't know about that chef, thank you for telling me. Whoever designed that online shop must have some serious issues with colours :D But they have interesting products for example, the delicious Serra cheese or Delta coffees (in my opinion the best coffee roasters in the world) and cod, glorious cod. The price of most things is shocking and I do wonder who would ever miss Knorr soups @-) They sell the custard pies we talked about the other day but they are better served fresh from the oven.
Abalone- We've learned that apparently, the sea version is much different in taste than it's land counterpart, most commonly known as escargot. This delicacy is found in many parts of the world. @4EverBonded advised us it is more often used in Japan as sushi, and has a mild taste and is a bit chewy. I would suspect it is likely more the consistency of a clam or oyster compared to squid or octopus. We also learned that in California it is used as a pizza topping, and it can be sauteed with mango fruit and apparently they make a nice pairing. It can also be floured and fried, which makes me think that like clams and oysters, it might be interesting to batter them and put them in a deep fryer- abalone "po-boy" sandwich anyone?
Acorns- The product of oak trees and their close relatives, apparently they were an important dietary item until tastier and more versatile grains replaced them. Apparently they also contain a toxin called "gallotannin" and eating too much of them can cause stomach issues. Native Americans still use them, and in Korea, an edible jelly named dotorimuk is made from acorns, then seasoned and mixed with other ingredients such as slivered carrots and scallions, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, red chili pepper powder, and sesame seeds. Dotori guksu are Korean noodles made from acorn flour or starch. So essentially, the flour can be used to make pasta, tortillas, pancakes, things of that sort, and are regaining popularity for being something different. At this point, I assume no one has had an eating experience with this nut and it's by-products.
Almonds- This originated in the Middle East and is apparently more of a fruit than a true type of nut. And many people are indeed "nuts" for them. They can be eaten like a nut, raw or toasted. They can be used a grain and flour can be made. From breakfast and lunch, to dinner and dessert, there are many recipes that can be found. "Almondine" recipes call for eating them cooked as a nut, or crushed and used to encrust the main item, most often a type of fish is favored. There is even an almond liqueur that can be drank as a spirit or used in cooking. I would say they are an extremely versatile and important food source, I'm not a fan personally but one day I might like to try the liqueur in a "reduction sauce" in a similar manner to how wine and other types of alcohol are used. Since no one ventured a recipe, I will assume at this time that everyone is very familiar with them in familiar ways.
Anchovies- these are small forage fish that you can find in any temperate ocean around the world. They are regularly eaten by larger fish and are known to be one of those fish that emits an oil of sorts. Naturally, humans use them as bait to catch larger, more desirable fish. They are most popular as a food item in Northern Europe and the Meditteranean, although I would say they are eaten most everywhere in the world. The common way of encountering them are brined until mature and packed in salt or oil and eaten as is in their serving can. They have a strong flavor as a result of the curing process and I remember that my Dad used to eat them out of the can, I did try them and didn't much like them. However, they are indispensable to me as they are a key ingredient in Worcestershire sauce and their flavor adds so much my Cajun/Creole dishes that those who call for some would not be the same without them. Always remember to use Lea and Perrins and always shake that bottle real good before using! I love to use "Caesar Salad" dressing when baking poultry and they are used in that dressing. I've never seen them used in a Creole remoulade sauce, but in European versions it is used. In England, it is the key ingredient used in "Gentleman's Relish", which also consists of butter, herbs, and spices and appears to be a "higher class" kind of item. Anchovies are commonly used in Asian fish sauces as well. I'd have to say I enjoy them a good deal in sauces, just not on their own.
Anise- Also called aniseed, this spice comes from a plant. Meditteranean cuisines have long used anise to flavor some dishes, drinks, and candies, and the word is used for both the species of herb and its licorice-like flavor. The most powerful flavor component of the essential oil of anise is found in both anise and another spice called star anise, widely used in South Asian, Southeast Asian, and East Asian dishes. I think we are all familiar with black licorice, and Sandy has provided a holiday shortbread recipe using anise. I am also familiar with the use of anise as used in a pizzelle, which is a traditional Italian waffle cookie made from flour, eggs, sugar, butter or vegetable oil, and flavored with either vanilla, anise, or lemon zest. I like those best vanilla flavored, as I've said, I don't care for anise and I like star anise even less.
Apricots- I don't really use them in my cooking like I would say a peach, but I've eaten apricots in jelly form and they are sweet and have a nice flavor. Like peaches. plums, and nectarines, they also have a pit or stone that contains their single seed, which I'm told is also sweet and make a nice substitute for almonds, to which their species is related. Cherries also fall into the same genus. I'm sure that one day I will find something to make with them, maybe sooner than later if someone offers a mouth watering recipe!
Arugula- I am surprised that salad lovers have not mentioned this plant yet. Also known as Italian cress, rocket, roquette, rugula and rucola, arugula is a bitterish, aromatic salad green with a peppery mustard flavor. Though it has long been extremely popular with Italians, American palates often find its flavor too assertive. Arugula (which resembles radish leaves) can be found in specialty produce markets and in most supermarkets. It's sold in small bunches with roots attached. The leaves should be bright green and fresh looking. Arugula is very perishable and should be tightly wrapped in a plastic bag and refrigerated for no more than two days. Its leaves hold a tremendous amount of grit and must be thoroughly washed just before using. Arugula makes a lively addition to salads, soups and sautéed vegetable dishes. It's a rich source of iron as well as vitamins A and C.
Artichokes- A member of the thistle family, another plant which has been eaten and enjoyed for many thousands of years. A native of the Mediterranean, it is highly popular there and has gained that worldwide. The core of the plant's stem and particularly the heart is eaten, and are usually boiled or steamed, and sometimes even deep fried. Growing up with Italians and having eaten many a meal in a old world styled Italian home, I can safely say that Italians almost cannot bear to live without them. Myself, I don't particularly enjoy them and don't eat them- I'm German/Lithuanian, what can I say?
Asparagus- well, we've had some good recipes like asparagus w/ham and Hollandaise sauce shared, and they go well with veal, crabmeat, and Bearnaise sauce as well. We also have learned that while the green variety in the most commonly known, there are white and purple varieties and that the white version is very different from the green and apparently much less bitter and tastier too! I really learned a lot from our discussions.
Avocado- This is the fruit of the tree native to Mexico and Central America, and there is a pit on the inside. Like artichokes to Italians, they are indispensable to this cuisine. They belong to the laurel family which also includes cinnamon and camphor and are now popular worldwide wherever the tree can be grown. The yellow-greenish interior can be eaten in slices like a fruit, but most commonly it is mashed into a dip called guacamole. Myriad other uses have led to many recipes. We did get one using an avocado from @jbfan626. I assume most of us like avocado, personally, my son and I have tasted them and don't cook with nor eat them.
Tonight after work, I will be boiling my large and delicious looking ravioli stuffed with lobster and ricotta cheese. I'll be making a quick rosa sauce to go with it (see recipe below) along with a sauteed spinach/sun dried tomato type of hash. Just put the cooked ravioli in a recessed dish or bowl, top with the hash, and pour the rosa sauce over top. As those wonderful little old Italian ladies who taught me real Italian cooking would say, "Gesu Cristo. Io sono in cielo", meaning "Jesus Christ, I'm in heaven" and expect to be about 5:30pm this evening!
Rosa Sauce
1/2 cup of store bought tomato sauce
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 clove garlic chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of grated Reggiano Parmigiano
In a little bit of olive oil, saute the garlic. Then add the tomato sauce, whipping cream, salt and pepper, and combine until warm. Then add the cheese and combine to finish. You will have a both delicious and delicate light pink/orange type of sauce that will enhance and not overpower the ravioli :)
Allspice is the dried fruit of the Pimenta dioica , a tree native to the Greater Antilles, southern Mexico, and Central America, now cultivated in many warm parts of the world. The name allspice was coined as early as 1621 by the English, who thought it combined the flavour of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. The fruit is picked when green and unripe and then traditionally dried in the sun. When dry, the fruit is brown and resemble large brown peppercorns. The whole fruit have a longer shelf life than the powdered product and produce a more aromatic product when freshly ground before use.
Fresh leaves are used where available. They are similar in texture to bay leaves and are thus infused during cooking and then removed before serving. Unlike bay leaves, they lose much flavor when dried and stored, so if you can't get them fresh... the leaves and wood are often used for smoking meats where allspice is a local crop. Allspice can also be found in essential oil form.
Allspice is one of the most important ingredients of Caribbean cuisine. It is used in Caribbean jerk seasoning (the wood is used to smoke jerk in Jamaica, although the spice itself is substituted when the wood is not available), in Mexican mole sauces, and for pickling; it is also an ingredient in commercial sausage preparations and curry powders. Allspice is also indispensable in Middle Eastern cuisine, particularly in the Levant, where it is used to flavor a variety of stews and meat dishes. In Palestinian cuisine, for example, many main dishes call for allspice as the sole spice added for flavoring. In America, it is used mostly in desserts, but it is also responsible for giving Cincinnati-style chili its distinctive aroma and flavor. Allspice is commonly used in Great Britain, and appears in many dishes, including cakes. Even in many countries where allspice is not very popular in the household, as in Germany, it is used in large amounts by commercial sausage makers. It is a main flavor used in barbecue sauces. In the West Indies, an allspice liqueur called "pimento dram" is produced, and a sweet liqueur called mirto is made in Sardinia.
I happen to love Jamaican jerk style cooking, it's sweet and spicy nature reminds me very much of my beloved Szechuan Chinese, and yet most can tell the taste and flavor differences. But I don't make it myself, as it's hotter than Szechuan and thus a bit too spicy for my son. Plus when you work with those Scotch Bonnet peppers, you have to wear gloves because the consequences of not are too painful to consider.
I use allspice in the apple cider dish I mentioned earlier that I would give up for everyone's cooking pleasure. It sounds very gourmet but is ridiculously easy to make. I know that everyone will love it as much as we do and I will post it tomorrow or at the latest Friday. :)
And you will get some! In addition to the recipe with allspice, I also do an apple cider chicken with cider, Granny Smith apples, and sweet Vidalia onions that is delicious. I'll have to post my Sir Henry at home menu here one of these days :D
Really interesting. I love apples, especially fresh or in cider. And I love their meaning in folklore and mythology. It is the quintessential autumnal fruit.
Will try one next time I see one.
That recipe sounds incredibly good to me :)
Very interesting. I searched for the name in German so that I can buy some when I visit the supermarket. Here it is called Piment or Nelkenpfeffer, the latter interestingly means clovepepper.
some more international names for the same apple I found:
Buschnettchen.
Königlicher Taubling.
Mandel Täubchen.
Pigeon.
Schönnettchen. (Saksen)
Pigeon Rouge.
As far as ciders go, different sources have indicated that the Winesap and Gala varieties make the best. I have no real expertise past what I read, and I never asked what apples are used when I go to the farm store where they make cider fresh daily, but next time I will. Here in Bucks County PA where I live, there is an apple called Smith's Cider that originated in this county and is exclusively used for that purpose.
Okay, I know at least one person (4Ever) is salivating to know what my favorite cider cooking recipe is, and it is browned pork chops simmered in an apple cider infused cream sauce and finished with the Italian bacon called pancetta. The sweet of the apple and the savory of the pancetta compliment the pork in an amazing way. As you'll read, it incorporates allspice and does not include the onions that many variations of the cream sauce call for. Both my son and I are crazy about this as a dish that compliments the fall season, and despite the fancy gourmet name it is very easy to make.
I also do delicious caramelized Red Delicious apple wedges with dark brown sugar and butter that can make a great side along with simple mashed or roasted potatoes. I like the "delicious" variety for these because their flesh is softer and breaks down more easily to better absorb the brown sugar and butter. Really, the side you choose to have with this is up to you- I promise anyone that makes this dish, you will LOVE IT!.
Pork Chops with Apple Cream Sauce and Pancetta
"A simple little Italian twist on an old Shaker dish. Pork chops are browned, then simmered in an apple cider infusion and finished in half-and-half or cream. Add a side of whatever you'd like, and it makes a great dinner for 4, simple to prepare, hearty and delicious by any standards."
Ingredients-
8 boneless pork loin chops
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp sea or kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 pinches ground allspice
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups of apple cider
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half or light cream
4 oz pancetta, cooked and crumbled
Directions-
Season pork chops on all sides with salt and cracked black pepper; set aside. Combine the flour, 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp black pepper, nutmeg, and allspice in a plastic bag. Toss pork with seasoned flour to coat, and shake off excess. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until lightly smoking. Add the pancetta slices and cook until crisp and light golden, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta and drain on paper towels. Add the butter and sear pork until golden brown on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Pour in apple cider and bring to a boil. Turn heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until pork is fork tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove pork and keep warm; increase heat to medium-high. Add the chicken broth and whisk into simmering cider; cook for a minute or two to a smooth consistency. Stir in the half- and half or light cream and whisk until hot and incorporated. Serve sauce over the pork chops and garnish with the pancetta.
Except now I am so hungry for this and I have nothing to eat that is satisfying. That happens every darn time I read this thread!
Next week we start with the B's, so if you haven't contributed to the "A's", now would be a good time.
So I had to cook up a meal at home instead using a recipe I remembered at school - a long time ago now hahaha :)
Tonight I made another famous New Orleans Creole "brunch" dish for the first time, one that Chef Folse has identified as Spanish Creole, veal grillades. It's traditional to serve corn grits with the grillades, but since I don't like grits I made another famous Nawlins corn side in corn maque choux to go along with it. The dish is basically a Creole style pot roast of veal shoulder chops done in a deep skillet rather than a crock pot, first floured and lightly fried until just brown, then slow cooked using crushed tomatoes, beef stock, onion, celery, and bell pepper as a base. Creole seasonings as described above, a little Worcestershire sauce, a little hot sauce. The sauce was a little thicker than I wanted it to be so next time I will use the called for amount of stock rather than just enough to cover the grillades, but it was still delicious and spiced to perfection. Let me explain what spiced to perfection is by New Orleans standards.
Having eaten in New Orleans at the famous Commander's Palace, and having eaten for years at Cajun/Creole places in my home area where the chef was either trained in Louisiana or by a native, when this food is perfectly spiced in a dish that calls for it, you will sweat and get spice on your tongue but you won't be madly reaching for a drink to quench your mouth. This was exactly what I achieved tonight, and to get that right is the key because the flavors of the meat, fish, etc and all the other ingredients will still shine through and become "amplified". I could not be more pleased with my kitchen skills as I am tonight, this was the real deal and chef worthy, because I knew what this should be from eating it there. My brother knows the food on a local level and said much the same thing, and Alex said this was a keeper and that he'd do the veal version twice a year but I should also do pork grillades (which is perfectly acceptable) as pork shoulder is cheaper than veal shoulder and that way he can have it more often :)
@Trish- perhaps you should tell us where Tuskers is so we can avoid it. So that you know, the purpose of this thread is not to review restaurants, but to talk about your favorite foods and share knowledge and recipes. We have professional chefs as well as outstanding home cooks here and I'm sure we can provide you with tips and knowledge if you ever need it or want to share it.