Leaving Louisiana, Returning Soon

“Never have I known it when it felt so good

Never have I knew it when I knew I could

Never have I done it when it looked so right

Leaving Louisiana in the broad daylight.”

                             Oak Ridge Boys

~Doc Lawrence                

NEW ORLEANS-The Saturday in Baton Rouge marked the middle of a round trip back to the Big Easy. LSU-no surprise here-is still the Tailgating champion of college foootball. If you like your hospitality overflowing with food that would be the envy of great restaurants, along with unlimited wine, cocktails and beer entwined with live Cajun music and dancing, then the lots outside Tiger Stadium await your visit the next game day.

2018 is the Tricentennial of New Orleans. We wouldn’t dare miss the year-long celebration and neither should you. Regular columns will cover the history and living cultural heritage of this bedrock city. This is the birthplace of the cocktail (1845) and the one place I have felt at home since my baby days.

The esteemed hostess/home entertainer/gourmet Virginia Hall has created three recipes that add to our holiday menu while paying homage to the culinary influences of New Orleans. She will soon announce an exciting food and wine program guaranteed to help us lose those cold weather blues. Enjoy her delicious dishes!

                               Sweet Potato Spice Spread

 Sweet potatoes are part of our Southern diet, and adding jalapeño peppers and chopped pecans just takes this spread over the top.  No one will ever guess it’s sweet potato and it’s perfect to serve with sesame seed (benne) wafers for your next gathering.

8 ounces cream cheese

2 cups mashed, cooled cooked sweet potatoes

Virginia Hall

1/4 cup finely diced onion

2 Tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeños, or to taste

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce

1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans

           Combine cream cheese and sweet potatoes in food processor.  Add onions,  jalapeños, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce, pulsing just to blend well.  Put mixture in serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Chill and taste…ingredients often change in intensity when chilled, so you might want to add additional spice.  To serve, cover spread with the chopped pecans and additional peppers just so folks know this is a spicy concoction!

                                

                              Creole Cornbread

And for an over-the-top side dish, you can’t beat this Creole Cornbread.  Get out your old iron skillet and find those stretchy pants cause you are going to want to eat this all by yourself. 

2 cups cold cooked white rice

1 cup plain cornmeal…not mix

1/2 teaspoon EACH baking soda and baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped onion

1-2 Tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeños or 1-2 chopped fresh hot peppers

2 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn

3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

       Oil skillet with about a tablespoon grease and scatter some dry cornmeal over the bottom.  Set it aside and preheat oven to  350.  Mix the rice, cornmeal, soda, baking powder, salt, jalapeños and onion in a big ol’ bowl.  Mix the eggs, milk and oil in another bowl to break up eggs.  Add the can of corn. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir well to combine.  Add in 2 cups of the grated cheese and pour into skillet. Cover top with remaining cheese.  Add more it you like.  Bake about 50 minutes until it is firm.  The egg/milk/cheese ratio here is almost quiche-like, but the rice and corn pull it into a sort of pudding/souffle realm.  It stays hot as blue blazes for a long time and smells like the right corner of heaven.  

                                     Classic Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

I’m a big bread pudding fan and the simple, elegant taste of Creole Raisin Bread Pudding just can’t be beat.  Serve with the best bourbon sauce around and have a cup of your favorite cafe noir alongside

One (1 pound) loaf of French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes

4 cups whole milk

3 large eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup raisins

3 Tablespoons soft butter

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

        Soak the cubed bread in the milk for about 5 minutes.  While this is going on, grease a 3- quart baking dish.  Beat the eggs, sugar, raisins, soft butter and vanilla until well combined and gently stir into the bread mixture.  Try not to turn it into a mush when you combine.  You want a few pieces of bread to stay in cubes.  If you like the bread to really stay in cubes, just soak a minute or two and then combine with egg mixture.  Pour into greased dish and bake at 325 for 1 hour or until it’s firm.  Let sit at least 20 minutes before serving or you’ll burn your mouth to pieces.  And since it’s your kitchen, you can add a dash of nutmeg or cinnamon to the milk mixture.  This is also a great way to use up an entire loaf of raisin bread.  Just eliminate the extra raisins.  I would be impressed if you added a cup of pecans however.  Serve with this silky sauce to your adoring fans.  

                                     Bourbon Sauce

1 stick soft butter

1 cup sugar

1 large well-beaten egg

2-3 Tablespoons good bourbon

       Combine the butter and sugar in small saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves.  Add a bit of the hot buttery liquid to the egg to temper it, then add back to the saucepan, beating with a wire whisk until well blended.  Keep whisking as you cook the mixture for about 1 minute until well blended.  Take off heat, cool slightly, and add bourbon.  Taste and add more bourbon.  

                 The holiday season is glorious. Join us in all the festivities and have fun!