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NOCE News:// Fall 2007
Hello from New Orleans,
As usual we have been busy and things are moving along in New Orleans and at the New Orleans Cooking Experience. Also, as usual, our fabulous November weather has brought an official end to the long, hot summer. Sweaters and jackets are out of storage and the holidays are almost here.
Below the newsletter, you will find two terrific Louisiana Thanksgiving and Christmas recipes: Frank Brigtsen’s andouille cornbread dressing and Chiqui Collier’s oyster patties.
And don’t forget, we have gift certificates available for all programs, if you are looking for something special for any food lovers or cooks on your gift list.
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Update on New Orleans’ Recovery
Today, Sunday, November 11th, the streetcars have returned to St. Charles Avenue – finally! It’s hard to believe that it has been over two years since they have clanked and swayed down the Avenue. The street cars have graced St. Charles Avenue since 1835 beginning with mule drawn cars, and then were electrified in 1893. Prior to “The Thing”, the St. Charles Avenue Streetcars were the oldest, continuously operating street railway line in the world. They are a treasure to us and another welcome sign of our rebirth.
The city’s population appears to be at about 70-75% of pre-Katrina levels based on households receiving mail. This figure has shattered all predictions of our demise. Congress’ override of President Bush’s veto of the water bill, came as a great relief to all of us in southern Louisiana because so much of our hurricane protection and coastal restoration projects were approved, but unfunded. We are happy not to have to wait two more years for funding.
New Orleans scored in the top ten of many categories in the CNN/Travel & Leisure America’s Favorite Cities Survey. You can read about it at: http://www.neworleanscvb.com/articles/index.cfm/action/view/articleID/1536/typeID/1. We were tops in best live music, food/dining and – of course – friendliest people. We’ve also been named and “in location” by Orbitz.com and Nola and the Gulf Coast were chosen as the second most beautiful place in America by NBC’s Today Show.
And for those thinking of coming for a visit, our air service is now above 80% of the pre-floodwall and levee failure levels and improving every day.
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We’re Doing Better, But We’re Not Yet “Fixed”
People are still struggling to put their lives back together. Red tape continues to surround every project at every level. But, we seem to be getting there anyway. We are definitely a bootstrap city these days. We are all activists now. We are rife with zoning and other issues in our neighborhoods. But, we now have the most dynamic neighborhood associations in the city’s history. We also have many other watchdog groups that have formed to monitor levees and floodwalls, demolition of properties, our courts and more. Everyone wants to move forward and build a better future, but forward with a future that protects and respects our unique heritage and culture.
A large and well-respected housing developer has just this week left the area. On its face this seems to be bad economic news for us. However, they left because they discovered that people here prefer to live in old houses, rather than new houses that look like old ones.
We are happy to say goodbye to the 2007 hurricane season and look forward to another year of floodwall and levee repair and improvements.
As mentioned in other newsletters, we have good days and bad days. The news about FEMA not allowing their staff to enter trailers for health reasons, is beyond disturbing since we have thousands of people throughout the Gulf Coast who have been living in FEMA trailers for a very long time. And FEMA, many months ago, was ordered by Congress to test formaldehyde levels the inhabited trailers, but has not yet begun to do that.
On the other hand, in addition to our great volunteers, we have all met the most amazing FEMA independent contractors who are totally devoted to helping us make our lives whole. Many of them have succumbed to our charms and are hoping to stay here permanently.
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News from NOCE. 2007 has been a decent and busy year for us. While we are not back to pre-flood levels of business, we are getting close. Jane had a precious little boy, Benjamin, at the end of October. Chiqui is going to be a grandmother again in January. Frank Brigtsen is still involved in the recovery of our food industries and Brigtsen’s Restaurant continues to wow diners in every way. Poppy is still traveling all over to support our fishers and food producers. And, in general, things are fine and rolling along.
As always, we continue to have the most wonderful people come to our classes – both locals and visitors.
New Orleans is definitely alive and kicking. If you haven’t been back lately, come see us and take a ride on the St. Charles Avenue streetcar. You won’t be disappointed.
We wish you a glorious Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. And, as always, if you make the recipes, let us know how they come out.
Best wishes to all,
Judy
Judy Jurisich
504/945-9104
866/500-NOCE (toll free)
2275 Bayou Road
New Orleans, LA 70119
www.neworleanscookingexperience.com
judy@neworleanscookingexperience.com
Holiday Recipes from New Orleans
Here is the best of both worlds. Oysters are at the center of many traditional holiday foods in New Orleans, since they are just about at their best at this time of year. Last year, we sent you an oyster dressing recipe. This year we’re sending an alternative dressing recipe, Frank Brigtsen’s amazing Andouille Cornbread Dressing. But we can’t leave you without any oysters for the holidays. So please enjoy Chiqui’s Oyster Patties. To many of us, it would not be Thanksgiving or Christmas if there were no oyster patties around. You can use them in small patty shells for appetizers, or make them a centerpiece of your dinners in larger shells. Enjoy. And, if you missed the oyster dressing recipe last year and want to try it, just drop me a note and we’ll send it on to you.
Oyster Patties from Chiqui Collier
1 stick unsalted butter
½ cup finely minced celery
2 bunches finely sliced green onions and tops
2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 pints fresh oysters, drained (reserve liquid)
½ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon Lea & Perrins
1 teaspoon Thyme
Tabasco to taste
Salt and black pepper to taste
½ cup finely minced Italian Parsley
Melt butter in a large skillet; sauté all vegetables until soft about 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the softened vegetables and cook about two minutes. Slowly stir in the wine and the reserved oyster water. Cook until well blended. Add all remaining ingredients except the oysters. Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. Taste and correct seasonings. When ready to serve, stir in the reserved oysters. Cook until the oysters are heated through; about 5 minutes. If mixture seems too thin, stir in a few tablespoons of dry bread crumbs to thicken. Fill baked pastry shells with oyster mixture and serve immediately.
Serves 6-8 as a first course.
To serve cocktail size oyster patties chop mushrooms and oysters before adding to recipe.
Andouille Cornbread Dressing
Frank Brigtsen – Brigtsen’s Restaurant
Yield: 10-12 portions as a side dish
CHEF’S NOTES: In this recipe, the onions, celery, and bell peppers are added in two stages. The first stage is cooked until dark brown (caramelized) and the second stage is cooked until the onions are soft and clear. This produces two different levels of taste and texture.
Note: if you can’t get andouille, try it with another type of quality smoked sausage.
For the cornbread:
¾ cup all-purpose white flour
¾ cup yellow corn meal
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 ½ teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh jalapeño pepper
½ cup thinly sliced green onions
2 eggs
¼ cup melted unsalted butter
1 ¼ cup buttermilk
1) Preheat oven to 350°. In a mixing bowl, add the flour, corn meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, jalapeños, and green onions. Mix until well blended and set aside.
2) In a separate mixing bowl, add the eggs and whisk until frothy. Add the melted butter and buttermilk and whisk until well blended.
3) Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well blended. Pour the cornbread batter into a buttered 9x12x2-inch baking pan and bake until the top is browned and a knife inserted into the middle of the cornbread comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
To make the cornbread dressing:
1 tablespoon pomace olive oil or vegetable oil
3 cups finely diced andouille sausage (quarter the sausage lengthwise and slice ¼-inch thick)
8 cups finely diced yellow onions (1/4-inch pieces)
5 cups finely diced celery (1/4-inch pieces)
3 cups finely diced red, yellow, and green bell peppers (1/4-inch pieces)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried whole-leaf thyme
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
¾ cup chicken or turkey stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1) Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the andouille and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is browned, 6-8 minutes.
2) Add 6 cups of onions, 4 cups of celery, 2 cups of bell peppers, and the bay leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables turn dark brown (caramelized), about 15 minutes.
3) Add the remaining onions, celery, and bell peppers, the salt, thyme, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the second stage of onions become soft and clear, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
4) Crumble the cooked cornbread. Add the cornbread and stock to the vegetable mixture. Mix until well blended. Transfer the cornbread/vegetable mixture to a shallow baking pan and bake for 25 minutes at 350°. Remove from oven and set aside.
5) Temper the eggs: In a mixing bowl, add the eggs and whisk until frothy. Add three large spoonfuls of the cornbread dressing, one at a time, mixing well after each spoonful. Fold the egg mixture back into the pan of cornbread dressing. Add the softened butter and mix until well blended. Bake for 20 more minutes. Remove from oven.
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