The Gulf of Mexico produces some of the world’s best oysters, so it was a no-brainer for this round of recipe development. I picked out a dozen beautiful oysters from a local seafood market, Tony’s Seafood and made a simple wine butter featuring Jay D’s Blanc du Bois that complemented the natural flavor of the oysters. Simple, delicious, and quite the treat!
Chargrilled Oysters in Blanc Du Bois Butter
1 dozen(12) Gulf oysters, shucked and on the halfshell 1 stick butter, unsalted ½ cup Parmesan cheese 2 Tbs chives, minced ½ cup Jay D’s Blanc du Bois 1 Tbs fresh garlic, minced
For the Blanc du Bois Butter: Allow butter to soften and combine with parmesan, chives, Jay D’s Blanc du Bois and garlic. Mix very well then put in fridge to harden.
Shuck oysters and leave on half shell. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to each oyster and grill or broil until butter is bubbly and slightly browned.
You know the feeling when you see a beautiful ear of corn, and you've just got to have it? Local farm-to-table grocery delivery service Indie Plate has produce from farms around the Baton Rouge area that's a feast for the eyes and your belly.
I spotted this corn scrolling through their online produce section and our friend Chef Aimee Tortorich came up with this perfectly summertime dish:
Smoked Sweet Corn with Jay D's Spicy & Sweet BBQ Rub Butter:
Serves 2 Smoked Sweet Corn:
2 Ears of Sweet Corn
1 Tbsp Jay D’s Spicy & Sweet BBQ Rub compound butter (see recipe below)
2 Tbsp queso fresco or feta cheese
Place whole corn in the husks on a grill or smoker (or in the oven) at 275 F for about one hour, or until soft. Remove the husks and silk from the corn. Finish by rubbing the corn with the BBQ compound butter and sprinkling on the crumbly cheese.
1 cup softened unsalted butter
1 Tbsp Jay D’s Spicy & Sweet BBQ Rub
In a small mixing bowl, mix softened butter and Jay D’s Spicy & Sweet BBQ Rub until incorporated. Remove butter from bowl and spoon onto parchment paper or plastic wrap. Roll into log and chill for 2 hours before serving.
A couple weeks ago, Chef Jeff Williams with the New Orleans based pop-up Sojourn, invited me to attend his first dinner. Intrigued, I agreed to go and brought my Chief Confusion Coordinator, Blair Loup, along for the ride. Speculations about our impending dining experience weaseled their way into the business strategy talks and pop culture debates that are the typical Jay and Blair conversations. While we were optimistic about the menu, what the 21 year old Massachusetts native who came to New Orleans via Indiana presented wound up being one of the most inspired meals I've eaten this year.
Sojourn plans to occupy kitchens in small spaces like The Tasting Room, a cozy wine bar on Magazine St., where our dinner was held. The concept is to present a variable tasting menu on a weekly basis to 10-12 guests. Sojourn pops up, creates a magical meal, and then they are gone, updating you via social media as to when and where the next dinner might be. After the dishes I enjoyed during Chef Jeff's first dinner, I hope Sojourn stays around for a while.
Radish, Tarragon, Oyster
The first dish represented a bold and interesting plate of raw radishes surrounding a tarragon and oyster emulsion. The radish is mild in flavor, but very crisp in texture, which paired well with the velvety tarragon puree.
Pig Ear, Arugula, Herbs, Horseradish
The second course has ruined every other salad for me. I think I could eat it everyday. Coming from somebody like me, that's a huge statement. The horseradish vinaigrette added just enough kick to the peppery arugula to make a savory salad come to life. The fresh baby carrots added a playfully delightful component and I'm not sure that I can use anything other than salty, crispy pig ear instead of croutons in a salad ever again. This was truly a remarkable dish.
Chicken Skin, Andouille
Thin chicken skins with andouille spice gave us a nice salty crisp before the soup course. The plating throughout the dinner was on point. The chicken skins were served on sealed slices of wood that Jeff made from a fallen tree limb.
Celeriac, Stems
The soup only worked if you can appreciate celery, so fortunately growing up in Louisiana where celery replaces the carrot in the Holy Trinity of Cajun Cooking, I didn't mind. A strong flavor of celery cut with a slight creaminess made for an earthy, cozy soup.
Cracker, Brown Butter
Another snack plated on pieces of a fallen tree limb, this stump held a homemade cracker with a hand-churned brown butter. Simple, sure, but also really well executed and a great bite between the other courses.
Grains, Smoked Yolk, Scallion
Blair's favorite dish smelled like coffee and smoke upon arrival. Dehydrated corn puff-esque morsels adorned with a smoked egg yolk crowned a bed of other grains. The smokiness of the yolk made it smell heartier than I expected a grain-focused dish to be. It's important in dinners like these to not fill up too quickly, so I appreciated the lightness of the menu items up to this point.
Purple Potato, Dill, Fennel
A warm, crushed purple potato wading in dill oil came out to the table next. Once again Sojourn showed that simplicity can be as delicious as complexity. Sometimes letting ingredients speak for themselves truly allows them to shine.
Butter, Bread
While we waited for the next course, Chef Jeff brought out some sliced bread with a hand-churned, cultured butter. Thick in consistency, the fresh butter had a hint of bleu cheese in flavor.
Pork Belly, Fennel, Rutabaga
I haven't met any pork belly I didn't like. The slow-cooked meat and rendered fat creates a flavorful and punch of pig that nobody can resist. Beautifully plated with charred fennel and rutabaga puree, the fork-tender pork belly gave us a nice savory lead into dessert.
Apple, Honeydew, Yogurt
An icy green apple granita sprinkled atop a dollop of homemade yogurt accentuated by medallions of honeydew melon put it's tart foot forward. The ensemble of flavors gracefully walked that fine line between tart and puckering so well that I couldn't stop eating until every drop danced on my taste buds.
French Butter Pastry
Chef Jeff Williams doesn't consider himself much of a pastry chef, but these warm, buttery French pastries were downright delectable. I look forward to seeing what dishes he puts on his next menu. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook to catch the next Sojourn journey.
Le Creole is one of over 25 restaurants participating in the upcoming Baton Rouge Restaurant Week from January 14-19. I had a chance to hang out in the kitchen with chef Ryan Andre to help him put together a new steak dish: filet mignon over a bed of sweet potato hash with melted BONE MARROW BUTTER and fried leeks. Take a look for yourself at the deliciousness that ensued!
Restaurant Week gives you the opportunity to enjoy the very best restaurants Baton Rouge has to offer at irresistible price points. From $15 - $35 per person, these unique three course menus are sure to tempt your taste buds at unheard of prices.
Fresina's Whole Wheat Elena Piccola Pasta, Mushroom-Oregano Brown Butter Sauce
Since February I've been doing monthly cooking demos at Fresina's Pasta Company in the Drusilla Shopping Center in Baton Rouge. Fresina's is a family-owned pasta company that makes their Italian specialties from scratch. You can go check out the great Italian market with more amazing food crammed between the walls that I can imagine. In the back, between where the pasta is made, Frank and Linda have a little Tuscan-style kitchens where chefs conduct cooking classes and guests get to learn, socialize, and eat! I'll be there with my brother Eric from BR Beer Scene on June 15th and 16th to do a pizza and beer class, then again July 27th and 28th for some TBD Italian specialties. To sign up for any classes that I'm teaching or that anybody else is teaching, just stop in Fresina's or give Linda a call at 225-926-1341.
Pinot Grigio with Course 1, Sangiovese with Course 2, Presecco with Course 3
I titled a recent class "Three Gluttonous Sins: Butter, Bacon, and Chocolate." Each course was also paired with an exceptional Italian wine from International Wine and Spirits. Here is the recipe and result from course one. The other two will follow in other posts.
Course 1: Fresina's Whole Wheat Elena Piccola Pasta, Mushroom-Oregano Brown Butter Sauce
1/2 Pound (two sticks) of Sweet Cream Butter, Divided
1 Yellow Onion, Finely Diced
8 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1/2 Cup of Fresh Oregano Leaves, Plus More for Garnish
1 Tbsp Veal Demi-Glace
1 Cup Chopped Mushrooms (Mini Portabellas)
Fresina's Whole Wheat Elena Piccola Pasta
Parmesan Reggiano Cheese
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Boil slightly salted water over high heat to prepare for the pasta.
With water at a rolling boil, add the 8 ounce box of Fresina's Whole Wheat Elena Piccola Pasta. Stir until the water returns to a rolling boil. Cook for approximately 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta reaches and al dente stage. Remove the pasta from the water and add it to the sauce pan with the sauce. Stir it all together and plate. Add freshly chopped oregano and grated Parmesan cheese. Bellissimo!
My last day in NYC brought about the need for a Sunday brunch after a Saturday night of bar hopping and parties. Molly and I found the Clinton St. Baking Company on Manhattan's Lower East Side and thought it looked like a spectacular option! The cozy little cafe and bakery was packed but we fortunately got a table for two right away. After a quick glance at the menu my stomach made an excellent decision: banana walnut pancakes with warm maple butter!
Banana Walnut Pancakes with Warm Maple Butter
The pancakes themselves were warm, fluffy, and beautifully golden brown. The bananas and walnuts were just a topping, but that's okay. I still enjoyed them as accessories to the scrumptious flapjacks. The warm maple butter that came served on the side lit up the plate and consumed every bite of griddle-fried dough with its essence of sweet delight. I'd gladly hit up the Clinton St. Baking Company again whenever I'm in the neighborhood. It is a great little restaurants that the locals clearly embrace. I'm always down with that!
Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm at it again. This year, a recipe of mine has been selected as a Top 10 finalist for Draft Magazine's Annual Great Grill-Out Recipe Contest. The theme of the contest was right up Bite and Booze's alley: "recipes are limited to 10 ingredients or less - one of them must be beer - and your dish should be made on the grill." The only pantry ingredients we were allowed to include that didn't count as our ten were salt, black pepper, and olive oil. This contest was a no-brainer for me to enter and I'm thrilled that my recipe has been chosen as a finalist. If I win, I could get another Big Green Egg Smoker/Grill Package, a dual faucet kegerator from BeverageFactory.com, Omaha Steaks, a beer club membership, and more!
Please help me vote. This contest has a 1 vote per IP address per day limit and only lasts until September 9th. Give it all you've got and help me win another grilling contest!! Share this link of Facebook, Twitter, message boards, etc. or email it to all your buddies! Thanks so much everybody!
Vote here: http://draftmag.com/recipecontest/vote/
My recipe, which is also seen below, is the "Grilled Pork Chop with Spicy Peach Chutney." Click on it and it'll show you the recipe... then click on the vote button and you'll cast your ballot for me. Come back daily until September 9th to vote again!
Grilled Pork Chop with Spicy Peach Chutney
Grilled Pork Chop with Spicy Peach Chutney
Ingredients:
6 bottles of slightly fruity wheat beer
2 cups brown sugar
1 Tbsp Allspice
2 Tbsp Cinnamon
4 thick cut pork chops
1 stick of butter
2 shallots
2 jalapenos
1 garlic clove
2 peaches
salt
pepper
Step 1: Make a beer brine.
Pour 2 bottles of beer into a grill-safe pot. Heat the beer until simmering or slowly boiling. Add 1 and 1/2 cups of brown sugar, 1 Tbsp of allspice, 2 tbsp of cinnamon, 2 tbsp salt and 2 tbsp ground black pepper. Heat keep over heat until all ingredients have dissolved into the beer and come together as one. Remove from heat and chill.
Once at room temperature, add the pork chops to the brine and allow to soak for at least an hour or two.
Step 2: Drink a beer while the brine is cooling and the pork chops are in the brine. Okay, drink two beers.
Step 3: Make spicy peach chutney.
Once the pork is getting close to coming out of the brine, finely chop the shallots, jalapenos, garlic and peaches. Melt some butter in a pan over the grill. saute the shallots in the butter. Once soft, add in the jalapenos and garlic. Saute until cooked down and soft, then add the chopped peaches. Continue to cook down. Add about half of a beer (drink the other half), the 1/2 cup of brown sugar that remains, and salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook it down while moving on to step 4.
Step 4: Cook the pork chops.
Remove the pork chops from the brine. Place on the grill over a medium heat. Cook for a few minutes, then flip. Cooking times will vary depending on thickness of the chop and temperature of the grill. Probably 5-10 minutes per side. Cook to a medium temperature.
Remove the pork chops from the grill. Allow them to rest for just a few minutes. Top each chop with the spicy peach chutney, and enjoy with your last beer from the six pack.
I have made this with Bayou Teche Brewing Company's Grenade, which is a Louisiana Passionfruit beer. I suggest something with some fruit characteristics but nothing overly sweet. Pork and fruit work really well together, and a lot can mix with peach, so perhaps a raspberry beer, strawberry beer, or even a pumpkin spiced beer could work.
Day number one in Alaska. We arrived at the Anchorage airport at 7 pm Alaska time. I had woken up at 4 am Eastern time, so in all reality my sense of time seemed a little messed up. At 4:30 am I caught a cab from the conference center north of DC to the Reagan airport. From there my flight was delayed to Charlotte, but we made it eventually and I then stayed on the plane into Houston. At IAH I met Matt and Gary for our flight to Anchorage. Matt barely made it in time, but we all made it on the plane and seven hours later (and quite a few Jack Daniels beverages) we found ourselves in Alaska.
Our flight made it in about ten minutes before Brent, Eusebio, and Eric. Jason wouldn't meet us until later. Anders and Kristen came and picked us up from the airport. Life in Alaska was great already.
After settling in at Anders and Kristen's place, the time quickly came to leave the house and head downtown. We descended on Humpy's with a lot to prove. Most of all, we had beer to drink. Humpy's calls themselves the Great Alaskan Alehouse, and I'm not one to argue. The place rang with excitement on this Saturday evening. Before us stood the most beers on tap in one location in all of Alaska. They had a great selection of Alaskan craft beers as well as some good brew from the Pacific Northwest of the lower 48 and some awesome international stuff as well. I began my night with a Moose Tooth Polar Pale while we chatted with some locals and waited on a table. The beer had a light feeling and a nice balance of malt and hops. It was a fine beer to start the day with. Soon we had a table and began looking over the menu. Three of us previously agreed to attempt the Kodiak Arrest Challenge that we watched Adam Richman complete on Man vs. Food. We thought we had a chance and wanted to give it a try, even if it would nearly ruin our night. However, sitting there and seeing the $124.99 price tag, we had second thoughts due to the cost. For a brief moment, all three of us backed out and decided to just order something off the menu. Our rational thinking led us to conclude that we probably couldn't finish, it costs too much money, and we'd be miserable for the rest of the night. Then emotion took over. I looked over the menu and there was nothing that I wanted to try more than the challenge. Gary restated his decision to not attempt the challenge, but Eusebio and I tacked our sails. We had come to attempt this gastronomic feat, and we'd be damned if we let ourselves back out at the moment of truth. I loosened my belt, got my mind focused, and told the waiter that Eusebio and I each wanted to tackle the Kodiak Arrest Challenge! For an introduction, watch the video below:
The Kodiak Arrest Challenge is a feasting competition of Alaskan proportions. It starts with 3 lbs of Alaskan King Crab legs. Listed on the menu at $34.99 per pound, the Challenge is almost worth its price right there. After the crab, the platter is loaded with a foot-and-a-half-long link of reindeer sausage, seven salmon or crab cakes, mashed potatoes or fried rice, and mixed vegetables. At the end there is also a berry crisp dessert served with ice cream. All together, the food weighs six pounds and must be consumed in 90 minutes or less. We had our work cut out for us! Now for a pictorial journey:
Jay and Eusebio were in a good mood before the Kodiak Arrest Challenge arrived at their table.
Upon seeing their meal, they got even more excited. At this point everything seemed fun.
The Kodiak Arrest Challenge awaited my first taste and the start of the 90 minute timer.
These fresh Alaskan King Crabs were rich with flavor and absolutely delicious!
Early on I was in plenty good enough spirits to play with my food! Reindeer Sausage vs Crab Claw!
Time had come to get down to business. I started fast and furious with my eating.
Eusebio felt the pain of the enormous challenge. He gave it a strong effort but in the end couldn't stomach it.
Meanwhile, I struggled over the last 45 minutes of the challenge, having to use water to help me swallow.
However, at the 90 minute mark, I completed the challenge! A happy plate did not equal a happy Jay. Still, this challenge provides absolutely amazing food. The Alaskan King Crab is worth every penny. The rich and flavorful crab is bright red and loaded with excellence. The reindeer sausage also tasted fantastic before I let it sit on my plate too long and get cold. I absolutely feel like I got my money's worth out of the challenge, but at the same time I wouldn't call the end of it a pleasureful culinary experience. Even still, the taste of the food and satisfaction of the victory were much greater than the pain in my stomach!
After a bit of recovery time, Shawn (the manager) bought me a beer and gave me a t-shirt to celebrate the victory. The crew at Humpy's let me know that I was only the fifth person ever to complete the challenge, and that I'd be going up on their soon to be erected "Wall of Fame!" I'll be proud to wear my "I got Crabs at Humpy's" shirt all over Louisiana.
Word spread around the alehouse and before long I was a temporary celebrity. Ladies stopped to take pictures with me. I had become a legend in 90 minutes, and now I will live forever in the history books as a winner of the Humpy's Kodiak Arrest Challenge in Anchorage, Alaska!
Addie's delivered exactly what I was hoping for. In the Washington DC suburb of Rockville, MD, I found myself surrounded by national chains and shopping mall cuisine, of which I wanted no part of. I traveled to the District for a work conference, and the last thing I wanted to do was settle for food that I pass up on routinely back home. After doing a little web searching for some local eateries, I stumbled across Addie's. Only a 15 minute walk from my hotel, I decided that I'd give it a try and hopefully have something to add to Bite and Booze from the East Coast.
Upon arriving at Addie's I realized that the restaurant is set in an old house. I really like that restaurant setting and have talked about that being the kind of establishment I'd like to own one day, so my excitement had really piqued at that point. At 7 pm when I stepped in the front door, the place bustled with dining excitement. I stood there for a second and looked around. I really liked the atmosphere, but there was no host to greet me or waiter to help me. After a few seconds, I stepped out to reevaluate my thoughts on the evening. On one hand, the restaurant had to be good to be that slammed on a Wednesday night. On the other, I did not get greeted at all, and perhaps that was indicative of the dining service as well. Before I could give it too much thought, I noticed that right next door was a little pub serving well priced cold beer. That seemed like a better option to determine my next move, so I walked into Dietle's Tavern and ordered a pint of Yuengling Lager. I enjoy this regional brew and certainly prefer Yuengling on tap over most other American macrobrews. There was baseball on the TV, Nationals and Orioles "fans" talking ball, and a cold beer in my hand. Happiness is simple.
Bread and Wine at Addie's in Rockville, MD
After a couple pints my hunger reappeared and I figured the time had come to go back to the neighboring Addie's to check on the grub situation. This time around the staff promptly greeted me as I walked in the door and sat me at a cozy table in the corner of the former living room of the house. I ordered a bottle of '08 La Linda Malbec and the restaurant brought out a course of bread and butter. Addie's served freshly baked French-style white bread as well as a pseudo cornbread that tasted like it had teamed up with pound cake and fruit cake. It really was quite fantastic, especially when eaten with the accompanying creamy butter. The Malbec also hit the spot and the half bottle lasted me perfectly through the entire meal.
Benton Ham and Green Leaf Salad
I wanted a cup of the asparagus and parmesan soup but they had sold out of the rotating daily special, so I settled for a salad instead. My waiter, Octavio, suggested the Benton Ham and Green Leaf Salad. The salad came with a deconstructed deviled egg where the boiled whites were mixed in with the ham and greens while the yolks were turned into a paste and spread on the side. I really enjoyed the egg and the plating, but overall the salad did not quite live up to the anticipation. The greens were mixed with macerated red onion and an herb vinaigrette. The ham from their charcuterie selection was money, but the greens and dressing lacked just the smallest amount of flavor to put the salad over the top. Still the egg yolks and ham made up for minimalist dressing and slightly bland greens.
There were several amazing options for a main course, but I easily settled on the pork chop because I thought it would pair well with the Malbec I had been sipping on. The chop came from locally raised swine. I asked for the thick cut pork to be cooked to a medium temperature and it came out exactly as ordered. Accompanying pork chop was black pepper spaetzle, fava beans, lemon confit, and a brown ale mustard sauce. The succulent chop tasted terrific with new and interesting flavors compared to the Louisiana cuisine that I'm used to.
Mexican Chocolate Creme Brulee
When Octavio told me about the dessert options I immediately decided on the Mexican chocolate creme brulee. The sweet treat had a beautiful blend of warm and cool temperatures as well as crunchy and smooth textures. The brittle top layer combined with smooth creme to leave a rich yet delicate dessert with a distinctively Mexican flavor that added a just the right touch of uniqueness to the dish. My extreme compliments go to the pastry chef for delivering the top dish of the night!
Hidden in downtown Baton Rouge at the corner of St. Charles and Somerulos, Christina's has been offering up quality home cooking for years. This little restaurant is not as well known as it should be around town, but its loyal customers still keep the place packed for breakfast and lunch. I recently ate lunch at Christina's for my first time and was certainly not disappointed. Darrell Broussard joined me on the walk from our busy offices to the Beauregard Town neighborhood. The quaint restaurant is warm and welcoming, and the lunch menu is full of Southern-fried home cooking.
Christina's in Downtown Baton Rouge
Christina's had a lunch special on this fortunate day that featured a chicken fried steak with gravy and three sides. Their list of sides rotates so it is written on the wall instead of in the menu. However, it is long enough to count as reading a book, so picking three seemed like a difficult task. I wanted to vary things up a bit, so I eventually settled on the buttered corn, collard greens, and praline yams.
Chicken Fried Steak with Buttered Corn, Collard Greens, and Praline Yams
The corn had a good buttery taste as the name implied but beyond that was just your average canned corn. The collard greens tasted pretty good and I enjoyed their saltiness and tender texture. However, the highlight of the sides, and in fact the entire meal, came in the form of the praline yams. They may not have been much more than canned sweet potatoes with plenty of butter and caramelized sugar, but this dish was purely delightful! I could have eaten those praline yams all day! The chicken fried steak had a great flavor and combined well with the white gravy, but it was a little smaller than I would have liked. Still, the praline yams made up for everything and in the end, I had no complaints with the meal or the restaurant. I'd gladly go back to Christina's any time, and I especially want to check it out for breakfast!
