Brigsten's

Why haven’t we been before? Frank Brigsten apprenticed at Commander’s Palace in 1979 under Paul Prudhomme. Then he worked for Prudhomme at K-Paul’s for 7 years before he and his wife, Marna, opened their own place in 1986. Frank won the James Beard Award for Best Chef Southeast in 1998. And he is still cooking on Dante Street in an old house uptown beyond Carrollton and his Cajun/Creole food still connects. The restaurant itself looks dated; pleasant, not grand or chic. But the food is good. Why is he so off today’s radar? I found an old New Orleans cookbook from 1998 that mentioned him. Our daughter-in-law had been talking about him but we had just never gone. But last week I couldn’t get a reservation at the hot spot, Shaya, which I love; I called Brigsten’s. You have to call. No online or open table for them. I did find where they are not forgotten. The ‘Times Picayune’ named them to the top 10 in 2017 along with such names as August, Commander’s, Herbsaint, Shaya, Peche, La Petite Grocery, and Brennan’s.

We started the evening with cocktails. My husband had his usual New Orleans’ drink, a Sazarac. I looked at the drinks menu and they had an Aperol spritzer. I have been reading about them this summer and decided to try. I like Campari and this is a slightly sweeter version and popular in Italy as an aperitif I am told.

The menu is said to change daily and uses what is available. That is not really old school, but the cooking is I think. My husband had to have the sweetbreads which he invariably does when they are on a menu. I tried a shrimp remoulade—on guacamole with deviled eggs and a cold mirliton corn relish. It was a great summer starter. And I could do that one at home easily. Maybe this fall when the mirliton come in. Our vines are the biggest and best we have ever had---now, if they will only produce.

 

 

My husband and I both chose the seafood platter named “The Shell Beach Diet.” It was a tasting of several dishes but not too much food. There was a grilled drum with crawfish and jalapeño lime sauce; baked oysters Le Ruth with shrimp and crab; crawfish cornbread with jalapeño smoked corn butter; sea scallops with fontina cheese grits and fire-roasted vegetable salsa; stuffed artichoke baked oysters; and a shrimp boil salad with corn and potatoes. Sounds like a lot but it wasn’t.

 

I found this recipe of his on-line that I might try this fall also when the butternut squash come in. It is one of his signature dishes.

Butternut Shrimp Bisque

3 tbsp unsalted butter

2 cups diced yellow onion

1 bay leaf

4 cups butternut squash---peeled, de-seeded, and diced into ½ inch cubes

2 cups peeled fresh shrimp

2 ¼ tsp salt

3/8 tsp ground cayenne

1/8 tsp ground white pepper

½ cup shrimp stock (heads and shells in a saucepan covered with cold water; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes; strain)

6 cups heavy whipping cream

 

Heat butter in a heavy duty saucepan over med-high heat and cook onions and the bay leaf, stirring constantly until the onions become soft and clear, 3-4 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium and add squash, stir occasionally until the squash softens, 6-8 minutes.

Reduce heat to low, add shrimp, salt, cayenne and pepper, cook stirring occasionally until shrimp turn pink, 2-3 minutes.

Add shrimp stock, cook, stirring occasionally, 6-8 minutes. If it sticks to bottom, just scrape.

Discard bay leaf; puree in food processor.

Return puree to saucepan and add cream, whisk until blended, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, 2-3 minutes.

Fourth of July Cheesy Hamburgers and Gazpacho

The Fourth of July is just around the corner and surely the beginning of summer. Also known as Independence Day, the Fourth of July has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18^th century and the American Revolution. On July 2^nd, 1776 the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 to the present day, July 4^th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to the more casual family gatherings and barbecues.

I enjoy the 4^th of July. It is an excuse to grill out those hamburgers and see some fireworks. The one 4^th I really remember is when we took our young children to New York in 1986. The fireworks were fabulous and the people watching in the park were all so nice. That was a long time ago!

I am grilling hamburgers and making gazpacho this year. My recipe for juicy grilled hamburgers is one you should try and the gazpacho is delicious. Nothing like a cold soup on a hot day!

Have a happy 4^th.

 

Juicy Grilled Hamburgers

Serves 4

Canola oil for oiling the grates

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

4 whole wheat English muffins split

1 medium ripe tomato, cored and cut into 4 thick slices

1 pound 90-percent lean ground beef

2 ounces sharp cheddar, grated (about ½ cup)

Pickles for serving, optional

Heat a grill to medium-high direct heat and lightly oil grates using a paper towel soaked in canola oil.

Spread a 16-inch long piece of nonstick aluminum foil on a cutting board. Top with the onions, ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon water. Bring two sides of the foil together, fold over twice to create a seal and seal the remaining two ends. Put on the grill and cook for 12 minutes, flipping once. The onions should be tender with only a bit of charring. Carefully open the top of the foil to let all the steam out and continue to cook the onions, tossing, until browned and lightly charred, 3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.

While the onions cook, mix the ketchup and mustard together in a small bowl. Season with pepper and set aside.

Lightly toast the English muffins on the grill and place one top and bottom of each of 4 plates. Spread some of the ketchup sauce on the bottom half of each muffin and top with a slice of tomato.

Divide the beef into 4 patties about 4 inches in diameter and just under ½-inch thick. Sprinkle with a total of ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Place the burgers on the grill and cook until the edges of the burgers are browning, 3 to 5 minutes, and then flip. Brush the burgers with the remaining ketchup sauce and evenly top with the shredded cheese. Cover the burgers with the grill lid and continue to cook until the cheese has melted and the burgers are a bit pink on the inside, about 3 minutes more.

Put one burger on top of the assembled muffin bottom and top with some of the grilled onions and the top of the muffin. Serve with pickles if desired.

 

Gazpacho

Serves 4

8 slices white bread, crusts removed, bread broken into big chunks

2 pounds tomatoes, seeded

1 English cucumber, peeled

1 large white onion

1 green bell pepper, seeds and pith removed

2 cloves garlic, smashed

Kosher salt

High quality extra-virgin oil

2 to 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

½ cup to 1 cup tomato juice, if needed

Soak the bread in a medium bowl of water to soften, about 15 to 20 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water and place in a large bowl. Coarsely chop the tomatoes, 2/3 of the cucumber, ½ the onion, and ½ pepper and add to the bread. Add the garlic, season with salt, and drizzle with olive oil. Mix to combine and let sit for about 20 to 30 minutes to allow the flavors to marry and to let the salt pull some moisture out of the tomatoes.

Meanwhile, for the garish, dice the remaining cucumber, onion and green pepper into perfect 1/4 –inch dice and reserve.

Working in batches, puree the tomato/bread mixture in a blender with the vinegar. Blend in tomato juice to loosen the mixture, if needed. Remove soup to a large bowl and stir in about ½ cup of high quality olive oil. Taste for salt and add more, if needed.

Chill. Serve cold garnished with the diced cucumber, pepper, and onion. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, is desired.

 

 

 

Skillet Fried Okra

I love fried okra but have never fried the whole pod. Usually in restaurants it is always cut into 1 inch slices and fried. When I saw an article on frying the whole pod and without a deep fryer I was truly taken in.

Okra is a polarizing vegetable. The little pod, with its sticky, seedy interior, has its loyal fans and outspoken haters. Like fellow Southern staples, black-eyed peas, yams, and rice, okra was introduced to the region in the eighteenth century when slave ships bound for the Americas carried it across the Atlantic, where it thrived in the heat and humidity of Southern summers. And the heat of this Southern summer has arrived.

When frying, roasting, or grilling okra, look for small-to-medium-sized pods, since they are more tender and have smaller seeds. Once a pod exceeds 4 inches, it is best used as a thickening agent in gumbo or stew. While some cooks instinctively remove the caps of okra, they’re perfectly edible---though in this recipe, they are sliced off before whole-frying the pods for a well-cooked interior. A soak in buttermilk ensures the cornmeal-flour breading will stick to the okra. For less mess, use one hand to toss the pods in the buttermilk, and the other to toss them in the dry ingredients. Be careful when tossing them in the hot oil. You may want to use tongs or a mesh skimmer. To avoid spatter, lower one end into the oil, pause briefly, then drop the whole pod in. These are delicious and even better when served with your favorite remoulade.

From ‘The Local Palate’ June-July 2017.

Skillet-Fried Okra

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh okra, preferably small pods (They are in season so even if you don’t have them in the garden you should be able to get nice fresh small ones.)

Buttermilk, enough to cover pods

½ cup flour

1 cup cornmeal

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups neutral oil

 

1. Prep okra, heat oil

Rinse okra and pat dry, Cut stems from pods. Pour oil into a cast-iron skillet, being careful not to fill more than half way to top, and begin heating to 375 degrees.

2. Buttermilk soak

Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, soak okra in enough buttermilk to cover.

3. Toss, toss, toss

Working in batches, remove okra from buttermilk and place in dry ingredients. Using your dry hand or tongs, toss okra to coat.

4. Drop okra

Gently lower okra into the 375-degree oil. To avoid splatter, place end of okra in oil and pause briefly before dropping whole pod in.

5. Fry till golden brown

Fry okra for 6 minutes or until golden brown, occasionally turning with a mesh skimmer or spoon. Larger pieces may need additional time.

6. Drain and serve

Remove from oil and drain on a paper-towel lined plate. Salt to taste, and serve hot.

 

They are good as is, but a remoulade will just do the trick.

 

Birthday Dinner----My Indian Meal

My birthday is coming up next week and my daughter and her new husband are coming to visit from Houston. We have not seen them since the wedding in March so this should be a nice visit. My daughter even offered to cook (since she is a good cook) and it is my birthday but I felt bad asking her to cook and she is not here for very long. So I decided to do Indian since it is my favorite food and both the daughter and husband like Indian. So I have been cooking some new Indian dishes to try them out on my husband and try to decide which I will cook when the visitors come.

I tried some chicken kebabs from Madhur Jaffrey’s book, From Curries to Kebabs, Recipes from the Indian Spice Trail, and they were fabulous. So this is a go. Also I tried several new condiments to add to the meal and found that these made the meal so much more interesting and tasty, so these are a go also. Give these all a try. These kebabs are mildly spiced and just melt in your mouth. Just add some basmati rice or Indian bread and you have a great meal!

 

All recipes are from Curries to Kebabs, Recipes from the Indian Spice Trail by Madhur Jaffrey, 2003.

Silken Chicken “Tikka” Kebabs

Serves 4 as a main course, 8 as an appetizer

1 ½ pounds boned and skinned chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces (bought organic chicken from Whole Foods)

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon peeled and finely grated fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, crushed to a pulp

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon bright red paprika

½ to ¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper

6 tablespoon heavy cream

½ teaspoon garam masala

3 tablespoons corn or peanut oil

Put the chicken in a bowl. Add the salt and lemon juice and rub them in. Prod the chicken pieces lightly with the tip of a knife and rub the seasonings in again. Set aside for 20 minutes. Then add the ginger, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, pepper, cream, and garam masala. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for 6-8 hours. (Longer will not hurt.)

Just before serving, heat the broiler (we cooked ours on the grill). Thread the meat onto two to four skewers (the flat, swordlike ones are the best.) Brush with oil and balance the skewers on the rim of a shallow baking tray. Place about 5 inches from the source of heat and broil for 6 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned and cooked through.

 

Raw Onion Rings

These are a common garnish for kebabs and are easy to prepare. The most important thing to remember it that, unlike the raw onion slices used in hamburgers, these rings are very delicate and can only be make with smaller onions, those that weigh about 5 ounces or less.

When onions are used as a garnish for kebabs, they are just spread over them without a dressing of any sort. They can also be dressed and eaten as a salad/relish. The next recipe is for that.

1 medium onion (about 5 ounces)

Cut the onion crosswise into paper-thin slices. You could also cut the onion in half lengthwise and then cut the halves evenly, crosswise, into paper-thin slices. Separate the slices into rings or half-rings. Put them into a bowl filled with icy water, cover, and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Dain the onions and pat them dry. They are now ready to be used as a garnish.

 

Raw Onion Salad

Serves 4

1 medium onion (about 5 ounces)

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon dried mint, well crumbled (optional)

Cut the onion, then soak and dry the rings or half-rings as in the preceding recipe. Put them in a bowl. Add all the other ingredients. Toss to mix.

 

Thai Cucumber Salad

This sweet, sour, salty, and hot salad may be served with curries. I found it a good addition to my Indian meal.

Serves 4

1 young cucumber with undeveloped seeds (about 7 inches in length) or 2 smaller cucumbers, sliced without peeling, into 1/8-inch rounds

½ cup white wine vinegar

½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon coarsely crushed red chili powder

2 fresh green and red bird’s-eye chilies, sliced into fine rounds

Put the cucumbers in a bowl.

Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, and chili powder in a small pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Pour this syrup over the cucumbers. Allow them to sit in the syrup for at least an hour, tossing now and then. Before serving, lift the cucumber slices out of their syrup and arrange on a plate. Scatter the cut chilies over them.

 

We’ll also have some old favorites: carrot salad which is my husband’s favorite way to eat carrots, tomato and cucumber raita, Indian bread, basmanti rice, bhindi (okra or ladyfingers) since they are plentiful in the garden, as well as green beans which are also plentiful. As dessert we’ll also have an old favorite, a spicy banana sauce over ice cream. And to drink maybe a salty lassi, beer or shandy. A sweet Riesling if we have a wine.

 

 

Father's Day and Thai Beef

The campaign to celebrate the nation’s fathers did not meet with the same enthusiasm—perhaps because, as one florist explained, “fathers haven’t the same sentimental appeal that mothers have.” On July 5, 1908, a West Virginia church sponsored the nation’s first event explicitly in honor of fathers, a Sunday sermon in memory of the 362 men who had died in the previous December’s explosions at the Fairmont Coal Company mines in Monongah, but it was a one-time commemoration and not an annual holiday. The next year, a Spokane, Washington woman named Sonora Smart Dodd, one of six children raised by a widower, tried to establish an official equivalent to Mother’s Day for male parents. She went to local churches, the YMCA, shopkeepers and government officials to drum up support for her idea, and she was successful; Washington State celebrated the nation’s first statewide Father’s Day on July 19, 1910.

Slowly, the holiday spread. In 1916, President Wilson honored the day by using telegraph signals to unfurl a flag in Spokane when he pressed a button in Washington, D.C. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge urged state governments to observe Father’s Day. However many men continued to disdain the day. As one historian writes, they “scoffed at the holiday’s sentimental attempts to domesticate manliness with flowers and gift-giving, or they derided the proliferation of such holidays as a commercial gimmick to sell more products---often paid for by the father himself.”

During the 1920’s and 1930’s, a movement arose to scrap Mother’s Day and Father’s Day altogether in favor of a single holiday, Parent’s Day. The depression came and derailed this effort. When World War II began, advertisers began to argue that celebration Father’s Day was a way to honor American troops and support the war effort. By the end of the war, Father’s Day may not have been a federal holiday, but it was a national institution. In 1972, in the middle of a hard-fought presidential re-election campaign, Richard Nixon signed proclamation making Father’s Day a federal holiday at last. Today, economists estimate that Americans spend more than $1 billion each year on Father’s Day gifts.

In looking for a nice meal for Father’s Day I thought some men love to grill and would not mind grilling this steak or it can also be cooked in a cast iron skillet by someone else.

This Thai beef salad, or yam neua, is a tangle of thinly grilled steak, tossed with shallots, a heap of cilantro and mint, and a hot, sour, salty and slightly sweet dressing, and topped with chopped tomatoes. It is a salad where the meat comes first and the vegetables are secondary, and unlike many Thai dishes it is not meant to be served with rice.

For this version of yam neua (pronounced yum n-UH), you need to start with the right steak and skirt steak was chosen because it is thin, well marbled, and has an exceptionally beefy flavor and could stand up to the bold yam dressing. The meat is seasoned with white pepper not black which has a more floral aroma. Salt and a couple teaspoons of brown sugar approximate the faint maple flavor in palm sugar.

Skirt steak can get tough if overcooked, so cooking if briefly-no more than medium-rare-but enough to develop a char. The secret is heating the grill or cast-iron pan for five minutes. Also don’t cut the steak with the grain; it results in tough slices. Cutting against the grain shortens muscle fibers, producing tender, juicy meat.

From the May-June, 2017 issue of ‘Milk Street’

Thai Beef Salad (Yam Neua)

Start to finish: 40 minutes

4 Servings

1 large shallot, thinly sliced crosswise (about ½ cup)

3 tablespoons lime juice (2 limes)

4 teaspoons packed brown sugar, divided

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

¾ teaspoon ground white pepper

1 ½ pounds skirt steak, trimmed and cut into 2 to 3 pieces (Bought a grass-fed skirt steak at Whole Foods)

Grapeseed or other neutral oil (If using a skillet)

1 to 2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 ½ cups red or yellow cherry tomatoes (about 7 ounces), halved

½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

½ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint

In a large bowl, combine the shallots and lime juice and let sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl, combine 2 teaspoons of the sugar, the salt and white pepper. Pat the steak dry with paper towels, then rub all over with the sugar-salt mixture. If using a cast-iron skillet, cut the steak into 4 to 6 pieces.

If using a grill, grill the steak (directly over the coals, if using a charcoal grill) until charred all over, 2 to 4 minutes per side. If using a skillet, sear the skillet in 2 batches until charred, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the steak to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon of the fish sauce, the pepper flakes and remaining 2 teaspoons of the sugar to the shallot-lime mixture and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Taste, then add additional fish sauce, if desired. Thinly slice the steak against the grain, then transfer to the bowl along with any accumulated juices. Add the tomatoes, cilantro and mint, then stir.

 

 

 

Pizza

I really love pizza and order it when I can. Where can you get good veggies, cheese, and a good bread together? We ate at Paladar 511 in New Orleans last weekend and this restaurant is known for its pizza so I ordered a pizza with asparagus, crushed almonds, fontina cheese, and pea tendrils. Boy, was it good!

In my new ‘Food and Wine’ magazine there was an article on grilling pizza and they had an asparagus recipe. I could not resist. Now I am not sure my husband can grill the pizza dough but I can do that in the oven on really high heat. Grilling can be done on a gas or charcoal grill and its gives the pies a nice char from the intense heat. Place the crust directly on the grate, then, in the last few minutes of cooking, flip it and add the remaining ingredients. Sounds easy? Give it a try.

 

From ‘Food and Wine’ June 2017.

Pizza Dough

Active: 30 min.

Total: 6 hr. 30 min.

Makes two 12-oz. balls

In a large bowl, whisk 1 cup lukewarm water with ½ tsp. active dry yeast and let stand until foamy, 5 minutes. Stir in 2 ¾ cups type-o-flour, (I used all-purpose flour and it was fine) 1 ¼ tsp. kosher salt and 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil until a dough forms. Scrape onto a work surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large greased bowl, cover with plastic and let stand in a warm place for 1 hour. Cut the dough in half and form into 2 balls. Transfer the balls to 2 large greased bowls, cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until double in bulk, about 5 hours. Punch down the dough before using.

 

Grilled Asparagus Pizza with Gremolata

Makes two 12-inch pizzas

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

½ cup chopped parsley

2 tsp. chopped oregano

1 ½ tsp. grated lemon zest plus 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 1b. thin asparagus, trimmed

1 ½ lbs. fresh mozzarella, torn

Pizza dough

 

In a small bowl, whisk the ½ cup of olive oil with the parsley, oregano, lemon zest and juice, the garlic and crushed red pepper. Season the gremolata with salt and black pepper.

Light a grill and oil the grate. Brush the asparagus with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Grill over moderately high heat, turning, until lightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a carving board and let cook; cut into 2-inch lengths.

On a lightly oiled large baking sheet, stretch 1 ball of pizza dough to a 12-inch oval or round and brush with olive oil. Grill the dough over moderate heat until lightly charred on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the crust and scatter half each of the mozzarella and asparagus on top. Close the grill and cook until the cheese is melted and the crust is firm, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a large board. Repeat with the remaining dough, mozzarella and asparagus. Drizzle the pizzas with the gremolata, cut into wedges and serve.

 

This pizza recipe is a basic summer pizza using tomatoes. Yum!

Summer Margherita Pizzas

Makes two 12-inch pizzas

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

2 large tomatoes, sliced

1 small garlic clove, minced

Kosher salt and pepper

1 ½ lbs. fresh mozzarella, torn

Torn basil, for garnish

Light a grill and oil the grate. Spread the tomato slices on a platter and top with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the garlic. Season generously with salt and pepper.

On a lightly oiled large baking sheet, stretch 1 ball of pizza dough to a 12-inch oval or round and brush with olive oil. Grill the dough over moderate heat until lightly charred on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the crust and scatter half of the mozzarella on top. Close the grill and cook until the cheese is melted and the crust is firm, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a large board and top with half of the tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Garnish with torn basil.

Repeat with the remaining dough, mozzarella, tomatoes, seasoning with basil. Cut the pizzas into wedges and serve.

Homemade pizza is worth the effort.

Natchez Plantation Meal

We had some visitors to come from Wilmington NC and they wanted to see a “real plantation.” Well I don’t know if we have a real plantation but we do have cows and a garden. I thought a plantation meal was in order so I brought out my old Lee Bailey cookbook which had beautiful pictures and delicious recipes from Natchez. This is an old cookbook from 1990, but some recipes are timeless and pictures never get old.

Lee Bailey had a favorite aunt in Natchez, called Aunt Freddie. On every visit he was struck by the warmth and charm of the place, and by the fresh, wonderful food. It was on one of those trips that he decided to put together the best recipes of Natchez and he did with the help of the Pilgrimage Garden Club.

I decided to use the menu from “Lunch in the Belvedere at Monmouth.” This would be a wonderful summer luncheon for any occasion, since most can be done ahead. Creamed chicken has always been a popular luncheon dish in Natchez, so shrimp was added (but I added crawfish), along with sweet red peppers and tarragon. This is served over Cat Head’s biscuits instead of rice. We have lots of green beans in our garden so the vegetable was to be the rosemary green beans. Dessert was our blueberries (which are delicious right now) and whipped cream. As Lee Bailey once said, what do you need with good fresh blueberries but some whipped cream”. I would agree with that.

 

From Lee Bailey’s Southern Food and Plantation Houses 1990.

Serves 6-8

Tarragon Creamed Shrimp and Chicken

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter

½ cup chopped green onions, including some green tops

1 teaspoon dried tarragon (I used fresh Russian tarragon) about 2 tablespoons (Just can’t keep the French tarragon alive in the garden or in pots.)

1 cup chopped sweet red peppers

2 cups thickly sliced fresh mushrooms

¾ cup dry white wine

2 cups coarsely chopped chicken breast meat

2 cups small peeled and deveined shrimp (I used 2 cups crawfish tails)

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups half-and-half, scalded

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Dash of nutmeg (optional)

Dash of paprika (optional)

In a large saucepan, melt ¼ cup of the butter. Add the green onions and half the tarragon. Sauté over medium-low heat about 5 minutes, until onions are wilted. Add the red pepper, mushrooms, ½ cup of the wine, and the chicken. Increase the heat to medium-high and sauté about 5 minutes, until chicken is opaque. Add the shrimp or crawfish and remaining tarragon. Sauté tossing occasionally, for 2 minutes, until shrimp turn pink. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a separate saucepan, melt the remaining ½ cup of butter. Sprinkle flour over it when the butter bubbles and whisk to mix well. Add half-and-half, whisking vigorously over medium-low heat until sauce is smooth and thick. Flavor with remaining ¼ cup wine and salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Continue to cook, whisking, for 2 minutes. Do not let boil.

Meanwhile, bring the chicken shrimp mixture back to a simmer and add the sauce. Adjust seasonings. Serve hot on a split, buttered biscuit. Sprinkle with paprika.

 

Cat Head Biscuits

Makes 10 large biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons sugar

1/3 cup solid vegetable shortening cut into walnut-size pieces

1 cup buttermilk

Unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.

Combine the dry ingredients and shortening in a food processor. Process until the mixture has the texture of coarse cornmeal. Add the buttermilk and process, using a pulse motion, until mixture is moistened. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly 3 or 4 times.

“Choke off” 10 small pieces of dough; roll and flatten each into a ½-inch-thick round (“about the size of the average cat’s head,” to quote the lady herself). These biscuits are actually called “Carrie Bass’s Cat Head Biscuits.” Brush each top with melted butter and bake for 12 minutes or until golden.

 

Rosemary Green Beans

Serves 6

2 quarts water

3 tablespoons dried rosemary tied in a piece of cheesecloth (1 used 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary)

2 pounds of string beans, snapped with tips and stems removed

Unsalted butter

Salt to taste

Bring salted water to a boil and add the rosemary. Simmer for 15 minutes, then add the beans and boil slowly for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how tender you like them. Top each serving with a dab of butter and a sprinkle of salt, if you wish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

some visitors to come from Wilmington NC and they wanted to see a “real plantation.” Well I don’t know if we have a real plantation but we do have cows and a garden. I thought a plantation meal was in order so I brought out my old Lee Bailey cookbook which had beautiful pictures and delicious recipes from Natchez. This is an old cookbook from 1990, but some recipes are timeless and pictures never get old.

Lee Bailey had a favorite aunt in Natchez, called Aunt Freddie. On every visit he was struck by the warmth and charm of the place, and by the fresh, wonderful food. It was on one of those trips that he decided to put together the best recipes of Natchez and he did with the help of the Pilgrimage Garden Club.

I decided to use the menu from “Lunch in the Belvedere at Monmouth.” This would be a wonderful summer luncheon for any occasion, since most can be done ahead. Creamed chicken has always been a popular luncheon dish in Natchez, so shrimp was added (but I added crawfish), along with sweet red peppers and tarragon. This is served over Cat Head’s biscuits instead of rice. We have lots of green beans in our garden so the vegetable was to be the rosemary green beans. Dessert was our blueberries (which are delicious right now) and whipped cream. As Lee Bailey once said, what do you need with good fresh blueberries but some whipped cream”. I would agree with that.

 

From Lee Bailey’s Southern Food and Plantation Houses 1990.

Serves 6-8

Tarragon Creamed Shrimp and Chicken

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter

½ cup chopped green onions, including some green tops

1 teaspoon dried tarragon (I used fresh Russian tarragon) about 2 tablespoons (Just can’t keep the French tarragon alive in the garden or in pots.)

1 cup chopped sweet red peppers

2 cups thickly sliced fresh mushrooms

¾ cup dry white wine

2 cups coarsely chopped chicken breast meat

2 cups small peeled and deveined shrimp (I used 2 cups crawfish tails)

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups half-and-half, scalded

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Dash of nutmeg (optional)

Dash of paprika (optional)

In a large saucepan, melt ¼ cup of the butter. Add the green onions and half the tarragon. Sauté over medium-low heat about 5 minutes, until onions are wilted. Add the red pepper, mushrooms, ½ cup of the wine, and the chicken. Increase the heat to medium-high and sauté about 5 minutes, until chicken is opaque. Add the shrimp or crawfish and remaining tarragon. Sauté tossing occasionally, for 2 minutes, until shrimp turn pink. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a separate saucepan, melt the remaining ½ cup of butter. Sprinkle flour over it when the butter bubbles and whisk to mix well. Add half-and-half, whisking vigorously over medium-low heat until sauce is smooth and thick. Flavor with remaining ¼ cup wine and salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Continue to cook, whisking, for 2 minutes. Do not let boil.

Meanwhile, bring the chicken shrimp mixture back to a simmer and add the sauce. Adjust seasonings. Serve hot on a split, buttered biscuit. Sprinkle with paprika.

 

Cat Head Biscuits

Makes 10 large biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons sugar

1/3 cup solid vegetable shortening cut into walnut-size pieces

1 cup buttermilk

Unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.

Combine the dry ingredients and shortening in a food processor. Process until the mixture has the texture of coarse cornmeal. Add the buttermilk and process, using a pulse motion, until mixture is moistened. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly 3 or 4 times.

“Choke off” 10 small pieces of dough; roll and flatten each into a ½-inch-thick round (“about the size of the average cat’s head,” to quote the lady herself). These biscuits are actually called “Carrie Bass’s Cat Head Biscuits.” Brush each top with melted butter and bake for 12 minutes or until golden.

 

Rosemary Green Beans

Serves 6

2 quarts water

3 tablespoons dried rosemary tied in a piece of cheesecloth (1 used 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary)

2 pounds of string beans, snapped with tips and stems removed

Unsalted butter

Salt to taste

Bring salted water to a boil and add the rosemary. Simmer for 15 minutes, then add the beans and boil slowly for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how tender you like them. Top each serving with a dab of butter and a sprinkle of salt, if you wish.