Jay D's Bites: Supreme Rice Salad with Molasses Mustard Vinaigrette

by Chef Jenn Breithaupt

This is one of my favorite salads to make! I first had this salad when I was attending culinary school at Louisiana Culinary Institute. Chef Mike told us we are going to prepare it for our salad course for lunch service and it captivated me; I couldn’t stop eating it. I thought this would be the perfect salad to incorporate Jay D’s Louisiana Molasses Mustard. Another reason why I love this recipe is because of the freshness it brings to my palate; it is perfect for this Spring!

Supreme Rice Salad with Molasses Mustard Vinaigrette

makes 6 cups

3 cups uncooked Supreme long grain rice
1 cup red onion, small diced
¾ cup orange bell pepper, small diced
¾ cup yellow bell pepper, small diced
2 Tbs garlic, minced
1 cucumber, seeded and small diced
¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
½ cup fresh basil, finely chopped

Cook rice according to package. Lay cooked rice on sheet pan to slightly cool. Combine rice with all vegetables and vinaigrette. Let rice salad marinade in dressing for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. Serve cold or room temperature. ENJOY!

For the vinaigrette:
Heaping ½ cup Jay D’s Louisiana Molasses Mustard
3 tsp salt
1 Tbs white wine vinegar
3 Tbs white balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs Jay D’s Blanc du Bois
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

In a blender or food processor, add mustard and salt. On low, gradually add both vinegars and Jay D’s Blanc du Bois. In a thin stream add extra virgin olive oil. Mix for 1 minute then transfer to salad and mix thoroughly.

Jay D's Bites: Duck & Leek Dumpling with Blanc du Bois Blueberry Sauce

by Chef Jenn Breithaupt

These dumplings make an excellent appetizer with a pop of color. You can stuff a dumpling with a plethora of fillings; dumplings are delicious. I chose duck and leek because they pair very well together. The fat from the duck and the acidity from the leek create a great balance. An alternative way to get some color on them is to poach them or quickly sear in a hot skillet.

Duck & Leek Dumpling with Blanc du Bois Blueberry Sauce

makes about 25 dumplings

2 duck breasts, small diced, skin off (reserve skin)
1¾ cup leeks, thin half moons
2 Tbss shallots, minced
½ cup carrots, small diced
1 rib celery, small diced
1 Tbs fresh garlic, minced
⅓ cup Jay D’s Blanc du Bois
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
25 small wonton wrappers
1 egg
1 Tbs water

For the blueberry sauce:

1½ cups Jay D’s Blanc du Bois
1 tsp honey
1 tsp salt
6 oz blueberries, crushed

Take skin off duck breasts and place skin into skillet. Turn heat to low and allow for skin to fully render fat (this may take a while). Once fat has rendered, discard skin, but keep the fat.

Add small diced duck breasts, shallots, carrots, celery and garlic to skillet with duck fat. Cook until vegetables are soft, duck is cooked and there is no liquid left in skillet. Set aside and allow to cool.

Whisk 1 egg and 1 Tbs of water. Set aside to be used for egg wash for dumplings. Put wonton wrapper down so one corner is pointing towards the top (diamond-shaped) and brush along edges with egg wash. Place 1 Tbs of filling in the middle and take the bottom corner to meet the top corner to form a triangle. Seal on all three sides and brush with egg wash.

In a saucepot, bring water to a simmer. Poach dumplings until dough is soft.

To make the blueberry sauce, combine blueberries, Jay D’s Blanc du Bois, honey and salt in a saucepan and bring to boil. Simmer for about 15 minutes until thickened and reduced by half. Serve over dumplings or as a dipping sauce.

Jay D's Bites: Chargrilled Oysters with Blanc Du Bois Butter

by Chef Aimee Tortorich

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.

Louisiana Wine Month: Landry Vineyards

by Paige Johannessen

In honor of Louisiana Wine Month I wanted to reflect and share about the wonderful experience I had visiting Landry Vineyards. A few weeks ago, Jay and I headed out to West Monroe for the grape stomp and concert at the Louisiana winery and to celebrate the new vintage of Jay D’s Blanc Du Bois being bottled and ready for release.

En route, we needed a brief stop for lunch and found ourselves at The Camp in Natchez, MS. This cool waterfront restaurant is an obvious favorite with the locals. On a beautiful Saturday afternoon people were congregating on the patio and stopping in for a cold one after a morning run or bike ride along the water. Two burgers and a cold beer later, we were prepared to make the rest of our journey to the rolling hills of West Monroe.

The Slow Burn: pepper jack, bacon, jalapenos, Cajun haystack onions, Slow Burn sauce

Upon arrival, I literally felt as though I had been transported out of Louisiana and dropped somewhere in Texas Hill Country. Lush green pastures and elevation that towered higher than the Indian Mounds on LSU’s campus...how could this be?

As we pulled in, Jay pointed out Jeff Landry, the owner of the vineyard, manicuring the area around the stage in preparation for his guests to arrive. Drenched in sweat and covered in dirt, this man was obviously not afraid to get his hands dirty. After having a few days to sit and visit with Jeff and his family, it is apparent that hard work and belief in Louisiana agriculture is what has propelled this vineyard to the success they are seeing today. They truly care about the land, value a hard day's work and their product speaks to all of those truths.



Jeff, Libby and their four sons; Ethan, Kohen, Noah and Micah are the backbone of the business and have continued to grow thanks to the great support of friends in the Monroe area. The first vineyard started in Folsom, LA with two acres of a white European American hybrid grape, Blanc Du Bois. After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the Landrys relocated to the beautiful hill country of West Monroe, LA. The vineyard has now grown to a 20-acre site including a new winery and beautiful tasting room.

Concert days are no joke at the vineyard. Hundreds of people come from the surrounding areas with blankets, chairs and picnics packed ready to purchase bottles of wine to be enjoyed right on the vineyard property.

Have you tried Jay D's Blanc Du Bois? This local grape varietal is grown right here in Louisiana at @landryvineyards! You can find it at most of your local grocery stores or online at jayducote.com. #drinklocal #shoplocal #landryvineyard #tastelouisiana #louisianaagriculture #wine #vineyard #westmonroe

A post shared by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Aug 30, 2017 at 2:51pm PDT

Jay and I set up a small tasting booth that featured our Jay D’s Spicy and Sweet BBQ Rub popcorn and sausage sauteed for guests to grab and dip into our Louisiana Barbecue Sauce and Molasses Mustard. We were so happy to be out there and mingle with everyone and experience the thrill that is a Saturday evening at Landry Vineyards.

If you have never been out to the vineyard, I highly recommend the journey on a Saturday afternoon with friends and family. They have tractors rigged up with trailers and benches for vineyard tours, tastings of all of their different varietals set up in the pagoda and live music echoing from the stage nestled right at the base of the hill rolling down to the vineyard. It was the perfect summer evening to relax, listen to music and enjoy the bounty that this family has worked so hard to produce.



You can find Jay D’s Blanc Du Bois at most of your local supermarkets. We are proud to partner with a local vineyard supporting Louisiana agriculture.

Also, check out our latest podcast talking about Louisiana wine month and Landry Vineyards with Jeff and Libby Landry:

North African Appetite: A Private Dinner at Red Stick Spice Co.

by Paige Johannessen

Jay Ducote along with Commander in Chef of Gov't Taco, Aimee Tortorich, hosted another sold out four course dinner at Red Stick Spice Company in August. Using Red Stick Co.'s high quality spices and oils, they took guests on a culinary adventure through North African cuisine.

The room was set up beautifully, including a gorgeous display of spices laid out for the guests to fawn at. Now that we have had a few repeat customers to our pop up dinners at Red Stick Spice Co. they know the drill and are arriving before we can even pour the first glass of wine. This gives them time to shop around the store and watch as Chef Aimee Tortorich put the finishing touches on a few of her dishes. 

photo by Red Stick Spice Co.

To start the evening off we had plates of warm lamb meatballs served over a delicate but full flavored mint yogurt dipping sauce. The lamb was soft and juicy and the flavors set off by the mint prepared the guests for a savory evening. To compliment this earthy appetizer were glasses of Jay D's Blanc Du Bois for our guests to sip on. 

Once everyone had a chance to try the lamb and grab a glass of wine or two, it was time to be seated. Jay started off the dinner service with a brief introduction  and then the plates starting rolling out! For the first course, a procession of carrots roasted with oranges and dates, garnished with chickpeas and crumbled pistachios came marching out to the guests. This warm and robust dish paired nicely with a spicy glass of Pinot Noir.

photo by Red Stick Spice Co.

Next, for the main course was the beef short rib tagine. This crowd favorite was visibly tender and the aroma of ginger and fig wafted from the plates. The short rib was served with a delicate scoop of couscous, and garnished with peanuts. To compliment the subtle fruit notes of this dish was a full glass of Syrah for all to enjoy.

Last but certainly not least came the most artistic and sweet dish of the night. Chef arranged small sculptures of milk bastilla, a thin cinnamon dusted pastry layered into stacks and drizzled with a custard like cream. Hidden between the layers of crunchy pastry were cloves and apricots, and crunchy pine nuts were sprinkled on top to finish it off. 

Blair prepared a warm rougaroux spiked cocoa with homemade marshmallows from Counter Space BR to be served with this decadent dessert. 

photo by Red Stick Spice Co.

Once again, we were thrilled to see a room full of empty plates and satisfied taste buds. We can not wait to be back at Red Stick Spice Co. this month for a special TWO night seating of our Modern Italian Mangia four course dinner on September 26th and 27th. Join us before it sells out!