I recently made a batch of Debris Po' Boys to photograph and served them to family for dinner. I needed a nice side dish, and though my first thought was New Orleans made spicy potato chips, I happened to be in the produce department and came across bags of little purple and gold mixed potatoes. With Mardi Gras on my mind, I decided I just had to make a thematic potato salad. … [Read more...] about Mardi Gras Potato Salad
Farmers Market
Gumbo Z’Herbes
Gumbo Z’Herbes, or green gumbo, is a very traditional Creole dish that you do not find all that often. The magnificent Leah Chase at Dooky Chase’s Restaurant is famous for hers, and she serves it primarily the traditional way – on Holy Thursday (before Good Friday). Gumbo Z’herbes is said to bring luck and strengthen the body, and that for each type of green you put in the pot, … [Read more...] about Gumbo Z’Herbes
Mustard Creamed Pearl Onions
Many years ago, when I first started cooking a big Thanksgiving meal, I followed the suggested menu of some magazine or cookbook to the letter, despite existing family traditions or personal preferences. One of the dishes on the list of traditional Thanksgiving fare was creamed onions, which I had never had before. My family had never had them either and didn’t really … [Read more...] about Mustard Creamed Pearl Onions
Creamy Cauliflower Parmigiano Gratin
I had the good fortune to spend a month in Italy this summer, a blissful few days of it at the cooking school of Badia a Coltibuono, a medieval abbey turned into a winery and bed and breakfast in the hills of Tuscany. We made pasta by hand and learned the secrets to Italian breads and sauces. On one day, the chef, Benedetta Vitali, told us we would make a cauliflower cheese … [Read more...] about Creamy Cauliflower Parmigiano Gratin
Apple Fennel Slaw with Curried Dressing
I generally think of coleslaw as a summer dish. A staple of picnics, cook-outs and barbecues. But as I continue to enjoy in-season local apples, I remembered many recipes I’ve read over the years that use apples in slaw. So I decided to work up my own version of a fall slaw, with a rich curried dressing, sweetness from apples and a bit of extra crunch from fennel. The finished … [Read more...] about Apple Fennel Slaw with Curried Dressing
