Blake Makes

This past Christmas, I was super excited to get Blake an autographed copy of Chef John Folse’s The Encyclopedia of Cajun and Creole Cuisine. Since we both grew up in North Louisiana, we didn’t have a lot of exposure to this type of cooking, so I was looking forward to learning a thing or two from Folse (who’s also an old favorite on Saturday morning PBS). He certainly didn’t disappoint - this cookbook is truly an encyclopedia of everything anyone would want to know about the cuisine of South Louisiana.

His recipe for Chicken and Sausage Gumbo was a little different than other gumbos I’ve had in the past (mushrooms??), but it was wonderfully rich and delicious (and the mushrooms were great).

Ingredients:

• 1 (5lb) stewing hen
• 1 lb smoked sausage or andouille (I like to use both and prefer Manda brand if you can find it.)
• 1 cup oil
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 cups diced onions
• 2 cups diced celery
• 1 cup diced bell peppers
• 1/4 cup minced garlic
• 3 quarts chicken stock
• 24 button mushrooms
• 2 cups sliced green onions
• 1 bay leaf
• sprig of thyme
• 1 tbsp chopped basil
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• Louisiana hot sauce to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• cooked white rice (we will use brown if going more healthy)

Directions:

Using a sharp boning knife, cut hen into 8-10 serving pieces. Remove as much fat as possible. Cut smoked sausage or andouille into 1/2 inch slices and set aside.

In a 2 gallon stockpot, heat oil over medium high heat. Whisk in flour, stirring constantly until golden brown roux is achieved. (Do not walk away during this process unless your kids are bleeding.) Stir in onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic. Saute 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Blend chicken and sausage into vegetable mixture, and saute approximately 15 minutes. Add chicken stock, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce to simmer and cook approximately 1 hour.

Skim any fat or oil that rises to top of pot. Stir in mushrooms, green onions, bay leaf, thyme and basil. Season to taste using salt, pepper and hot sauce. Cook an additional 1-2 hours, if necessary, until chicken is tender and falling apart. Stir in parsley and adjust seasonings. Serve over hot white rice.

NOTE: You may wish to boil chicken 1-2 hours before beginning gumbo. Reserve stock, bone chicken and use meat and stock in gumbo.

It’s getting colder down here in New Orleans, and colder weather means cozy food. We actually had a fire in the fireplace last night, and tonight we’re making s’mores. Now, it’s going to be nearly 80 this weekend, but that’s ok. Sticky, oppressive summertime heat is never far from a Louisianian’s mind. For now, my cooler surroundings invite me to warm up from the inside out. This garlic soup is great at that.

Like we do on most Saturday mornings, Bridget was thumbing through our massive and invaluable Gourmet Cookbook (again, thanks Patter). She found a recipe for Rustic Garlic Soup, and was intrigued by its relatively few ingredients and simple preparation.

I knew that when you roasted garlic, it went all sweet and squishy, but garlic as the centerpiece? Not chickeny-garlic soup, or some other name that might imply the garlic’s there but only slightly. No, this recipe was making no excuses. It was owning its garlicy-ness. I admire that kind of confidence.

The cookbook’s blurb said in Italy this is called “aquacotta,” or cooked water, and at first, that’s what I thought it was. Admittedly, even after my first sip I thought it tasted a lot like chicken water, but the house was filled with that tuck-you-in garlic aroma. You know the type. It’s that smell cookies baking, or freshly brewed coffee.

I ladled a bowlful, grabbed a spoon and a hunk of bread, and prepared to “choke it down.”

Three bowls later, I told Bridget that we would serve this on Mondays in our restaurant.

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