Part 1 (1/2)

New Orleans Kitchens.

Recipes from the Big Easy's Best Restaurants.

Stacey Meyer and Troy A. Gilbert.

Dedicated to the artists and chefs of New Orleans who made this book possible.

Acknowledgements.

New Orleans Kitchens was such an exciting project. We had the opportunity to meet some of New Orleans' most creative and interesting people. We want to acknowledge a few people in particular for their behind-the-scenes support.

Stacey's mom, Mary Ann Meyer, for being a great supporter, for contributing recipes, for testing recipes, and for being there during all the craziness.

Stephen Domas for his editorial skills and for his support.

Alyson Peters for submitting recipes and testing recipes for me.

Ken Berke for his amazing photographs of the art work-we should have used some of his photos as well.

Anna Minges for helping gather all of the images from The Ogden Museum and all of her hard work. She is an amazing woman.

Rick Gruber, one of the most knowledgeable people we have met regarding Southern art.

Leslie Spillman from Soren Christensen, Christy Wood and Denise R. Berthiaume from LeMieux-remarkable effort, Jonathon Ferrara for Art Docs, and Donna Cavato for The Edible Schoolyard Gardens. Not to mention, all the artists, galleries, and chefs who partic.i.p.ated in this book.

Foreword.

By Emeril J. Laga.s.se III.

When most people think of New Orleans, they think food, fun, and frivolity, with the madness of Mardi Gras and Bourbon Street coming to mind first and foremost. But when you take the time to scratch the surface even just a bit, however, or if your visit to this fair city enables you to linger a while and take in everything that the Big Easy has to offer, you quickly see that not only is there this fun and delicious element always simmering around town, but also so much more that is part of the fabric of everyday life here. What is it about this city that inspires the artist in all of us, whether chef, author, painter, or musician?

These are thoughts that I sometimes ponder, many years after New Orleans called to me to make my home here. Over the years I have fallen in love with the city in many different ways-and the love affair continues. When I first arrived here almost thirty years ago, it was the food that called me, but once here it was the people and the joyful way that New Orleanians live life that cemented the union. My craft as a cook grew more and more inspired as I learned some of the secrets of the bold, flavorful Creole and Cajun cooking. The architecture and pulse of the rich art scene in the Warehouse District was a natural home to my first restaurant venture, and the community embraced me much as I had their city. Years later, with much history behind us all, I still keep coming back to the beat of this incredible city, which truly feels like home to me in a way no other place ever has.

I invite you to take a stroll through the city with me-her tastes, her visions, her music, her inspirations and aspirations, by exploring the pages of New Orleans Kitchens. My good friend Stacey Meyer has knocked on many doors and has a.s.sembled some truly delicious recipes and gems of the local art scene to share a little bit of the magic of the city with us all.

Come see a bit of what the Crescent City is all about...

Introduction.

New Orleans is known as ”The Crescent City.” Shaped like a crescent and nestled on the banks of the Mississippi River, it was originally settled by the Spanish and French, and their influence is still reflected today in its culture, cuisine, and architecture. Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, people from France, Italy, Ireland and Germany, and more recently Vietnam, emigrated to the city, each bringing with them their unique heritage and traditions. In many ways, New Orleans is the melting pot of the South. It is a city that has a rich history and its diversity is reflected in its music, cuisine, arts, and architecture. As a port city, people of all walks of life flowed in and out of the community. Historically, the South was mainly rural with just a few cosmopolitan cities. New Orleans, Charleston and Savannah were the centers for arts and culture, but New Orleans had more of a Bohemian quality. New Orleans has always been considered the true southern mecca for musicians, writers, and artists. Its sultry and romantic atmosphere beckons quirky characters drawn to its allures. Artists draw inspiration from its landscape, architecture and people, while chefs draw inspiration from its unique and diverse cuisine and natural bounty of seafood or produce. Artists, musicians, writers, and chefs are all stimulated by the sense of community in New Orleans and are inspired by each other.

Southerners and Northerners alike flock to New Orleans for its music festivals; the Jazz and Heritage Festival being the main draw. Music is an inherent part of the city's soul with its gospel brunches and jazz funerals. In the spring, just before Mardi Gras, you can hear the high school bra.s.s bands practicing before performing in the parades. Walking through the French Quarter, trumpets and saxophones resonate in the street. New Orleans is famous for jazz and blues, but all forms of music can be found emanating from its many clubs and bars. There are endless venues for music, including such iconic establishments as Tipitina's and the Maple Leaf. Like everything else in New Orleans, its music has its own unique style and rhythm.

The cuisine of New Orleans is unlike anywhere else in the world. It is deeply rooted in the diverse heritage of the city. Jambalaya, for example, is a rice dish made with shrimp, chicken, and sausage, reminiscent of its Spanish culinary cousin paella. While gumbo is heavily influenced by the city's West African heritage, other famous dishes such as beignets and Trout Meuniere Amandine come from France. With so many cultures converging in one spot, it is no wonder the food is as diverse and unique as it is delectable. Another key factor to the city's famous foods is the resources New Orleans and southern Louisiana have available. The Gulf of Mexico provides shrimp, blue crabs, and an endless list of fish. Louisiana cultivates more oysters than anywhere else in the country. The more exotic ingredients like alligator, crawfish, and frog's legs are also cultivated throughout southern Louisiana. This state is also known as ”sportsman's paradise,” where hunting and fis.h.i.+ng are not just sports, but ways of life pa.s.sed down through generations. There are innumerable cookbooks published in Louisiana dedicated to wild game that provide recipes for ducks, doves, venison, rabbits, squirrel, and possum. Fruit trees are grown in gardens and backyards throughout New Orleans. Pecan trees grow throughout the state, and rice and sugar cane are agricultural staples.

Louisiana natives love these heritage foods and the chefs of New Orleans prominently showcase them in their restaurants. New Orleanians love to eat, cook, and talk about food. It is an integral part of the city's culture.

Food in New Orleans, though based in tradition, has grown, expanded and evolved. It was once thought there were only five dishes in New Orleans: gumbo, crawfish etouffee, jambalaya, red beans and rice, and po' boys. Chefs, such as Paul Prudhomme, brought national attention to Cajun food and Emeril Laga.s.se wowed the nation with his exuberance and love for New Orleans and its cuisine. New Orleans has always had its stalwart restaurants. Galatoire's, Arnaud's, Brennan's, and Commanders Palace still serve the traditional dishes in grand style. As new chefs come to New Orleans from across the country and the world, they bring with them creative twists on old ideas. These talented new chefs are creating a fresh New Orleans cuisine that is innovative and exciting. Chefs like John Besh, Scott Boswell, and Allison and Slade Rus.h.i.+ng are setting new standards with their bright style and creative menus.

After Hurricane Katrina devastated large swaths of the city in 2005, there was some worry that restaurants would have a hard time re-opening due to a lack of demand and staffing issues. While there were difficulties to overcome, New Orleans actually has more restaurants now than ever before. More boutique-style eateries have opened throughout town. Historically, if you wanted a sandwich, you were limited to a traditional po' boy, but with the opening of such eateries as St. James Cheese Shop and Stein's Market and Deli, you can enjoy more cheese-centric salads and sandwiches, as well as New York-style deli sandwiches. Parisian-style pastry shops such as Sucre, and Italian-style gelaterias have opened post-Katrina and offer their patrons delectable treats. There has also been an influx of Mexican and Central Americans to the city since Katrina, bringing with them their own traditional culinary styles and dishes. New Orleans is not just gumbo and po' boys any more.

One aspect of New Orleans culture that is often overlooked is its amazing art scene. For a small city, there is a huge art community. New Orleans draws artists from all over the world. Traditionally, most of the art galleries were located in the French Quarter where artists lived and worked. As the art community grew, galleries began popping up in other neighborhoods, such as the Warehouse District. Also known as the Arts District, the Warehouse District was home to the 1984 World's Fair. Though not a huge financial success for the city, the fair brought attention and helped to revitalize and preserve this historic neighborhood. A huge proponent for this urban renewal was chef Emeril Laga.s.se who opened his flags.h.i.+p restaurant in the heart of the district. Emeril was an urban pioneer and encouraged people to follow his lead. The old buildings and warehouses proved to be a perfect setting for showing and storing art. As more restaurants and galleries opened, the old warehouses were turned into New Yorkstyle lofts. Julia Street, at the heart of the Arts District, is home to more than twenty-five art galleries. The Contemporary Arts Center is located just a few blocks away, housed in an old pharmaceutical warehouse. In 2003, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art opened just across the street.

The Ogden Museum houses an extensive collection of art from around the South. The museum was the culmination of the vision of Roger Houston Ogden, an avid collector of Southern art. As his collection grew, so did his desire to make it available to the public. Mr. Ogden was an advocate of bringing recognition to Southern art and architecture, and was just as dedicated to the education of the rest of the nation. The Ogden Museum is quite a modern structure, made of smooth stone and expansive walls of gla.s.s. It sits directly next to the 1889 Patrick F. Taylor Library. The library is the only structure of its kind in the South designed by Louisiana native H. H. Richardson. The library is scheduled to reopen after renovation and will house eighteenth and nineteenth century works.

The contemporary building, known as Stephen Goldring Hall, appropriately houses the more modern works and The Ogden Museum is an example of an inst.i.tution adding panache to this still up and coming neighborhood.

The juxtaposition of old and new signifies the evolution of not just the art and culinary community of New Orleans, but of New Orleans itself. More so than ever, New Orleans is striving for a harmonious balance of tradition and modern, progressive and historic; and nowhere is that more evident than in its art and cuisine. New Orleans Kitchens represents the traditional art and food of New Orleans, and showcases its ever evolving contemporary manifestations.

Appetizers.

White Truffle Bean Dip.

Recipe courtesy of Tom Wolfe from Peristyle.

3 tablespoons Plugra b.u.t.ter 1 carrot 1 onion, halved 1 stalk celery 1 bay leaf 3/4 teaspoon chopped garlic 2 sprigs fresh thyme 1 pound white beans, rinsed and picked through 1-1/2 quarts vegetable stock 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon Creole mustard 1 tablespoon lemon juice White truffle oil to taste In a 4-quart saucepot, melt the b.u.t.ter until bubbly; add the carrot, onion, celery, and bay leaf and sautee until tender but not brown. Add the garlic, thyme, white beans, vegetable stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil then turn the heat down and allow the beans to simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The beans should be slightly overcooked. Allow the beans to cool slightly and then remove the carrot, onion, celery, bay leaf, and thyme. Puree the beans in a blender until smooth. Pa.s.s the puree through a fine sieve. Add the Creole mustard, lemon juice, and white truffle oil. Serve with toasted bread or crackers.

Serves 4 to 6 Creole Tomato Bruschetta Recipe courtesy of Scott Snodgra.s.s from One.

4 ripe Creole or heirloom tomatoes, seeded and diced*

1 teaspoon chopped garlic 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1/4 cup basil, chiffonade 1tablespoon honey 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper to taste Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Serve with toast points or your favorite crackers.

Serves 6 * Any ripe tomato may be subst.i.tuted.

Marinated Kalamata Olives Recipe courtesy of Tom Wolfe from Peristyle.

2 cups kalamata olives, pitted and drained 2 shallots, minced 1 teaspoon chopped thyme 2 teaspoons chopped basil 1 teaspoon chopped oregano 1 teaspoon chopped Italian parsley 1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary 1 teaspoon chopped garlic Juice of 2 lemons 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil Freshly ground black pepper Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and marinate for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve with toothpicks.

Serves 6 to 8 Crab Phyllo Triangles Recipe courtesy of Mary Ann Meyer.

1-3/4 cups unsalted b.u.t.ter, divided 1 bunch scallions, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 small yellow onion, diced small 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 pound lump crabmeat, cleaned 2 eggs, slightly beaten 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce 1 package phyllo dough, defrosted Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium sautee pan, melt 1/4 cup b.u.t.ter over low heat. Add the scallions, garlic, and onion and sautee until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the cream cheese, stirring until completely melted. Add crabmeat, eggs, lemon juice, and Tabasco sauce. Stir until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Melt the remaining b.u.t.ter in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Cut the phyllo dough into 3-inch-wide strips. Use 1 strip at a time, keeping other strips covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. Brush 1 strip of dough with melted b.u.t.ter. Place 1 tablespoon crabmeat mixture on one end of the strip. Fold one edge of the dough over mixture to form a triangle; continue folding like you would fold a flag. Place the triangle on a baking sheet and brush with a little melted b.u.t.ter. Repeat this process until all of the filling has been used. Any leftover phyllo dough may be refrozen. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8 Mini Crawfish Pies Recipe courtesy of Stacey Meyer.