It's that time of year again when Creole tomatoes are starting to show up. I want to share with you a couple of new recipes for these prized tomatoes. 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup self-rising cornmeal mix 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch picecs 1/4 cup buttermilk 2 pounds Creole tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch slices 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium red onion, sliced 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided 4 ounces goat cheese, softened 1/2 cu ..read more

The final piece to the Holy Trinity is the bell pepper. They are abundant in the south. Since bell peppers originated in the Americas, they took the place of the sweet carrots in the traditional French mirepoix. The question is, what color do I use? One may think that the different colors represent different varieties of bell peppers. While there are some rare varieties, such as white, brown and purple, the colors you find in the grocery stores are the same type. Bell peppers start off as green, which features a more bitter flavor profile. The colors change from green to yellow, then orange ..read more

If you're looking to cut down on red meat, here's a great Italian dish using crawfish. It's a good thing you can find crawfish tails year-round in the freezer section of your supermarket. You never know when the craving will strike you. 2 large yellow onions 1 bell pepper 5 cloves garlic 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 tablespoons tomato paste 3/4 cup red wine 2 )28-ounce) cans plum tomatoes 2 pounds crawfish tails 2 green onions, chopped 2 egg whiles 4 teaspoons corn starch 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning Preheat oven to 425℉. Roughly chop onions, bell pepper, and garlic; pulse in a food processor unti ..read more

Before the season ends, I thought I would share two more crawfish. This first one is great for a backyard cookout. 1 large red onion 1 large red bell pepper 3 celery ribs 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound crawfish tails 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning 8 cups sliced green onions, zucchini, broccoli florets, grape tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, etc. 1 cup Rubusto Italian dressing 1 pound bow-tie pasta Chop onion, bell pepper, and celery, into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl with minced garlic and toss well. Drain fat and liquid from crawfish, saving liquid for other uses if desired. Add ..read more

Celery is not an ingredient that is the main focus of a dish. Sure, you can stuff it with fillings for an appetizer or snack. It is an important ingredient in cooking. It is often used as the foundation in many dishes. In Louisiana, it’s part of the Holy Trinity. In France, it’s the mirepoix, onions, celery and carrots. You can find celery a few ways in the store. You can buy it by the stalk (Bunch), by the hearts (the main parts of the stalk in individual pieces and trimmed) and cut into snack sized lengths. If a recipe calls for a rib of celery, it’s one piece of the stalk. Today’s recipes ..read more

Every one has the favorite Shrimp Creole recipe. Here's the one form Oak Alley. 2 pounds headless jumbo shrimp 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 large onion, chopped 2 celery rib, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 (6 ounce can) tomato paste 1 (14 ounce can) diced tomatoes 1 (16 ounce can) sliced mushrooms, drained 1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning 1 tablespoon minced parsley 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 lemon, juiced 1 /2 tablespoons sugar (optional) 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce Hot cooked rice Peel shrimp, leaving tails intact; devein if desired. Chill peeled shr ..read more

This week, we are taking a trip up the river to the most photographed plantation, Oak Alley. I will be sharing two of their shrimp recipes. 3 tablespoons olive oil 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 1/2 pounds peeled large shrimp 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, sauté one minute or until fragrant. Add Italian seasoning and sauté one minute. Deglaze with wine, cook until reduced by half. Add shrimp; sauté about three to five minutes or until fully cooked. Serve with hot b ..read more

The Holy Trinity of Louisiana cooking: Onions, Celery and Bell Pepper. It’s the base of most Creole and Cajun dishes. Over the next few weeks, I will be highlighting these important ingredients. Today we will start with onions. You will find a variety of onions at the store. The first question is, which one should I use. For most of your cooking, you will reach for the yellow onion. They hold up the best when cooking and is the default onion for most cooked dishes. The white onion has a stronger, spicier, more pungent flavor than yellow onions. They don’t hold up as well as yellow onions when ..read more

I have yet to meet someone who doesn't like pizza. Here's a different spin on the Italian classic. Per Serving: 1 taco-sized flour tortilla 1 clove garlic, pressed olive oil 1/2 cup chopped leftover braised lamb, tossed in a little lamb gravy or beef stock 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese Chopped mint leaf, for garnish place a pizza stone, cast-iron griddle, or large cast-iron skillet on a rack in the lower third to the oven, preheated to 450℉ for 20 minutes. Smear crushed garlic over tortilla, drizzle with a tiny amount ov olive oil. Scatter chopped lamb over tortilla and top with crumbled fet ..read more

A few weeks back, I posted a recipe Slow-Braised Leg of Lamb. This week, I want to share with you two recipes to use the leftover meat. 1 tablespoon Olive oil 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 2 cloves minced garlic 1/2 cup leftover braised lamb gravy ( or Beef Stock) 1/2 cup dry red wine 1 28-ounce can whole plum and juice 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) 2 cups chopped leftover braised lamb 1/3 cup grated Romano cheese, plus more for serving Creole seasoning to taste 1/4 cup cream or half-and-half Hot cooked pappardelle pasta Fresh chopped parsley, for garni ..read more