A Sweet Treat

     New Orleans is known for many unique and famous foods.  I have spent some time previously detailing some of them, like the muffaletta and the Po'boy Sandwiches, jambalaya, and roux, the base for several other iconic foods of The Big Easy.  But today I am going to write about somethng that is synonymous with New Orleans itself, the praline.  It is a creamy confection that can be found sold by street vendors and in high end shops alike.  And like many other of the Cresent City's originals, is not limited to just a single recipe but has been re-created in a variety of ways.

     The history of the praline is subject to different opinions.  But most would agree that it did not originate in Louisiana or in the Americas at all for that matter.  It was first created in 17th Century France by the chef of Marshal du Flessis-Praslin, a wealthy sugar industrialist.  It combined almonds and caramelized sugar and became a very popular sweet treat for the citizenry as you might expect.

     As the New World was being settled and the Louisiana Purchase in particular, French immigrants brought the praline recipe along with them and continued the practice of melting sugar to coat almonds.  But in the South pecans were far more prevalent than almonds and were soon a familiar substitution.  New Orleans chefs eventually added cream or buttermilk to the heated mixture and a new derivation was created.

     So in America the praline became distinct, differing from the European version.  They have a creamy consistency similar to that of fudge and are made by combining sugar (usually brown), butter, pecans, and cream in a large pot and heated while being stirred constantly until most of the water has evaporated.  When the gooey substance has reached a thick texture and brown color it is dropped one spoonful at a time onto wax paper to cool.

    The popularity of the praline is evident throughout New Orleans as you can see by these photos taken during my culinary research there in May.

     Many other recipes now include the term praline in their name in an attempt to associate with this sweet treat.  You can find the praline name with ice cream, cookies, cheesecake, sauce, sweet potatoes and even bacon!

Summertime Delight

     Yesterday I extolled the virtues of the watermelon.  It is perhaps the summer fruit of choice for millions of children as they enjoy is sweet, juicy goodness.  But it is also a healthy choice for adults as well, providing lots of vitamins and minerals with the added advantage of being low in calories.

     So today I will post my favorite salad recipe that includes watermelon cubes.  But before I do, here is a tip to try to prevent the salad from becoming watery.  That is a common problem when incorporating watermelon into any recipe.  After all, it is 92% water!  After cubing the watermelon that has been cut from the rind, place the cubes on a double sheet of paper towels for about 15 minutes.  That way the water can drain out of the melon cubes and onto the paper towel.  And with this recipe in particular do the same for the slices of cucumber.  It makes for a much better result.

WATERMELON - CUCUMBER SALAD



1/2 red onion, thinly sliced                                  1/4 cup EVOO
4 cups cubed watermelon                                    juice of 1/2 lemon
1 seeded and sliced cucumber                             chopped cashews
fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced                           feta cheese, crumbled

     Soak the red onion slices in cold water.  Pat dry the diced watermelon and cucumber slices and place in a large bowl.  Toss with a handful of the mint.
     Drain the onion, squeeze dry and add to the salad along with the chopped cashews.  Add the EVOO and the lemon juice, season with a pinch of salt and toss.  Top with the crumbled cheese and serve.

Serves 4

Who Knew?

      Always eager to try a new recipe I recently came across one that was simply entitled BLTW Salad.  You probably surmised that the first three letters stand for the traditional bacon, lettuce and tomato ingredients in a favorite sandwich.  If you thought that, you are correct.  But what about the W?
   
     It turns out that the final ingredient for this easy to prepare summer salad is watermelon.  It wasn't difficult to fry up some hickory smoked bacon, cut up some rinsed Romaine lettuce and coarsely dice a ripe beef steak tomato and then cube up a large wedge of watermelon while a home made black pepper and parmesan dressing was cooling in the "chill chest" as Alton Brown refers to it.  Certainly a healthy and satisfying meal for a warm evening.  But I didn't realize just how healthy it was with the addition of the watermelon until I did some research.  Here's my findings:

     The watermelon, Citrullus lamatus, is only distantly related to other melons and is actually the fruit of an African vine, originally very bitter in taste.  It has been eaten by the Egyptians for 5,000 years and also enjoyed by the Greeks since the 4th Century B.C.E.  According to the reference book "On Food and Cooking" the world production of the watermelon is double the production of all other melons combined.  The seedless variety, first cultivated in Japan in the 1930s, really contains undeveloped small white seeds rather than the larger dark "spitters" that we all remember from the days of our youth.  Watermelons are mostly eaten fresh but some choose to also pickle and candy the rind and also use it to make into sweet and sour preserves.

     But now to the healthy part...  According to the National Watermelon Promotion Board (yes, there is such an organization.  Just click on to it for a link and further information.), watermelon should be an important part of a healthy diet.  It contains excellent levels of Vitamin A, C and B6 and is also a source of potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium.  But best of all it has the highest level of lycopene of any fruit or vegetable, even ahead of the tomato!  A 2 cup serving will provide 15-20 mg of this vital cancer-fighting phytonutrient.

     And there's yet another advantage to consuming watermelon, according to research performed at Texas A & M University.  It contains citrulline, which has the beneficial function of relaxing blood vessels in much the same way as Viagra does, but without any of the deleterious side effects.  Wow!  Watermelon has a Viagra effect!  I wonder if that fact will lead to a rise in sales?

Beer can chicken

     Steven Raichlen is making quite a name for himself, one beer can and one chicken at a time.  Some years ago I was given a gift of his book "Beer Can Chicken" and was immediately attracted to this form of roasting on the grill. 

      It's an uncomplicated premise that steaming beer, or any other liquid for that matter, inside of a whole roaster would keep the meat moist and tender and prevent it from drying out while it was cooking.  And in fact, Raichlen offers a number of variations in terms of different "brews" to use to create distinctive flavors, such as ginger ale, cola, lemonade, iced tea, peach nectar and black cherry soda.  So it came as no surprise to me when I came across a recipe for Soda Can Chicken in the most recent issue of Cuisine at home magazine (July/August 2012).  They recommended using Dr. Pepper as the drink of choice.  And even provided an additional recipe for a sauce made with the blend of 23 flavors to compliment the roast chicken.  (recipe to follow)

     So having some experience with the method I was eager to try this new twist to a familiar cooking style.  But having said that the novice should be warned that it can be a precarious event attempting to balance a 5 pound roaster on top of an aluminum can with only the chicken legs as stabilizers.  On several occasions I have had to re-right a tipsy chicken that fell over on the grill.  Having learned that lesson the hard way I invested in a vertical poultry roaster that not only provides stability but offers a tray upon which I can easily cook vegetables, should I choose to do so.

     The meal was easily prepared and just as easy to serve.  I accompanied the tender slices of chicken with a cucumber melon salad and some corn bread made with fresh roasted corn kernels cut off the cob.  And the tangy sweet sauce over the chicken was the finishing touch to the meal.

Dr. Pepper-Chipotle BBQ Sauce

1 cup diced onion                                    1/3 cup cider vinegar

2 Tbsp minced garlic                              1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 Tbsp olive oil                                        3 Tbsp molasses

16 oz Dr. Pepper                                      3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 bottle chili sauce (12 oz)                     2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 cup cherry preserves                           2 Tbsp minced chipotle in adobo

     Sweat onions and garlic in oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, 5-7 minutes.  Add Dr. Pepper, chili sauce, preserves, vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and chipotle; cook until thick and reduced to 4 cups, about 30 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.                                          

Proudly announcing

     It is the goal of every amateur gardener to pick a ripe tomato by the 4th of July.  At least that was what I was taught growing up.  My father and his brother would always compete with each other to see who could harvest a shiny ruby orb by Independence Day.
     So I am happy to announce that I have achieved that goal this year ahead of schedule.  My Sweet 100 tomato plant has produced a ripe fruit on the 22nd day of June in the year of our Lord, 2012.  And here is photographic evidence:

Looking Ahead

     Some new cooking magazines were delivered this week and they made great reading while I attempted to avoid the punishing heat we are currently experiencing.  I am eager to try some of their summer recommendations for light and easy cooking.  So I will intersperse the successful recipes among the remaining posts from my culinary research in New Orleans and hope to provide with you with some ideal ways to beat the heat and still have a healthy and hearty meal.

     So here is my menu planner for the coming week:

Saturday

Dr. Pepper Chicken

Cucumber Mint Salad

Grilled Corn Corn Bread

Sunday

BBQ Shrimp

Herbed Israeli Couscous

Corn on the Cob

Monday

Chicken Bucatini

Spinach Rice

Tuesday

BLTW Salad

Cucumber Melon Salad

Zucchini Bread

Wednesday

Chicken Salad

Scallion Pancakes

Thursday

Turkey Parmesan Burgers

Refried Beans

A Sicilian Sandwich

     There is a difference of opinion on the spelling of it and also a discrepancy on who originated it but one thing is certain.  The muffaletta is an iconic New Orleans sandwich.  One version of the story credits Signor Lupo Salvatore, the proprietor of the Central Grocery on Decatur Street with creating the sandwich for the Italian dock workers at the port of New Orleans around 1906.

     It is a distinctive sandwich composed of meats like Genoa salami, ham, mortadella and capicola, and provolone and mozzarella cheeses packed into a sliced 10" round Italian roll called a muffaletta, not surprisingly.  What makes it unique is that it was created to withstand the blistering hot summer heat and not spoil without refrigeration.  So instead of using butter or mayonnaise (see the VinnyPost on The Battle of Port Mahon  April 23, 2012) olives were chopped and combined with olive oil and spread on the roll as a condiment.  That way the flavor of the sandwich made early in the day actually improved as the mixture seeped into the bread.

     As with many popular foods, the muffaletta has many variations.  The basic recipe has been adapted into hamburgers, pizza, pita, panini and heroes.  But to be an original it must be constructed on a round, soft Italian roll and never, ever toasted, but served at room temperature.  And it always contains the signature chopped olive salad.

     Expending a lot of energy, especially during the hot and humid New Orleans summers the Italian laborers could down an entire sandwich for their noon day meal.  But today, still made with the same size 10" roll, they are sold in quarter sections in places like Serio's Deli on St. Charles Avenue, one block from the French Quarter.  But for $15 you can still purchase an entire muffaletto for your self.

At the market

     As you probably know by now, I am a staunch advocate of local farmer's markets.  Back in January (Market Day, 1/24/12) I wrote about my weekly excursion to the Green Dragon farmers' market in Ephrata.  So it should come as no surprise to my world wide readership that when I was out in St. Paul recently it was imperative that I visited the well established St. Paul Farmer's Market Saturday morning.  Unlike the neophyte Lansdale market which is still a work in progress, the market in Minnesota's state capitol provides not only fresh seasonal produce but also has a wide variety of other culinary and kitchen necessities.  And if you are hungry there are also breakfast bagel sandwiches available.
     I was in charge of creating some interesting side dishes for the cook out the following afternoon so I was on the lookout for a nice head of cabbage to shred into cole slaw.  Among the many Spring veggies available I was able to find a nice firm, tight, and fresh cabbage there.

     Also on my list was a dry rub and a glaze to use on the ribs that were going to marinate  overnight.  That, too, was at the market.  And if I had only known, I could have substituted bison for the pork ribs.

     And if I needed to shower down after the event I could have used some artisan soap, available from a producer in White Bear Lake.

     You can't get produce any fresher than direct from the grower.  And it's also beneficial to support local endeavors.  The growing season is brief so take advantage of the farmers' markets in your area.

Something Old, Something New

     Pork chops are pretty much a standard on my menu.  They are "the other white meat" and cook up quickly and easily and go well with a variety of side dishes.  But they can become boring served week after week.
     So I was excited to find a new way to prepare them.  I have added to my ever expanding recipe file a new twist on an old favorite.  And now I am pleased to share it with you:

GRILLED PORK CHOPS

WITH BASIL-GARLIC RUB

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp EVOO

1 tsp coarse salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

     With machine running, drop garlic through feed tube of food processor to mince.  Stop, add fresh basil, and process until chopped.  Add lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper; process to make thin, wet rub.  Spread both sides of pork chops with basil mixture.  Let stand 15 to 30 minutes.

     Prepare medium-hot fire in grill.  Brush grate clean and oil the grate.  Grill chops over direct heat, turning once, to medium rare doneness, 5 to 6 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 145F, followed by a 3 minute rest.

Prep time: 20 to 30 minutes

Cook time: 10 to 12 minutes

Serves 4

Justice from the ground up

     While visiting out in Minnesota I came across an interesting periodical.  It was titled, edible Twin Cities.  Since it was free I picked it up and began reading some of the articles including one about the Women's Environmental Institute: a group of women who are committed to sharing their knowledge and experience in a variety of areas.  In a very creative way they are combining social justice with environmental issues.  They developed programming to focus on the natural connections between environmental, cultural and food justice, leading the way to provide access to healthy and nutritious food for those experiencing environmental injustice where they live.

     Their programming is designed to assist economically and racially diverse people who want to farm culturally appropriate crops and create small local businesses.   WEI's list of ideas is longer than the row of beans planted on the group's land at their Amador Hill CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) overlooking the Wild River State Park.  They plan to put in more than 160 varieties of fruits and vegetables there this Spring.  With the help of farm interns they will fill 125 boxes each week for 18 weeks with certified organic produce.

     It is an enthusiastic endeavor headed by Executive Director Karen Clark.  But their lofty goals are realistic and through the combined efforts of all their members, interns and volunteers the dreams of WEI will take root and grow.

     Here are a couple of recipes they included in the magazine article:

     STUFFED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS     

8 zucchini squash blossoms                                     For the batter:

For the cheese filling                                                 1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour

3 oz goat cheese                                                        1/4 cup water

3 oz cream cheese                                                     1/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes                                           1 egg

1 clove garlic, minced                                                1/8 tsp salt

salt & pepper to taste                                                vegetable oil for frying

                                                                                   salt & pepper to taste

     Dip the squash blossoms in cold water and drain them thoroughly on paper towels.  Remove the stamens from the male blossoms.  In a small bowl, mix all filling ingredients with whisk until smooth.  Fill each blossom with 2 teaspoons of filling.

     In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, water, milk, egg, and salt.  Let sit for one hour.  Fill a heavy saucepan or skillet with oil to a depth of 2".  Heat over medium heat to 375F.  Dip a few squash blossoms into batter, covering entire blossom, and drop into the hot oil.  Fry until golden brown, about 1 minute, turn over and fry on the other side.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.  Repeat with the remaining blossoms, being careful not to overcrowd the pan.  Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

from Sara Sanders, WEI intern, 2010

CABBAGE YAM PEANUT SOUP

oil for saute                                            2 large sweet potatoes or yams, cubed (2.5 cups)

4 cloves garlic, diced                             4 cups stock (beef or chicken)

1 Tbsp ginger                                         1/2 cup peanut butter (the real stuff)

cayenne                                                  1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 large onion, diced                               Garnish: fresh basil and tomatoes, peanuts

1 small cabbage, shredded (2.5 cups)

     Heat the oil in a large soup pot.  Add garlic, ginger, and cayenne to taste.  Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft.  Add the cabbage and sweet potato and cook for 5 more minutes.  Add 3 1/2 cups of the stock.  Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 15 minutes or until vegetables are almost cooked through.

     In a separate bowl, take the remaining 1/2 cup stock, mix with the peanut butter until smooth, then add soy sauce.  Add peanut/soy mix and simmer 5 more minutes or until all vegetables are tender.

     Top with fresh basil, tomatoes, and peanuts and serve with a grainy homemade bread and butter.

from Nancy Hoyt Taff, WEI intern, 2009

Off the hook

     I arrived back at the hotel on Monday evening just in time to catch one of my favorite Food Network shows, Diners, Drive-ins & Dives hosted by Guy Fieri.  He narrates his nationwide tour of interesting places to eat as he chows down on some of the best meals to be had across our land.  Well what to my wondering eyes should appear but a segment on a local eatery right were I was in St. Paul.  Not only had he visited Caspar & Runyon's Nook in 2008, but had gone back and visited it again just last year.

     So before flying home on Tuesday my final stop on my trip out to the edge of the Prairie was the famous burger joint on Hamline Avenue in the Highland Park section of town.  The place is aptly named.  It's small, seating probably less than 50 people at a time, if you include the seats at the bar.

     The menu was extensive, emphasizing burgers, their specialty.  And of course they had their version of the Twin Cities iconic burger The Juicy Lucy, prominently featured, calling it the Nookie Burger.  It is a quarter pound of ground beef that encases an interior of gooey melted cheese.  While that was tempting to order I instead chose the Firehouse Burger layered with pepper cheese, raw onion, bacon and hot mustard, seen in the foreground:

     The burger was all that it was promised to be.  I enjoyed every flavorful bite.  And the accompanying slaw was tangy and sweet at the same time.  But as I sampled some of Al's fries I was disappointed that they were barely warm, having sat too long at the warming station on the kitchen counter.  Another discouraging discovery was that the bun the burger was served on turned into mush by the last bite.  While it was fresh and soft it lacked the fortitude to withstand the rigors of the hefty burger.

     Guy Fieri has proclaimed that The Nook is off the hook! And perhaps he is correct in his assessment.  But the rest of the meal needs some attention to score a strike with me.  And speaking of strikes, interestingly enough there is an 8 lane bowling alley in the basement!

Chalk one up...

     We enjoyed some exceptional meals while out in Minnesota.  There are lots of interesting eateries in the Twin Cities.  And they are all locally owned and operated, nary a franchise restaurant to be found anywhere.  But I did notice one particular occurrance, however.  In almost all of the places where we enjoyed a good meal the menu was on a blackboard placed prominently overhead near the front door.  Personal menus were the exception and not the rule. 
     Here are a few samples of my observation:

From one end to the other

     A few weeks ago I was researching the culinary roots of New Orleans at the mouth of the Mississippi River as it drains into the Gulf of Mexico.  This past week I was at it's source in Minnesota.  The Mighty Mississippi has a humble beginning in Lake Itasca in Clearwater County and rambles down through the 32nd state on it's 2,530 mile journey through our nation's heartland.

     Minnesota is the northernmost of the contiguous 48 states and the 12th largest in land area.  The name is derived from the Dakota dialect and translates as "sky tinted water."  Little wonder, then, that it is nicknamed the Land of 10,000 Lakes.  There are 72 state parks and recreation areas within it's borders and residents enjoy year round outdoor activity contributing to the distinction of being the healthiest state in the nation.  The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness encompasses over a million acres and a thousand lakes and has 1,500 miles of canoe routes.

     The metropolitan Minneapolis/St. Paul area is home to 60% of the state's residents in what is generally known at the Twin Cities.  Minneapolis is the largest city in the state, but St. Paul is the state capitol.  Their downtown areas are 10 miles apart.

     The record high and low temperatures are an incredible 174 degrees apart, from a bone chilling low of -60F in the town of Tower to a steamy high of 114F in Moorhead.  38% of the population is of German ancestry and close behind are Scandinavian descendants at 32%.  This weekend the German American Society sponsored the Lederhosenlauf 5K run in St. Paul.  Here are some of the participants:

     Minnesotans are known for their potluck suppers where a variety of hot dish casseroles are served.  And a holiday tradition is upheld by preparing lutefisk for the family.  Other culinary treasures include cheese curds and pronto pups as well as the State Fair "food on a stick."

      I will continue my research there as Labor Day approaches and will attempt to devour all the new food on a stick offerings at the Great Minnesota Get Together.

Lagniappe

  In New Orleans lagniappe means "a little something extra."  When making a purchase you can ask the shop owner for a Lagniappe (pronounced "lanny-yap") and he will throw in a little bit more, like a baker's dozen.
     So in addition to my trip to The Crescent City I will be traveling a little bit extra and visit the head of the Mississippi River for a few days.  Upon my return I will report on my culinary research out on the edge of the Prairie.

What's in a name?

     Hero. Sub. Hoagie. Grinder.  Depending on where you live you probably recognize one of those terms as a large sandwich.  In New Orleans they have the Po'boy, a sandwich as diverse as the city it symbolizes.  It is defined more by the bread than by the contents, which can vary from sausage, fried seafood, ham, roast beef or even just french fries.  But the bread has to be a customized French loaf, preferably from Gendusa's, Leidenheimer's or Binder's, three of the local bakeries.  It is customized in that the ends are not gently tapered as you will find in a traditional loaf of French bread.  Instead it is blunt so that every part of the loaf can contain the same amount of filling.  And they are long, very long.  Loaves are baked in a forty inch bread pan and then cut in half to make the sandwich.

     But how did this New Orleans sandwich get it's name?  The story goes back to the turn of the 20th Century when brothers Bennie & Clovis Martin left their home in Raceland, LA to look for work in The Crescent City.  They both found jobs working as streetcar conductors.  Being frugal, they saved their money and eventually opened their own business in the French Market in 1922.  It was called the Martin Brothers' Coffee Stand and Restaurant.  And many of their fellow union members frequented the place before or after their shifts.

     Then in 1929 there was a very contentious strike and the streetcar motormen and conductors were out of work for 4 months with no income.  So to show their support for their fellow street railway employees union members the brothers sent a letter to the union president offering to feed without charge any member of Division 194 of their union for the duration of the strike.

     Whenever one of the striking members would aproach the restaurant one of the staff would shout back to the kitchen, "Here comes another poor boy!" And a sandwich on a long roll was prepared using primarily gravy and spare bits of roast beef.  Eventually the term came to refer to the sandwich and not the person eating it.  For a more detailed history and a brief video click on po-boy history.

     After the strike had ended the Po'boy remained on the menu.  During the Great Depression it became a filling meal that helped many New Orleanians survive, eating the famously oversized sandwich.  At that time they cost only 15 cents.

     Today there are sandwich shops all over New Orleans that have a lengthy list of Po'boy varieties.  The fillings can be plain or "dressed" with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, mayo and pickles.  The list seems endless and is only limited by one's imagination.

Variations on a Theme

     Any authentic New Orleans restaurant will have jambalaya on the menu.  From the venerable Antoine's (the oldest restaurant dating back to 1840) to a bar stool place like Johnny's Po'Boys you will find this classic meal served daily.  It's history predates the residents of The Crescent City and has it's origins in the Western Caribbean and is a second cousin to what we know as Spanish paella.

      Finding a singular recipe, however, is nearly impossible.  It is very flexible, depending on what is available and what is the family or cultural tradition.  It's like attempting to locate one recipe for potato salad.  Everyone has their own way of making it according to their mother's recipe. 

     I have mentioned previously of the difference between Cajun and Creole cooking.  Each style has their own version.  The English speaking Creoles incorporated tomatoes into their recipe and the result not surprisingly has been dubbed "red jambalaya."  The French speaking Cajuns omitted tomatoes and relied on browning the ingredients and adding more spices and called theirs "brown jambalaya."
    
     Both have some basic ingredients upon which they would agree: vegetables, meat and/or seafood, rice, liquid and spices.  But there is a wide range of exactly what is included in each category.  The vegetables are generally what is known in New Orleans as The Trinity, a reference to their Catholic faith and a slight departure from the French mirepoix (onion, celery, carrots) or the Italian soffritto (onion, garlic, celery).  Due to the high water table root vegetables had difficulty growing and so bell peppers were substituted in place of carrots.  There is a wide range of meats and seafood that can be included, too.  Everything from smoked or andouille sausage, ham (jamon), beef, chicken, duck, alligator, shrimp, oysters, and crawfish can be considered as a part of an authentic jambalaya recipe.  And then there are the spices...They can range from mild to hot and personalize each version.  And a debate continues on as to the best kind of rice to use, as well.  But most would advocate using a white, not brown rice, for a more fluffy and flavorful outcome.

     I attended a cooking demonstration at the New Orleans School of Cooking and took notes as our instructor/chef, Anne Leonhard, prepared her version of jambalaya.  She used chicken and sausage and recommended purchasing a mega mart rotisserie chicken already cooked and dicing up the meat in advance.  She was all about authentic but was not adverse to legitimate shortcuts.  She even was so bold as to advise us that we could use Kitchen Bouquet sauce in place of a roux if we wanted to!

Click on this recipe for one style of jambalaya and then adapt it to what is available in your pantry and refrigerator.  Red? Brown? Meat? Poultry? Seafood?  The flavor of your jambalaya is a lot like New Orleans itself...anything goes.

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Roux Who?



     In a previous posting I mentioned the two primary styles of cooking in New Orleans: Cajun, the cuisine of the countryside, and Creole, the cuisine of the city.  They are distinct and different.  But they do have one thing in common.  Both rely on roux as a base and the foundation for their flavor.
    
      Roux has been employed in French cooking for over 300 years and the word is of French origin referring to a color or hue close to reddish brown.  It is used world wide as a thickener for soups and sauces but in New Orleans it is primarily used in making dishes like gumbo and jambalaya.  It can range in color from white to blond to beige to chocolate.  The darker the color the more flavor it imparts.  For a description of the color ranges click on a brief video by reknown New Orleans chef Paul Prudhomme.  He reveals how to create a silky smooth roux that adds a nutty flavor to his creations.

     It is not difficult to make a roux but it does require constant attention as equal parts of flour and fat are whisked together. And the measurement is done by weight not volume. There are many possible sources for the fat in the recipe. It can come from vegetable or olive oil, butter, or even bacon grease, lard or poultry drippings. Whatever the source, just remember to start with a hot pan and keep stirring!

      So with a little practice and a strong forearm you, too, can do a roux.

So Many Recipes...

     Yes, so many recipes, so little time.  I already have a reliable recipe for slow cooker pulled pork that I've used faithfully for several years.  But then I came across another one that looked interesting.  It was just a bit different so I thought I'd give it a whirl, against the advice of the home front.  After all, why fix something that isn't broken?  But I went ahead and followed the directions from the Slow Cooker Revolution cook book published by America's Test Kitchen.  The recipe called for a boneless pork butt roast to be dry rubbed with dark brown sugar, paprika, chili powder and cumin then wrapped tightly in Saran wrap and stored in the refrigerator overnight to intensify the flavors.
     Early the next morning I was up to get everything into the slow cooker for a day of low and slow cooking.  The recipe instructed me to place the pork roast on top of smoked ham hocks, but not having any on hand I substituted a smoked pork chop.  Low sodium chicken broth was added, along with some sliced onion (my addition) and the lid was on for the next 10 hours.
     Around mid-afternoon I began to build the flavoring for the sauce, combining cider vinegar, brown sugar and substituting barbeque sauce for the recommended ketchup and liquid smoke.  When the roast was finished I removed the meat from the slow cooker, strained the braising liquid to skim off the fat and poured it into a saucepan to simmer for a half hour, concentrating the sauce before whisking in the brown sugar-vinegar mixture.  While that was on the stove I shredded the meat and returned it to the slow cooker before pouring some of the thickened sauce gently over it.  Using a pair of tongs I tossed the meat and the sauce together and let it simmer, covered for another hour.
     The end result?  A perfect balance of tangy, sweet, and smoky flavors.  It was an authentic North Carolina pulled pork dinner that would make any Tarheel proud!

Great American Culinary Adventure, Part II

     I've just returned from a week of culinary research.  It was my second First Annual Culinary Adventure for 2012 and this time I explored a place that has been termed an "inevitable city on an impossible site."  I was in New Orleans.

     It is impossible to appreciate the cuisine there without first understanding the history of the place that predates the United States.  Originally claimed for France, New Orleans was later ceded to Spain before being given back to Napoleon who turned around and sold it to Thomas Jefferson as a part of the immense Louisiana Purchase in 1803. And somewhere along the way the Germans, Italians, Irish, free people of color as well as French speaking Canadian exiles from Nova Scotia (called Acadians, or Cajuns) also arrived bringing with them their own contributions to the dinner table.  This, as you might imagine, created quite a clash of cultures and culinary perspectives.  Each group had a unique style that combined to make New Orleans different from any other place.  There was the muffaletta, jambalaya, and beignets all on the same menu.  The land and the water both provided ample ingredients to feed the population.  The rivers and lakes were teeming with oysters, crabs, crawfish and alligator, as well as duck and shrimp while the land yielded rice and prolific gardens for fruits and vegetables that could grow above the shallow ground.
      But not everyone who arrived assimilated without difficulty.  There arose a significant division between the Cajun French and the influx of new Americans called Creole.  They did not get along at all.  In fact, they could not even agree on the naming of the city streets.  In the Cajun French Quarter there is Decatur Street but on the other side of Canal Street which was the dividing line that same roadway is known as Magazine Street in the American Garden District.  And to this day the median on Canal Street is referred to as "the Neutral Ground."
     There is also a distinction between Cajun and Creole cooking.  Ask three different people to explain the difference and you'll likely get four different explanations.  But after a week of asking and tasting I think it can generally be described as a difference between city cooking and country cooking.  Cajun style is more the cuisine of the countryside - simply prepared often in one pot, straightforward, and spicy.  Creole style is more the cuisine of the city - more refined, elegant and Continental.  Blackened fish is one of the best known Cajun dishes, accidentally created by famous chef Paul Prudhomme.  Other foods considered to be in that same category are gumbo, crawfish etouffee, a thick spicy sauce made with the diminutive crustaceans, and andouille, a pork sausage heavily seasoned and smoked over pecan wood.  On the Creole menu are things like red beans and rice and shrimp creole, a tomato based mix of peeled shrimp and chopped onion and bell pepper. 

      So the debate continues on between what exactly is Cajun and Creole cooking.  Both are very good when prepared properly and both reflect the culinary history of The Crescent City.