"Cookin' Up a Storm" & "Emeril's New New Orleans Cooking" - Cheese Coins (crackers) and Creole Corn and Crab Bisque - Hurricane Katrina Anniversary

Date I made these recipes:  August 29, 2015 – Hurricane Katrina's 10 year anniversary

Cookin' Up A Storm – The Life and Recipes of Annie Johnson – Updated 2^nd Edition by Jane Lee Rankin

Published by:  Grace Publishers

ISBN:  0-9657387-2-8

Recipe:  Cheese Coins – p. 70

Emeril's New New Orleans Cooking by Emeril LaGasse & Jessie Tirsch

Published by:  William Morrow and Company, Inc.

ISBN: 0-688-11284-6  

Purchased at Hopkins Library Used Book Sale

Recipe:  Creole Corn and Crab Bisque – p. 59

Today – August 29 – marks Hurricane Katrina's 10^th anniversary when a good portion of New Orleans as well as other places along the Gulf Coast went underwater after a massive storm surge.  Some of those images are forever engrained in my brain and likely yours as well.  I cannot imagine the horror but am cheered that New Orleans is slowly rebuilding – not fast enough - but it's getting there.

Now the title of Cookin' Up a Storm is somewhat misleading as it has nothing to do with Katrina and nothing to do with New Orleans but I liked the title so much that I had to include it in this post.  This cookbook is subtitled "The Life and Recipes of Annie Johnson," domestic help to the Rankin household of Louisville, KY.  As with many southern African-American women, Annie Johnson was a fabulous cook and her recipes here are all basic, delicious, (mostly) southern specialties like the cheese coins I made. 

I love books like this that are half memoir, half cooking and could have easily cooked up my own storm by making all the recipes in this book.  I chose Cheese Coins because they are a southern specialty (I hardly know a southern cookbook that doesn't contain this recipe or one for cheese straws) and I was intrigued by the use of the puffed rice cereal – not to be confused with Rice Krispies.  I know this because I Googled "puffed rice cereal" and saw that it was as I remembered i.e. a lot bigger than Rice Krispies and made by Quaker Oats.  But alas, folks, finding this cereal was like looking for the unicorn.  Four stores later (I am not kidding), we found what we wanted at Lunds & Byerlys.  This is sad because I'm thinking that today's preferences for sugary cereals is why the basics are disappearing off the shelf.  So thank you, L&B!

And wouldn't you know, we both loved these very easy cheese coins and are placing the recipe into our "consideration" pile for our annual holiday party, especially since we know now where to find the rice cereal.  It's the littlest things that please us.

At the same time I was cooking up a storm with the cheese coins,  I started Emeril's bisque recipe.  Our elusive ingredient for this recipe was the seafood broth.  I knew, with certainty, that Swanson made this broth and yet our grocery store no longer carried it so that was another thing to add to the list of treasure-hunt items.  We found that, and the puffed rice cereal at Lunds & Byerlys. Coastal Seafoods, where I stopped to inquire about crabmeat, also sold homemade fish broth but it was more expensive and I would have had to freeze it.  Coastal Seafoods also had lump crab (frozen) but it was more than what I needed and very expensive so I ultimately went with canned crabmeat. All was not lost at Coastal though as they carried the small bottle of liquid shrimp and crab boil I needed so I bought that. 

After rounding up all the usual ingredients, I set to work and the first order of business was to make a proper roux for the bisque.  Epic fail.  While making the first one, I spooned too much flour into the butter and it turned into pie dough.  Dammit!  So I tried again and it was better but still not like the pictures.  This Yankee doesn't get much practice making a roux so that's my story and I'm sticking to it.  Roux is a thickener made with flour and butter (fat) and it thickened my bisque all right to the point that I ended up with chowder.  And folks, I didn't even add all the roux required!  Luckily, this mattered not as the dish was delicious, even if we settled for canned crab meat.

All in all, this was just a lovely repast showcasing the best of southern cooking.  Hurricane Katrina was a very sad event but the resilience of people in New Orleans and other coastal areas is inspiring.  Cooks and chefs of all kinds have rebuilt New Orleans, considered by many to be the culinary capital of America.  May they all continue to cook up a storm.

Cheese Coins – Yield:  4 dozen

 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 pound (4 cups) cheddar cheese, grated

2 cups puffed rice cereal (Ann's Note:  NOT Rice Krispies.  Quaker makes this cereal.)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 375F.

With an electric mixer or by hand, mix the butter and cheese together.  Sift the flour, salt and cayenne pepper together.  Add to the butter and cheese, mixing until a soft dough is formed.  Add the puffed rice by hand or with a spoon, mixing well.

Form 1-inch balls and flatten to make coins.  Place on lightly greased baking sheets 1 inch apart.

Bake in a 375 oven for 15 minutes, or until coins start to turn golden brown.  (Ann's Note:  About 13 minutes seemed right.)

Creole Corn and Crab Bisque – Makes 7 cups, 6 first-course servings

3 tablespoons Roux (see below or see page 5 if you have the cookbook)

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup minced onions

1 cup uncooked corn, scraped from about 2 ears

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons minced celery

1 cup Crab Stock (page 11) or Fish Stock (page 9) (Ann's Note:  or store-bought.  Swanson's makes a fish broth but not all stores will carry it.)

2 teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon white pepper

3 bay leaves

3 cups milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon liquid crab boil (Ann's Note:  Zatarain's makes this product.)

½ pound (about 1 cup) lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage (Ann's Note:  Coastal Seafoods in St. Paul had it frozen but way more than I needed so I used – gasp – canned lump crabmeat.)

¼ cup chopped green onions

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

For the roux:

1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter

1 cup flour

Prepare the roux, set aside 3 tablespoons, and refrigerate the rest for future use.  (Ann's Note:  See instructions below on how to make the roux.)

Heat oil in a large pot over high heat.  When the oil is hot, add the onions and corn and sauté for 1 minute.  Stir in the garlic and celery and sauté for 30 seconds.  Add the stock, salt, pepper, and bay leaves and bring to a boil.

Stir in the milk, cream, and crab boil.  Bring back to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Whisky in the roux 1 tablespoon at a time until thoroughly incorporated into the soup.  Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, whisking until the mixture thickens.

Stir in crabmeat, green onions and Worcestershire and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes.

To serve, ladle 1 generous cup of the bisque into each of 6 soup plates.

To make the roux (makes about ¾ cup)

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in the flour 1 tablespoon at a time and cook, whisking constantly, until the roux is thick and forms a ball, for about 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat or incorporate some immediately into a dish you're preparing.  If you prefer, allow the roux to come to room temperature and refrigerate it, covered, for a week or two.

"Sara's Secrets for Weeknight Meals by Sara Moulton" - Sausage, Lentil. and Spinach Stew

Date I made this recipe:  November 16, 2013

Sara's Secrets for Weeknight Meals by Sara Moulton (of the Food Network)

Published by:  Broadway Books

ISBN:  0-7679-1689-X

Recipe:  Sausage, Lentils and Spinach Stew - p. 173

Earlier last week, I got around to watching a DVR recording of the Food Network's 20th anniversary show and I must say, it's hard to believe it's been 20 years.  Still, when you watch some of the clips of the earlier shows, you can see the difference between the new, fledgling network ("Food Network?  What?") with really abysmal kitchen sets and little-known stars, like today's featured cookbook author, Sara Moulton,  to the huge behemoth..um...juggernaught?...that it is today. 

Prior to joining the Food Network Family, Sara built up a lot of street cred in the culinary world (cooking with Julia Child, anybody?), but she, along with other soon-to-be TV powerhouses, Emeril Lagasse and Mario Batali, were virtual unknowns when the Food Network started. Sara's easy, comfortable show, Cooking Live (later followed by Sara's Secret) though, was an instant hit as she explained her way through endless cooking demonstrations, making every recipe seem imminently achievable.  Sara was featured on the Food Network's birthday show and said that she was told early on to keep smiling all the time, no matter what happened on the show, and that smile caught on.  But I also remember her telling folks that as her popularity grew, so did the minor critiques, such as "You touched your nose with your finger after making that pie."  Eh, the devil is in the details, right? (I will go on record as saying that aside from seeing some chefs "double-dip,"- ew- I am not that watchful.)

I didn't tune in to the very early years of the Food Network as it really flew under my radar at the time, but just a year or so after it started, I started watching Sara's show.  Watching Sara was like watching my mom in the kitchen - always warm and reassuring - whereas Emeril Lagasse was "dad" - lots of energy (lots), lots of volume, lots of just everything but with an end (cooking) result that tasted great.  And then there was Mario who we won't go into who took Emeril's catch phrase "Kick it up a notch" to a whole new level with Italian cooking. 

My money though, was always on Sara.  And when I met her to have her sign this cookbook, she was just as nice and welcoming in person as she is on TV.  I like that. I may have a big personality (I'm told) in public but in my kitchen, I enjoy my quiet time with my ingredients making my meal.

In the Twin Cities area, Sara has a twin in Lucia Watson, owner of the eponymous restaurant, Lucia's, in the Uptown area of Minneapolis and author of my favorite cookbook (out of 1800+) Savoring the Seasons of the Northern Heartland.  I've mentioned this before but I'll say it again - I love Lucia.  She is my hero.  She is to the Midwest what Sara Moulton is to the east coast:  determined, engaging and brilliantly talented - a  person who just quietly rises to the forefront before anyone knows what hit them. 

The Twin Cities just celebrated its third annual Charlie Awards - restaurant awards honoring those individuals who stand out in the industry, ranging from Outstanding Food Truck Item to Outstanding Bartender to Outstanding Restaurant Design.  It's a very fun event and I was tickled pink, maybe even joyous, to see Lucia honored with a (culinary) Charlie Lifetime Achievement Award.  It could not have gone to a more deserving person.  I am also pretty pumped on her behalf that she, a female chef and restaurateur, won in the third year of these award shows.  That's got to mean something, right? Right - girl power!    (By the way, Sara Moulton was a 2012 James Beard Award Nominee in the Best Media Personality Category.) 

The dish I selected from Sara's cookbook, Sausages, Lentils and Spinach Stew, is one I could also easily see Lucia making and serving in her restaurant so I think it's rather cosmic that I selected this dish and made it the night before the Charlie Awards ceremony.  I told some friends that I suppose I could have substituted chicken sausage for Italian sausage except it offended the Sicilian in me, but a friend emailed back and said that those sausages are often overloaded with salt.  Good call then.  I'm not a fan of large amounts of salt and I have a problem with sausages that aren't pork - it just doesn't seem natural. (And it isn't but we don't have time to go there.)

At any rate, aside from the sausage, this is a pretty healthy dish, loaded with all good things including warm fuzzies.  These days, you can catch Sara Moulton on her PBS show, Sara's Weeknight Meals (check local listings for program information) and you can always make a run for the Uptown area of Minneapolis to catch Lucia Watson in action - Lucia's, 1432 W. 31st St. and for heaven's sake, don't forget to stop at her store, Lucia's To Go (next to her restaurant) for incredible edibles to take home.

Enjoy everyone!

Sausage, Lentil and Spinach Stew - Makes 4 servings

1 pound Italian sweet or hot sausages, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 medium carrot, chopped (1/2 cup)

2 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

1 sprig rinsed and dried fresh oregano and 1/2 teaspoon dried

1 Turkish bay leaf

Two 14- or 14 1/2 ounce cans chicken broth or 3 1/2 cups Chicken Stock (Sara's recipe for chicken stock is on page 32)

8 ounces dried lentils (about 1 cup), sorted and rinsed

One 5-ounce package rinsed baby spinach

Kosher salt and freshly milled black pepper

Combine the sausages and 1/4 inch water in large saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove the lid and cook until all the water has evaporated and the sausage has browned lightly.  (Ann's Note:  I wish she would have indicated how long it was going to take until all the water evaporated because it seemed like it took forever.  I finally helped the process along by pouring out most of the water and the letting what remained cook down.)

Increase the heat to medium; add the onion, carrot, garlic, oregano, and bay leaf to the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the broth and the lentils and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to low; cook, partially covered, until the lentils are just tender, 30 to 35 minutes.  Add the spinach and cook over medium heat until it is wilted.  Discard the bay leaf and oregano sprig and add salt and pepper to taste.  Add water and reheat if stew is too thick (or add more broth if you want to turn this into a soup).

                                                          

"Louisiana Real & Rustic" by Emeril Lagasse and Marcelle Bienvenu - Red Beans and Rice

Date I made this recipe: February 5, 2008 (Mardi Gras’ Fat Tuesday)

Louisiana Real & Rustic by Emeril Lagasse and Marcelle Bienvenu
Published by: William Morrow and Company
ISBN: 0-688-12721-5
Recipe: Red Beans and Rice – p. 226-227

“Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez, “ Mes Amis – Let the Good Times Roll, My Friends!

Today is Fat Tuesday for those cities, such as New Orleans, celebrating Mardi Gras (which means…Fat Tuesday!). Mardi Gras kicks off Lent and Fat Tuesday is a day of feasting and revelry before serious fasting (typically for members of the Catholic Church) begins. I’m all about feasting and am all about New Orleans, a city I visited a couple of times prior to the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. It is a testament to the resiliency of New Orleans and a love of celebration amidst devastation that the residents continued to have their Mardi Gras celebration before the city could even grasp what exactly happened. Talk about being down but not out.

Although not a native of New Orleans, Emeril Lagasse has come to embody New Orleans cooking. I first saw him years ago on PBS with Julia Child. He did a crawfish boil that made my mouth water. Years passed and then Bam! There he was on the Food Network, cooking his way through several different TV shows and several different cuisines. For a while, I suffered from Emeril overkill (much the same as the current Food Network Queen, Rachel Ray), but eventually I grew to really like the guy, so much so that I spent over 3 hours in line several years ago waiting to meet him and have him sign my cookbooks. Emeril looked exhausted having likely come from who know what city, but he stayed until the last person came through. I have a lot of respect for a guy like that.

Although I have several New Orleans cookbooks, most of them featured fish and seafood (plus the elusive crawfish—like I’m gonna find that in this state in the winter!) and while I love that food, I opted for something simpler and something that is really the essence of Louisiana and New Orleans cooking – Red Beans and Rice. It is such a staple in that state that famed trumpet player, Louis Armstrong, used to sign his letters “Red Beans and Ricely Yours.”

And so although this dish was traditionally a Monday dish (Monday was wash day and “when the laundry was done, so were the beans), I couldn’t resist making this New Orleans treat for Fat Tuesday.

So put on some Louis Armstrong, or even Louis Prima (Jump Jive an’ Wail, Oh Marie and I’m Just a Gigolo) who is also from New Orleans, or even (more contemporary) Harry Connick, Jr. and Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez!

Red Beans and Rice – 8 servings
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onions
½ cup chopped celery
1 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 bay leaves
1 pound boiled ham, cut into 1/2 –inch cubes
6 ounces smoked sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices (1 cup) (Note: I used up some leftover Kielbasa from the Beet Borscht recipe a few weeks ago)
1 pound dried beans, rinsed and sorted over, soaked overnight and drained
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (or “chawped gawlik” as Emeril would say)
8 to 10 cups water
Steamed rice

Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, bell peppers, bell peppers, celery, salt, cayenne, black pepper and thyme for about 5 minutes. Add the bay leaves, ham, and sausage and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the beans, garlic, and enough water to cover the contents in the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 2 hours. Add more water if the mixture becomes dry and thick.

Use a wooden spoon to mash about half of the mixture against the side of the pot. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 ½ hours, or until the mixture is creamy and the beans are soft. Add more water if it becomes too thick. The mixture should be soupy, but not watery.

Remove the bay leaves and serve over steamed rice.