New
Orleans Classics
In
1604 the French colonized Acadia, the region surrounding present day Nova
Scotia. Disputes with Great Britain over the sovereignty of the territory
quickly arose. Over the next two centuries control of Acadia shifted
between the French and the British, highlighted by interminable armed
conflicts, political haggling, and treaties. Finally in 1785 the British
had the upper hand and forced the Acadians from their homeland. The
Acadians then migrated to Louisiana where successive translations of their
name produced the term “Cajun.” Cajun cooking, a hearty and rustic mixture
of French and southern US influences, relied heavily on pork fat and
spices. Creole, the other major New Orleans culinary force, was a fusion of
French, Spanish, Caribbean and African cuisines. It was differentiated by a
greater use of butter, cream, and tomatoes, and was considered more refined.
New Orleans is
known for transforming legendary dishes into newfound classics.
Bouillabaisse, the famous fish stew from the Provence region of France, was
a forerunner to gumbo, a Creole favorite. Jambalaya, the Cajun version of
paella, is a mixture of any number of meats, such as chicken, sausage,
shellfish, duck, ham, etc., with rice, vegetables and seasonings. Creole
or red jambalaya includes tomatoes while the Cajun style does not. Either
way, it is a spicy and robust dish that epitomizes the soul of New Orleans.
Here’s my recipe for Cajun style jambalaya:
1 lb. boneless,
skinless chicken thighs
Olive oil as
needed
12 oz. andouille
or chorizo sausage, cut into medium dice
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 batch scallions, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
3 cups long grain rice
2 tablespoons paprika
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon celery salt
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
Trim the fat from
the chicken thighs and then cut them into quarters. Season them with salt,
pepper, and cayenne pepper. Heat up a large pot, add olive oil, and brown
the chicken on each side. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon, set
aside and then brown the sausage. Remove the sausage and then sauté the
peppers, onions, and celery. Do not drain the grease between each item.
Use it to sauté the next item and add flavor to the final dish. Sauté the
vegetables until, soft. One minute before they are done add the garlic.
Then add the chicken, sausage, broth, rice and seasonings. Cover, bring to
a boil, and then simmer for 15 minutes.
The skill of New
Orleans’ chefs doesn’t cease at revolutionizing timeless classics, but
inventing masterpieces of their own. New Orleans originals include po boy
sandwiches, muffulettas, oysters Rockefeller, beignets, and Shrimp Creole.
Here’s one story of the birth of a New Orleans classic:
Owen Edward
Brennan opened the infamous Brennan’s Restaurant in 1946 in the French
Quarter of New Orleans and it remains a New Orleans icon to this day.
Members of the same family also own Commander’s Palace, an equally notable
New Orleans culinary landmark. In the 1950’s New Orleans was the major port
of entry for bananas from Central and South America. The story goes that in
1951 Mr. Brennan asked his chef Paul Blange, to create a dish featuring the
tropical fruit. Chef Blange rose to the challenge and concocted the classic
Bananas Foster. It was named for Richard Foster, a friend of Brennan and
regular patron of the restaurant. It remains the most popular dish at the
restaurant to this day. Each year Brennan’s utilizes over 35,000 pounds of
bananas for the world renowned dessert. The standard recipe is as follows,
(serves four):
Two oz. butter
One cup brown sugar
Half a teaspoon of cinnamon
Two oz. banana liqueur
Four bananas, cut in half lengthwise and then in half crosswise
Two oz. dark rum
Combine the
butter, sugar and cinnamon in a skillet over low heat and stir until the
sugar dissolves. Watch the heat and stir almost constantly to prevent the
mixture from burning. Add the banana liqueur. Add the bananas and cook
until they soften and start to brown. Next, add the rum and tip the pan
slightly so the flames ignite the rum. (This is known as flambéing). After
the flames subside, place four pieces of banana over vanilla ice cream and
spoon some of the sauce over them.
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