A lot of recipes for oyster stew are rather bland, but this is not your New England oyster stew...welcome to New Orleans! This one spices it up just a bit with garlic and cayenne and then adds a little texture and flavor interest with celery and lots of chopped parsley. The roux base also adds another layer of flavor and really pulls it all together. Would you expect anything less from one of the best restaurants in the best food city in the US?
This makes a beautiful dish just ladled as is into soup bowls, or you can serve over puff pastry shells for a special presentation. Some people add artichoke hearts. A dash of anisette or Pernod is also traditional. According to Saveur Magazine, this is the traditional first course for Thanksgiving dinner in New Orleans.
This recipe says it serves 6, but depending on serving size I think it could serve twice that.
Antoine's Oyster Stew
50 medium oysters (such as bluepoints), shucked (about 1 1/2 pounds), with 1 cup liquor preserved
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons flour
4 ribs celery, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped curly parsley
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
Combine oyster liquor with 1 cup water in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Add oysters and simmer until their edges just begin to curl -- about 2 minutes. Strain oysters through a fine sieve over a medium bowl. Reserve oysters and liquid separately.
Heat butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until golden brown -- 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add celery, garlic, onions, parsley, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until onions and celery are very soft -- about 25 minutes.
Stir in milk, cream, and reserved oysters with cooking liquid. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just hot -- about 5 minutes. Serve immediately, with a dash of anisette or Pernod if desired.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Mom's Shrimp Salad
My (83-year-old younger than I am) mother made this delicious shrimp salad today when I came over to tend to some business. She had some leftover shrimp she had bought cooked from Whole Foods for a friend's birthday. For the salad she removed the tails and chopped the shrimp into large pieces. Then added a little mayonnaise and sour cream to the bottled shrimp cocktail sauce. Next, chopped celery, chopped green pepper, chopped tomato, chopped green onion, and a dash of Old Bay Seasoning. Add the shrimp and mix well. Add chopped parsley. We served it on red leaf lettuce dressed very lightly with olive oil and lemon juice. Green olives and a good French roll on the side...yum!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Peggy's Buttermilk Pie
My friend Peggy Manning Meyer loves pies and loves to bake pies. This is her favorite recipe:
1 unbaked 9" pastry shell, chilled (Marie Callender makes a good frozen pie crust)
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons flour
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Preheat oven to 425.
Combine sugar and flour, then stir in eggs. Add melted butter and buttermilk. Mix well. Stir in vanilla and lemon extract. Pour into chilled pastry shell. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for 35 additional minutes (do NOT open oven door while baking).
1 unbaked 9" pastry shell, chilled (Marie Callender makes a good frozen pie crust)
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons flour
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Preheat oven to 425.
Combine sugar and flour, then stir in eggs. Add melted butter and buttermilk. Mix well. Stir in vanilla and lemon extract. Pour into chilled pastry shell. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for 35 additional minutes (do NOT open oven door while baking).
Peggy's Buttermilk Pie
My friend Peggy Manning Meyer loves pies and loves to bake pies. This is her favorite recipe:
1 unbaked 9" pastry shell, chilled (Marie Callender makes a good frozen pie crust)
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons flour
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Preheat oven to 425.
Combine sugar and flour, then stir in eggs. Add melted butter and buttermilk. Mix well. Stir in vanilla and lemon extract. Pour into chilled pastry shell. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for 35 additional minutes (do NOT open oven door while baking).
1 unbaked 9" pastry shell, chilled (Marie Callender makes a good frozen pie crust)
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons flour
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Preheat oven to 425.
Combine sugar and flour, then stir in eggs. Add melted butter and buttermilk. Mix well. Stir in vanilla and lemon extract. Pour into chilled pastry shell. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for 35 additional minutes (do NOT open oven door while baking).
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Chicken Tortilla Soup
There seems to be an endless variety of versions of tortilla soup...the only common denominators are chicken broth and crispy tortillas, and some even puree the tortillas and blend them into the broth! My favorite takes a rich chicken broth and adds pureed tomatoes, pours the warm broth/tomato mixture into each bowl on top of the tortillas strips, shredded chicken, crumbled cheese, and sliced avocado, then finishes with a generous squeeze of lime.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
for the broth and shredded chicken:
1 small whole chicken (you can use chicken pieces, but the whole chicken gives more flavor)
1 onion, quartered
1 or 2 carrots, cut into large pieces
3 or 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
Place the chicken in a large pot with water to cover. Add other ingredients and bring to a boil. Skim off the scum that rises to the top and add more water if needed. Simmer for 1 hour. Allow chicken to cool for at least 1 hour in the broth.
Remove the chicken and discard skin, fat and bones. Strain broth. Shred the chicken meat with your fingers and reserve in a bowl, adding a little broth if the meat begins to get too dry. You will have more chicken than you need for the soup...use the rest for chicken enchiladas, chicken salad or chicken taco salad, chicken chalupas, or chicken spaghetti.
for the soup:
vegetable oil
4 corn tortillas, cut into strips
1 cup shredded white Mexican cheese (I like Chihuahua cheese or queso fresco) or mozzarella
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/8 inch strips
1 medium white onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5 ounce can whole tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
water
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/ 2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 avocado, peel, pittted, and sliced
shredded chicken
(1/4 cup sour cream)
Heat the vegetable oil to 345-350 degrees and fry tortilla strips until golden brown, then drain on paper towels.
In a large pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ancho chile strips and fry until they begin to turn dark and become crisp -- 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from pot and reserve.
Add onion slices to pot and fry in the oil (adding more oil if needed) until they are golden brown -- about 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is soft -- 1 or 2 minutes.
While the onions are cooking, blend the tomatoes with their juice. Add chicken broth and enough water to make 6 cups.
When the onions and garlic are done, add the tomato/broth mixture to the pot. Add thyme and pepper, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add salt, lime juice, and cilantro. Simmer for 1 more minute.
Arrange in each bowl tortilla strips, shredded chicken, shredded cheese, chile strips, and avocado slices. Ladle the soup on top of these ingredients and give each bowl a generous squeeze of lime. Top with a dollop of sour cream is desired.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
for the broth and shredded chicken:
1 small whole chicken (you can use chicken pieces, but the whole chicken gives more flavor)
1 onion, quartered
1 or 2 carrots, cut into large pieces
3 or 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
Place the chicken in a large pot with water to cover. Add other ingredients and bring to a boil. Skim off the scum that rises to the top and add more water if needed. Simmer for 1 hour. Allow chicken to cool for at least 1 hour in the broth.
Remove the chicken and discard skin, fat and bones. Strain broth. Shred the chicken meat with your fingers and reserve in a bowl, adding a little broth if the meat begins to get too dry. You will have more chicken than you need for the soup...use the rest for chicken enchiladas, chicken salad or chicken taco salad, chicken chalupas, or chicken spaghetti.
for the soup:
vegetable oil
4 corn tortillas, cut into strips
1 cup shredded white Mexican cheese (I like Chihuahua cheese or queso fresco) or mozzarella
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/8 inch strips
1 medium white onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5 ounce can whole tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
water
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/ 2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 avocado, peel, pittted, and sliced
shredded chicken
(1/4 cup sour cream)
Heat the vegetable oil to 345-350 degrees and fry tortilla strips until golden brown, then drain on paper towels.
In a large pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ancho chile strips and fry until they begin to turn dark and become crisp -- 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from pot and reserve.
Add onion slices to pot and fry in the oil (adding more oil if needed) until they are golden brown -- about 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is soft -- 1 or 2 minutes.
While the onions are cooking, blend the tomatoes with their juice. Add chicken broth and enough water to make 6 cups.
When the onions and garlic are done, add the tomato/broth mixture to the pot. Add thyme and pepper, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add salt, lime juice, and cilantro. Simmer for 1 more minute.
Arrange in each bowl tortilla strips, shredded chicken, shredded cheese, chile strips, and avocado slices. Ladle the soup on top of these ingredients and give each bowl a generous squeeze of lime. Top with a dollop of sour cream is desired.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Bruschetta with Tapenade, Goat Cheese, Tomato, and Arugula
Tapenade is a wonderful multi-purpose medley that can serve as a dip, a spread (think muffalata), or a topping for fish, chicken, or bruschetta. It has all those delicious and healthy Mediterranean ingredients, and it's easy and delicious!
In this recipe, I use the tapenade as the base for a bruschetta -- but you could also do it as an open-face sandwich on a French roll. You can buy prepared tapenade at the grocery (some are quite good), but as in most foods freshly made is so much better!
With the addition of cheese, tomato, and arugula (you could substitute fresh basil) it can make a nice light supper.
Tapenade
Kalamata olives
garlic
capers
olive oil
(anchovies)
(lemon juice)
There are really three ways to combine the ingredients: finely chopped and tossed together, blended in a mortar and pestle (the traditional method), or combined in a blender or food processor. If you use a blender or food processor, first blend all ingredients except olive oil and then add the oil slowly until desired consistency is reached. Proportions are to individual taste, as is consistency. I prefer a "chunky" consistency that preserves the individual flavors while combining them. Others like the ingredients blended to a smooth paste. Anchovies and lemon juice are optional ingredients, but I think they are both great additions!
Bruschetta
Preheat broiler.
Begin with a good, crusty, artisinal French bread. Slice into rounds of desired heft. Brush each slice with olive oil and rub with garlic. Heat under broiler until toasted.
Spread each round with tapenade. Crumble goat cheese to lightly cover. Top with chopped tomatoes and chopped arugula or basil.
In this recipe, I use the tapenade as the base for a bruschetta -- but you could also do it as an open-face sandwich on a French roll. You can buy prepared tapenade at the grocery (some are quite good), but as in most foods freshly made is so much better!
With the addition of cheese, tomato, and arugula (you could substitute fresh basil) it can make a nice light supper.
Tapenade
Kalamata olives
garlic
capers
olive oil
(anchovies)
(lemon juice)
There are really three ways to combine the ingredients: finely chopped and tossed together, blended in a mortar and pestle (the traditional method), or combined in a blender or food processor. If you use a blender or food processor, first blend all ingredients except olive oil and then add the oil slowly until desired consistency is reached. Proportions are to individual taste, as is consistency. I prefer a "chunky" consistency that preserves the individual flavors while combining them. Others like the ingredients blended to a smooth paste. Anchovies and lemon juice are optional ingredients, but I think they are both great additions!
Bruschetta
Preheat broiler.
Begin with a good, crusty, artisinal French bread. Slice into rounds of desired heft. Brush each slice with olive oil and rub with garlic. Heat under broiler until toasted.
Spread each round with tapenade. Crumble goat cheese to lightly cover. Top with chopped tomatoes and chopped arugula or basil.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Butter Braised Figs with Parmigiano-Reggiano and Toasted Almonds
There are so many delicious ways to eat figs -- just as they are with a little honey, grilled or broiled with prosciutto and goat cheese, poached in wine...This one is a little different and super easy. The crushed almonds give a nice crunch that really finishes nicely.
Butter Braised Figs with Parmigiano-Reggiano and Toasted Almonds
1 pint ripe figs
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (I suggest white for green figs and traditional for purple figs)
2 tablespoons toasted almonds, crushed
Rinse figs and pat dry. Slice off pointed tops and make a X incision about 3/4 inch deep in each fig.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and saute figs for 2 or 3 minutes -- until they begin to spread. The figs should be heated through but not really cooked.
Remove figs to a plate and place a small amount of cheese into each.
Add vinegar to butter remaining in the saucepan and reduce to a thick syrup.
Drizzle figs with balsamic syrup and sprinkle with almonds.
Butter Braised Figs with Parmigiano-Reggiano and Toasted Almonds
1 pint ripe figs
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (I suggest white for green figs and traditional for purple figs)
2 tablespoons toasted almonds, crushed
Rinse figs and pat dry. Slice off pointed tops and make a X incision about 3/4 inch deep in each fig.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and saute figs for 2 or 3 minutes -- until they begin to spread. The figs should be heated through but not really cooked.
Remove figs to a plate and place a small amount of cheese into each.
Add vinegar to butter remaining in the saucepan and reduce to a thick syrup.
Drizzle figs with balsamic syrup and sprinkle with almonds.
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