I just got back from NOLA and so can we talk, um, CAJUN food?

[kestrel91316]

I guess I would like, first, the quintissential gumbo recipe (chicken and andouille) from somebody who knows good gumbo. I don't think our seafood here is adequate, so I will pass for now on seafood gumbo.

Second, where can I get good Italian rolls like my Central Grocery muffaletta was made on?

Third, I have made jambalaya and red beans 'n' rice before, but I think I need authentic local recipes. I very cleverly got my assistant a little Cajun cookbook but forgot one for me.

Bread pudding? I had Mr. B's Bistro's version. I would like to maybe chocolate it up. Ideas?

[Dover]

1. chocolate bread pudding

I haven't tried this, but snagged the recipe for some future occassion.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

Ingredients:


1 teaspoon unsalted butter
4 large eggs
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1/4 cup Grand Marnier or other orange flavored liquer
2 cups half-and-half
8 slices day-old white bread, crusts removed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Spiced Cream (see instructions below)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees farenheit. Grease a 6-cup (9 1/4 x 5 1/4 x 2 3/4-inch) loaf pan with the butter.

2. Whisk the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, melted chocolate, and Grand Marnier together in a large mixing bowl until very smooth. Add the half-and-half and mix well. Add the bread and let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Pour half of the mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with the unmelted chocolate chips. Pour the remaining bread mixture over the chocolate chips. Bake until the pudding is set in the center, about 55 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.

4. To serve, cut the pudding into 1-inch thick slices. Top with the spiced cream.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients for Spiced Cream


1 quart heavy cream

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Directions

1. Beat the cream with an electric mixer on high speed in a large mixing bowl for about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and beat again until the mixture forms stiff peaks, another 1 to 2 minutes.

Makes 4 cups

Recipes copyright ©1999 Emeril Lagasse

[kestrel91316]

3. Yum, that sounds like just the ticket. I don't have a hand mixer -

I use a wire whisk to make whipped cream on those rare occasions when I make it.....

[sandnsea]

5. That recipe is to die for

My son in law makes it for me on rare occasions. I post it just about any time anyone says chocolate. It is VERY rich.

[Dover]

8. You've had it?!

Oh great. I can't even remember where I found that recipe. Is it well known or how did you come to have it? Glad to know it's so good!

[sandnsea]

9. It's in Emeril's Christmas Cookbook

Which I happened to purchase for my sil for Christmas one year. That was one of the first things he made out of it. He is a fantastic cook, way better than I'll ever be. I don't think he ever looks at the price of ingredients though, which probably makes a wee bit of difference, lol.

[Tab]

2. Um, sure, if you can cook it in a wood-fired pizza oven ;)

Can't help you with most of those; I make a passable Jambalaya, but I doubt it's "authentic". I'm not a big gumbo fan myself, so I'll pass on that.

So, what did you eat down there? Get some crawfish?

[kestrel91316]

4. No crawfish, sadly. Ran out of time. and NO SOFT-SHELLED CRAB.

Over that I am truly bereft. Everybody was out wherever I asked.

Oysters - oyster po' boy at Mother's; broiled oysters at Drago's. It turned out Acme was NOT the oyster bar I ate at in 1980, so I passed (ran out of time anyway).

Shrimp wrapped in bacon (with grits and redeye gravy) at Mr. B's Bistro. Shrimp in the two seafood gumbos I had.

Crab cakes, nice and spicy, at Oceana.

I MUST return, and not for any damned conference. I need ALL DAY to be eating.

So many restaurants, so little time.......It didn't help that I got stuck in traffic here in LA, missed my plane, had to be rerouted through Chicago, and both those planes were late (one was broken and had to be replaced). Took me 24 hours to get from my home to the hotel in NOLA.

[mtnester]

6. We are going back in October

to eat


and when we go back in October


We will be eating

All Day


for Four days


and walking everywhere - so it is a wash on calories.

And when we are not shopping on Royal or Bourbon (only east of jackson square parallel)


we will be eating

[grasswire]

7. I have several vintage cajun cookbooks...

...and when I have time later today I'll poke around to see what's there. One of them I know has the kind of recipes that start with 60 pounds of crawdads, etc. I collect regional cookbooks, so we oughta be able to find something gooooood.