Poulet tchoupitoulas

Active: 45 minutes; Total: 2 hours 30 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6

Butter, unsalted	1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons
Onions, yellow; julienned	3 cups
Bell pepper, red; chopped	½ cup
Salt	2 teaspoons + 1 tablespoon
Cayenne	¼ teaspoon + ⅛ teaspoon + ½ tablespoon
Pepper, freshly ground	1 tablespoon +
Andouille sausage	½ pound
Garlic; chopped	1 tablespoon
Sweet corn; kernels removed	1 ear
Eggs	5 large
Heavy cream	2 cups
Tabasco	¼ teaspoon
Worcestershire sauce	1 teaspoon
Crusty bread; cubed	4 cups
Parmigiano-Reggiano; grated	½ cup
Paprika	3 ¾ teaspoons
Garlic powder	1 tablespoon
Onion powder	½ tablespoon
Oregano, dried	½ tablespoon
Thyme, dried	½ tablespoon
Vegetable oil	½ cup +
Chicken thighs	6 pounds

1. Preheat oven to 350°F; grease a 2-quart glass rectangular baking dish with 1-tablespoon butter. 
2. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt 2-tablespoons butter, then add the onions, bell pepper, 1-teaspoon salt, and ¼-teaspoon cayenne. 
3. Season generously with pepper, and sauté until the onions are soft and start to brown, about 6 minutes. 
4. Add the sausage, and continue to cook for 3 minutes. 
5. Add the garlic and corn, and cook for 1 minute; remove from heat and set aside. 
6. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs for 30 seconds. 
7. Add the cream, 1-teaspoon salt, ⅛-teaspoon cayenne, Tabasco, and Worcestershire; whisk until fully incorporated. 
8. Stir in the sautéed sausage mixture, and then add the bread cubes; mix well. 
9. Transfer the filling to the prepared dish, and sprinkle with cheese. 
10. Bake until golden brown and set, about 55 minutes. 
11. In a small bowl, combine paprika, 1-tablespoon salt, garlic powder, ½-tablespoon pepper, onion powder, ½-tablespoon cayenne, oregano, and thyme with the oil; mix well. 
12. Smear the mixture evenly over each piece of chicken. 
13. Heat a large oven-safe sauté pan over medium-high heat. 
14. When hot, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. 
15. Place the chicken in the pan skin side down, and sear until a deep golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. 
16. Turn the chicken, and place in the oven, roasting until the juices run clear, about 25 to 30 minutes. 
17. Remove from the oven, and rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

Recipe mildly adapted from Emeril Lagasse’s recipe featured in The Last Holiday.

Shrimp & crabmeat étouffée with grits

Active: 1 hour; Total: 1 hour; Yield: 8 servings 

Chicken stock or water	12 cups
Grits, uncooked	2 cups
Salt, kosher	1 teaspoon + 1 ½ teaspoons
Oil, vegetable or olive	¼ cup
Butter, unsalted	3 tablespoons
Onion, white; chopped	2 cups
Celery; finely chopped	1 cup
Bell pepper, red; finely chopped	1 cup
Garlic, finely chopped	1 tablespoon
Flour, all-purpose	½ cup
Clam juice, fish  or chicken stock	3 cups
Dry sherry	½ cup
Worcestershire sauce	¼ cup
Sage, dried; rubbed	2 tablespoons
Thyme; finely chopped	1 tablespoon
Cayenne pepper	½ teaspoon
Nutmeg, freshly ground	¼ teaspoon
Tomato paste	1 tablespoon
Pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon
Shrimp, raw, jumbo; peeled, butterflied, tail on	1 ½ pounds
Crabmeat, lump jumbo; drained, picked clean	1 ½ pounds

1. Stir together the stock, grits, and salt in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. 
2. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 45 minutes. 
3. Combine the oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; cook until the butter is melted. 
4. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic; cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. 
5. Add the flour, and stir briskly. 
6. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes brown, being careful not to burn it, 20 to 25 minutes. 
7. Stir in the 3-cups juice/stock, sherry, Worcestershire, sage, thyme, cayenne, and nutmeg. 
8. Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. 
9. Stir in the tomato paste, salt, and pepper; reduce the heat to medium, and simmer, stirring often, until creamy and thick, about 15 minutes. 
10. Add the shrimp, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. 
11. Reduce the heat to medium-low. 
12. Gently fold in the crabmeat, and cook, undisturbed, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. 
13. Remove from heat; season to taste. 
14. Plate the grits, and then properly smother them with the gravy. 

Recipe mildly adapted from Food & Wine Annual 2025.

Carolina fish, shrimp, & okra stew with black rice

Active: 40 minutes; Total: 1 hour 10 minutes; Serves: 6 to 8

Shrimp, medium, raw, peeled, deveined; shells reserved	1 pound
Water	3 cups
Cod or catfish fillets, skinless, halve lengthwise if large; cut crosswise into 1-inch strips	1 ½ pounds
Salt, kosher	1 teaspoon +
Oil, olive	2 tablespoons +
Flour, all-purpose	2 tablespoons
Onion, white, chopped	1 large
Bell pepper, red, chopped	1 large
Celery, chopped	2 stalks
Garlic, chopped	3 cloves
Tomatoes, diced, undrained	15 ounces
Okra, stemmed, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces	8 ounces
Worcestershire sauce	2 tablespoons
Thyme, fresh, chopped	2 teaspoons
Bay leaves, dried or fresh	2 leaves
Creole seasoning	2 teaspoons
Pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon +
Rice, black, cooked
Scallions, thinly sliced	Garnish

1. Combine the reserved shrimp shells and water in a medium saucepan. 
2. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes. 
3. Pour mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard solids, and set the stock aside. 
4. Toss together the fish pieces and salt in a large bowl; cover and chill until ready to use, up to 1 hour. 
5. Over medium heat, warm the oil in a large Dutch oven. 
6. Add the flour, whisking constantly, until smooth and lightly browned, about 1 minute. 
7. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. 
8. Cook, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven to prevent scorching, until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes. 
9. Stir in the shrimp stock, tomatoes with juices, okra, Worcestershire, thyme, bay leaves, Creole seasonings, and pepper. 
10. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. 
11. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover, and simmer until the okra is almost tender, about 15 minutes. 
12. Stir in the fish and shrimp, and reduce the heat to low. 
13. Cover and cook until the fish and shrimp are cooked through, about 5 to 8 minutes. 
14. Remove and discard the bay leaves; season with salt and pepper. 
15. Serve with black rice garnished with scallions. 

Recipe from Food&Wine Magazine, October 2020

Sous vide breakfast in a jar

Active: 15 minutes; Cooktop: 15 minutes; Sous vide: 1 to 2 hours; Serves: 4

Eggs	6 large + ¾ cup whites
Cottage cheese	1 cup
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground
Veggies (such as onions, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini), diced
Ham or bacon, diced

1. Preheat your sous vide to 170°F; spray the inside of your glass jars lightly with canola oil. (Chef’s note: The original recipe calls for 12 wide-mouth 250ml jars to create “egg bites.” I had 4 larger 1-cup jars that required a longer cooking time.) 
2. Sauté the vegetables and meat, and then divide among your jars. 
3. In a large bowl using a hand mixer, mix together the eggs, cottage cheese, salt, and pepper until smooth; divide among the jars. 
4. Secure lids to the jars and lower them into your water bath, cook 1 hour for small jars and 2 hours for larger jars. 
5. Enjoy alone or with a toasted English muffin!

Roasted cauliflower lasagna

Cauliflower florets	8 cups
Olive oil	1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon +
Salt, kosher
Tomatoes, whole plum, no-salt added	28 ounces
Water	1 ½ cups
Garlic, sliced chopped	4 + 1
Bell pepper, red, diced	1
Tomato paste	2 tablespoons
Basil leaves, fresh	1 cup
Lasagna noodles, whole wheat	8 ounces
Ricotta	1 cup
Egg	1 large
Mozzarella, shredded	1 cup
Parmesan	¼ cup
Parsley leaves, fresh, chopped	2 tablespoons

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. 
2. Toss the cauliflower with 1-tablespoon oil and ½-teaspoon salt. 
3. Spread the florets in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast, tossing once, until tender and golden in spots, about 30 to 35 minutes; cool slightly. 
4. Place the tomatoes in a medium bowl, and use your hands to crush them. 
5. Rinse the can with the 1 ½-cups water and add it to the bowl with the tomatoes. 
6. Heat the remaining oil with the sliced garlic and ½-teaspoon salt in a small Dutch oven over medium heat until the garlic begins to sizzle and becomes aromatic, about 2 minutes. 
7. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring, until soft, about 8 minutes. 
8. Add the tomato paste and stir to incorporate, about 30 seconds. 
9. Add the crushed tomatoes with their juices and four large basil leaves. 
10. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 40 minutes. 
11. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. 
12. Add the lasagna noodles one at a time into the pot; cook according to the package directions until al dente. 
13. Drain the noodles in a colander. 
14. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons oil to the noodles, tossing to coat to prevent them from sticking, and drape over the side of a large bowl. 
15. Combine the ricotta, egg, 1 ½-cups roasted cauliflower, and one chopped garlic clove in a food processor and pulse until evenly pureed. 
16. Tear the remaining basil into small pieces, add to the food processor and pulse three to four more times to chop the basil finely, but not puree; transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. 
17. Spread ¼-cup sauce on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. 
18. Place four noodles on the bottom, without overlapping, cutting to fit, if necessary. 
19. Spread with half of the cauliflower-ricotta mixture, followed by half of the roasted cauliflower, one-third of the tomato sauce, one-third of the mozzarella, and one-third of the Parmesan. 
20. Loosely fit three more noodles on top of the cheese without overlapping. 
21. Spread with the remaining cauliflower-ricotta mixture, followed by the remaining roasted cauliflower, one-third more of the tomato sauce, one-third more of the mozzarella, and one-third more of the Parmesan. 
22. Top with the remaining four noodles, cutting just to fit. 
23. Then add the remaining tomato sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan. 
24. Cover with foil and bake until bubbly and hot, about 20 minutes. 
25. Remove the foil and cook until the cheese begins to brown, about 10 minutes more. 
26. Allow to rest for 10 minutes so the lasagna will cut more easily. 
27. Garnish with the parsley. 

Recipe from Food Network