Hmmmm...doughnuts...

There are several versions of doughnuts in Louisiana. Of course, there are the standard round things with a hole in the middle, encased in a sugary glaze. But then there are my favorite--beignets. Little deep-fried pillows of heavenly goodness, sprinkled with powdered sugar as if from a magic doughnut fairy. If you ever find yourself in New Orleans, please go to Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter and order some beignets. Hmmm...beignets.

There are lesser known versions of doughnuts too. Little treats that are fritter-like, made from a few simple ingredients, but packing huge delight.

Calas (KUH-la) are deep-fried rice fritters that have a practical spin...they require leftover rice. We eat a lot of rice here. This past week, we ate rice with dinner almost every night (so much for my meal planning skills). In my defense, I'm surrounded by rice fields. Anyway, we eat a lot of rice but we don't eat it all...there's bound to be some leftover. What do you do with it?

I recently attended a food demo given by Poppy Tooker, who promotes the Slow Food Movement and Eat It To Save It. If you watch Throwdown with Bobby Flay, you may have seen her kick ass during a gumbo challenge. One of Poppy's passions is to preserve the Creole tradition of making Calas. I had heard the word and basically knew what they were, but had never tasted them. They weren't being made anymore. These fritters, consisting of rice, flour, egg, sugar and a few other simple items, were sold on the streets of the French Quarter in the 1800s. Here's where the story gets interesting and hooked me. According to Poppy Tooker, Slaves could purchase their freedom if they had the funds. Slaves had one day a week off, which they often used to make and sell calas. The money they earned bought them their freedom. Calas are a food made of simple ingredients with a powerful, life-changing history. Through the efforts of Poppy Tooker, these little treats are showing up all over New Orleans.
Another South LA doughnut variation is the Cajun take on beignets...
croquignoles (croaks-in-yoal). Croquignoles are similar to beignets in that they are cut into rectangles or triangles, however I think this is where the similarities end. Beignets are light and airy, being hollow inside. Croquignoles are dense, almost like a tea cake or scone. I prefer both the texture and taste of beignets, but I will admit that croquignoles can be made much faster. Beignets are made from a yeast dough which is chilled overnight, while the Cajun croquignoles have no yeast and require no down-time.

Several old timers have said that croquignoles were a coveted after school snack, although most cookbooks list them as a breakfast item. Originally croquignoles were fried in hog lard (hey, don't judge...that's what they had). A few people have mentioned that they remember their mothers or grandmothers dropping the dough by tablespoons into the oil, but most recipes I've come across call for rolling out the dough. I tried the drop method and found that the outside gets too brown before the inside is cooked.


Calas
from Poppy Tooker (basic version)

vegetable oil for frying
2 c cooked rice (best if cooked ahead of time and cooled)
6 heaping Tbsp flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 c sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
confectioner's sugar

Begin heating your oil to 360 degrees.

Combine rice, flour, and baking powder in a bowl. Mix in sugar. Mix in vanilla. Add eggs to bind the ingredients and mix well. It will form a nice tight batter. carefully drop rice mixture by spoonfuls into hot oil and fry until golden brown. Remove from oil with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and serve hot.

Mis en place for the calas. Make me proud and get it ready, ya'll!
Use rice that has been cooked previously and chilled for best results. This is an easy batter and fast to put together.

Make sure your oil is hot enough before adding the batter. If you don't have a deep fryer, use a thermometer or test the oil by adding a small bit of batter. If the batter bubbles, it's ready to go. If it just sits there, the oil is not hot enough. Be careful when adding the batter..don't just throw it in! Use two spoons or an ice cream scoop.








Fry until nice and golden brown all over. Turn them over part way through. Nice!



Dust with confectioner's sugar. I like to use a small sieve. Works great. Now go pour some coffee and eat 'em before they get cold, baby.




Croquignoles
from Ms. enPlace
oil for frying
3 eggs
1/2 c sugar
1 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
3 to 3 1/2 c flour
confectioner's sugar

Heat oil to 350 degrees.
Beat eggs. Add sugar, melted butter, water, and vanilla. Mix well. Sift baking powder and flour together. Add to egg mixture. Roll out dough to about 1/8" on a floured surface. Cut into triangles or rectangles (pizza cutter works well). Carefully place in hot oil, being careful not to crowd. Fry until golden brown on both sides (turn halfway through). Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Serve.

Mis en place for croquignoles. Don't get started without it!
Beat the eggs, then add the liquid ingredients and mix well. Sift the flour and baking powder, then add to the egg mixture. You may not need all of the flour. Use 3 cups first, mix it in, then sift more if needed.



After mixing the dough (You know, sometimes hands work the best. Don't worry, they're washable), place on a floured surface and roll out. Cut into triangles or rectangles. A pizza cutter works great.

Carefully place in hot oil (don't forget to test it first), fry until golden brown on both sides.

Dust with confectioner's sugar and serve right away.

One Fish, Two Fish, Redfish...Courtbouillon

Courtbouillon (COO-bee-yahn) is a dish popular in and around New Orleans. Many New Orleanians enjoy catching redfish, so why not? Redfish was made extremely popular and mainstream in the early 80s by Chef Paul Prudhomme’s decision to burn...er, blacken it. Blackened redfish became a craze, and while I will admit that it is tasty, I do think it greatly contributed to the over fishing of redfish. The Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana (CCA) (formerly GCCA) took actions to stop the over fishing in the mid 80s. Blackening fish is neither Cajun nor Creole cooking. There was a time when if a Cajun “blackened” fish, it would be tossed to the dogs.

Back to Courtbouillon. Redfish isn’t the only fish that can be used. Any firm white flesh fish will work. There are also different techniques for making this dish. My dad makes his in a baking pan in the oven. I prefer to use a pot on the stove top...my oven heats up the kitchen way more than I’d like. The disadvantage of cooking this in a pot is that the fish can break apart easily. If using a pot, make sure your sauce is thickened to your liking before adding the fish and don’t boil or stir it after the fish go in.

I started cooking Courtbouillon when I was first married. My husband’s grandfather was a commercial fisherman along the Atchafalaya River. Most of his customers wanted catfish, but that wasn’t always what he was able to catch. Often, he would catch gaspergou (we just call it “goo”), an unattractive fish with an even uglier name and a freshwater relative of redfish. Old Pop Pop would give us the goo he couldn’t sell. Goo was considered second rate to some. But Courtbouillon is a great application for it.

The obviously-French word courtbouillon means “short broth.” In traditional French cooking, courtbouillon was a broth of vegetables, herbs, and wine or lemon juice, used to poach shellfish (usually) or fish. In South Louisiana, courtbouillon is much more brash and robust—made with tomatoes and often thickened with a roux. Courtbouillon here is a bold stew rather than a fancy-pants broth, a classic Creole dish with ties to French and African ancestors. Note to self: one day I really have to discuss the difference between Creole and Cajun cooking.

Redfish Courtbouillon

from Ms. enPlace

1/2 c vegetable oil
1/2 c flour
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
about ¼ c minced garlic
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 quart warm water or stock
about ¼ c Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt, or to taste
¼-½ tsp black pepper
¼-½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
¾ c chopped green onions, divided
½ c chopped parsley, divided
juice of ½ small lemon
2-3 pounds redfish fillets, or other firm white fish
cooked white rice

Make a brown roux in a cast iron or stainless steel pot using the flour and oil. Add the oil and flour to your pot, on medium high heat. Cook them together, stirring constantly.

When the roux is the color you’d like, add the chopped onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are tender. Add the can of tomatoes plus juice and cook in the vegetable mixture for a few minutes. Next, add 1 qt of warm water or stock (I like to use warm liquid so the roux doesn’t separate), and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Simmer for about 40-45 minutes, adding more liquid if needed.

Toss in ½ c green onions, ¼ c parsley, and lemon juice. Taste the sauce for seasoning and adjust. Gently add the fish and do not boil or stir. Simmer fish for about 10-15 minutes, depending on thickness. Serve the courtbouillon over rice and garnish with reserved green onion and parsley.

I like to start with a roux, but not everyone starts this way. Look here to see how to make a Louisiana style roux.
Roux is used to thicken sauces, soups, stews, etc. It is made with some type of fat (oil, butter) and flour. There are several different techniques and ratios. I like to start with equal parts of oil and flour and go from there.


Stir, stir, stir.

And stir some more. I guess it's more like scraping. I like to use a spatula with a flat edge and scrape along the bottom of the pot. Normally, I'd use a cast iron pot, but I wanted a shallow pot for this recipe to help keep my fish intact.When the roux is the color you'd like, add the chopped vegetables to temporarily stop the cooking process. There's nothing better than the smell of onions & bell pepper cooking in a roux. Absolutely nothing.

Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender.










Add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes, then add warm water or stock. I use warm (or even hot) liquid so my roux doesn't separate. I didn't stand there stirring it all that time just to ruin it now.











Add the seasonings, bring to a boil, then simmer for close to an hour. Add more liquid if too much cooks away.












Is the sauce as thick as you'd like? If not, simmer longer. If it is, carefully add the fish. Don't boil or stir after this point or the fish fillets will break apart and that would be a shame.


Serve over cooked rice and top with green onions and parsley. This Redfish Courtbouillon was served with Corn Maque Chou (Mock shoo).

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Hot, Fast, & Easy

Whoa...wait a minute, I’m talking about food here. Did Google mislead you?

Last week’s recipe was all about home-style slow cooking. Let’s go in the opposite direction this week. I’d like to share my favorite recipe for when I need something fast and easy. This is a great thing to make during the summer when I don’t want to heat up the kitchen too much.
The original recipe can be found at Foodnetwork. I followed the recipe the first time I made it and thought it was somewhat lacking...one dimensional even. After experimenting, I found that adding Kalamata olives really perks this up and gives it some needed interest. I also changed the procedure a little bit to make it less putzy (for me anyway).


This is what you’ll need:
That’s my mise en place. Oh, we should talk about that... mise en place! No, not Ms. enPlace (although I could devote this post to talking about myself if you really wanted...but I’m thinking you’re not here for that). Mise en place is a French term that roughly means “everything in its place.” It is what you see all the cool TV chefs doing. You know, all their cute little bowls of pre-measured this-and-that lined up neatly, nicely waiting their turn to join in the fun. I have to confess that there was a time when I did not acknowledge “the meez.” Since then, I have learned the error of my ways. Once I became enlightened I was confused as to why an insanely organized person like me never embraced the concept in the first place. Weird.

I don’t take mise en place as far as the TV food stars do mainly because I don’t have a behind-the-scenes staff to clean up all those pesky extra dishes. I used to be the behind-the-scenes person and don’t need to relive that. I don’t usually premeasure things like spices, sugar, and flour into tiny bowls. But I do gather all of those items, as well as any pots, pans, and tools I need, and set them out on my counter before I begin. This really does make for a smooth-flowing cooking experience. You’ll never again burn your dinner because you had to dismantle your pantry looking for a stinkin’ can of chicken broth. (Disclaimer: dinners may be burned for other reasons. I cannot be held responsible.) You’ll never again get half-way through a recipe just to find that you are out of eggs. Mise en place makes sense!

Enough yammering...let’s get going.

* Make the chili oil ahead of time (night before) to speed things up.
* One recipe easily serves 5-6.
* Scroll down to see how you can turn this recipe into an inexpensive holiday gift.

Quick Fiery Pastafrom Ms. enPlace, adapted from FoodNetwork
1 pound spaghetti
½ c flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp lemon zest (about 2 medium lemons)
juice of 1 lemon½ c chili oil (recipe follows)
1 c pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
2/3 c grated Parmesan cheese
Variations: toss in grilled chicken or shrimp

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. While pasta cooks, combine parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, chili oil, and olives in a bowl or measuring cup. (Use a measuring cup to cut down on dirty dishes...you need it for the chili oil anyway!) Place cooked pasta in a large serving bowl. Pour chili oil mixture on top of pasta, throw in the Parmesan cheese (reserve a small amount for garnish), coarse salt, and red pepper flakes. Toss. Sprinkle more Parmesan cheese on top or on individual servings, if desired.

Chili Oil:
1 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper flakes

Combine the oil and crushed red pepper flakes in a heavy small saucepan. Cook over low heat until a thermometer inserted into the oil registers 180 degrees F, or about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Transfer the oil and pepper flakes to a bottle or jar. Refrigerate up to 1 month.

*This is twice as much oil as what you’ll need for the pasta. Either cut the chili oil recipe in half, or use the remainder on grilled or sautéed chicken, shrimp, fresh steamed vegetables, mashed potatoes, or anything your heart desires.

I love this recipe so much, a few years ago I made Christmas gifts based on it. Included in a gift basket were: the chili oil, packaged in a pretty bottle ($1 store!), spaghetti server, cheese grater, pot holders (all from the $1 store), a tiny crock of sea salt (salt and crock purchased separately at Bed Bath and Beyond), lemons, spaghetti, and the recipe. It was inexpensive and a big hit!

Good Gravy! That’s Rice & Gravy.

Every good Cajun loves a good rice and gravy. Cajun men, in particular, seem to possess a strong envie (craving) for this dish...especially if it is made by their Maw-Maws or Mamas.

If you aren’t familiar, rice and gravy also involves meat. No, I don’t know why this isn’t mentioned in the recipe title. Inexpensive cuts of beef are usually used. Chicken and pork can also be used. My preference is for round steak. I’ve also used stew meat. My mother in law prefers seven steaks (or seven bone steak). Onions are always present. Bell peppers usually surface. Depending on the cook, garlic and/or celery may be added.

Before we get started there are some things you should know.

* This is not a fast meal. All this goodness takes time, patience, and love (which is partly why it is so good).

* If you try to adapt this to a crock pot I will be very sad. No...I’ll be hot (and not the good kind). I will be angry and fly into a rage. For the love of Pete, don’t do it. It just isn’t the same. Please trust me on this.

* As you brown the beef, it will become extremely tough. You will face a moment of doubt. You will curse me and start wondering if everything you read on the internet really isn’t true after all. Look, I wouldn’t steer you wrong, babe (at least not intentionally). Part of the magic of a good rice and gravy is the slow simmering. This will make the meat nice and tender...falling apart.

* Do not use a non-stick pot. I repeat...NO non-stick cookware. Again, please just trust me. You’ll want the meat to stick. This is what helps the gravy get dark and lovely.

* The more onions you use, the thicker the gravy will be.

* The more you brown the meat, the darker your gravy will be.


So...ready to move on to the recipe? Ok. Gather up what you need. I’ll wait.

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Rice and Gravy 
from Ms. enPlace

Oil or Crisco
1 pound round steak Salt, pepper, Cajun or Creole seasoning
1 very large onion 
Water
1 bell pepper
2 ribs celery, if you want
3-4 cloves garlic, or as much or as little as you want
cooked rice

If you have a cast iron pot, by all means use it. Do not use a non-stick pot. You’ll be sorry. Chop all vegetables. Cut steak into pieces and season with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning. While you are doing this, heat vegetable oil or Crisco (about med-high heat) in the bottom of your non-stick pot (enough to thinly coat the bottom).

When oil is hot, add meat. Brown the meat, allowing crust (fond) to form in spots on the bottom of the pot (this is key for a rich, dark gravy). At first, all you will see is your steak boiling in juices. That’s fine. You’ll have to cook off the juices before you get a nice crust on your pan. It will take some time. Really, you are doing fine. Stir while browning the meat. You want brown, but not burnt. Once you've got some crust forming, add a little water (enough to cover the bottom of the pot), scrape the crust with the flat edge of a spatula, and cook down again, evaporating the water. Brown to get crusty spots to form on your pot again, add water, scrape the pot, cook the water away again. Same deal as before. Repeat this process a few times. It will help make your gravy darker in the end. I like to repeat this process about 4 times. No, I’m not crazy. I just like a good, dark gravy. You should too.

Once the meat is really brown and you are satisfied with the color of the water (more water will be added to your final product, so it should be really dark), evaporate the water away one more time, add chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery if you are using it and cook until they brown up a bit. Toss in some chopped garlic and cook a few minutes.

Add enough water to cover the meat and simmer until the meat is tender. This takes a while for certain cuts of meat (sometimes I use stew beef). When I say “a while,” I mean at least an hour. The longer the better.

When you are satisfied with the tenderness of the meat, reduce the water to make a thicker gravy. Taste for seasoning and serve over rice. Mais, talk about good! 


Using round steak today. I've got my oil nice and hot and added the meat...and I'm not using non-stick cookware. Cast iron or stainless steel works really well for this.

Notice all the liquid in the bottom of the pot.

Totally normal.This will have to cook off before you can get nice crusty spots to form.

  

The meat has started to brown up nicely,

but we still have a ways to go til good gravy.

Now the meat is starting to stick a little, leaving behind lots of beautiful, yummy crusty goodness. This is what will make your gravy nice and dark and provide a deep flavor. Oh, my! No, it's not burnt!  It's pretty!

I've added some water and started scraping the crust of the bottom. Crust is such an ugly word. The French call it "fond." A Cajun might call it "gremille," which means little bits, scraps, or crumbs left in the bottom of the pan.  It's all good. I'll let this water cook off and allow more crusty goodness to form. Add more water. Scrape. Cook water off. Do this about four (4) times. 

Yes, really.

 

Skipping ahead here, so pay attention! I've gone through the crust-forming steps four times. Then, I've added my chopped onion, bell pepper, etc. and allowed that to brown a little too. Add water to cover everything and simmer for at least an hour, or until meat is tender.

So, here it is. All I have to do is cook the rice, let this simmer, and wait for dinner. Ya'll come on over!

Linking this to The Saturday Evening Pot's
Star Recipe Collection