Lake Charles is the Perfect Weekend Getaway for Food Lovers, and Here's Why

by Sydney Blanchard

Admittedly, Lake Charles isn't always the first place that comes to mind when I dream up day trips or weekend excursions, but after a recent stay in the Boudin Capital of Louisiana, it's safe to say I've converted.

Below, you'll find a list of a few of my favorite things to do while in Lake Charles. You'll see how easy it is to fall in love with Southwest Louisiana food, culture, and fun!

Brunch at Jack Daniel's Bar & Grill at L'Auberge 

Fried grit cake topped with steak topped with an egg at Jack Daniel's Bar & Grill

You'd be doing yourself a disservice by staying anywhere other than L'Auberge Lake Charles. The resort is not only the epitome of luxury, but it's also home to some great restaurants. Noted Chef Lyle Broussard heads the kitchen at the Jack Daniel's Bar & Grill on the property, and their brunch items alone are worth the trip to Lake Charles. This is one of the great examples of the great food coming out of the younger culinary scene in Lake Charles. Pro-tip: Order the Whiskey Milk Punch. You won't regret it.

Try Acadian Coffee Roasters

Not-yet-roasted coffee beans at Acadian Coffee Roasters

Your post-brunch plans should definitely include coffee, especially if you brunched properly with the Milk Punch! Acadian Coffee Roasters in Lake Charles is a relatively new operation. The proprietors, both named Nancy, pride themselves on their single origin, organic coffee beans and delicious flavored coffees. It's all about supporting locals! P.S. I highly recommend their Amaretto flavored coffee. It's amazing!

Explore the Creole Nature Trail

Perfect day for exploring the Creole Nature Trail

The Creole Nature Trail is the best way to walk off that ridiculously delicious brunch. It's the picture perfect place to explore the beaches, wildlife, marshes, and fishing of Southwest Louisiana. A guided tour is also an option. Watch out for alligators (seriously)!

Snack Along the Boudin Trail

Smoked boudin from Rabideaux's Sausage Kitchen

Southwest Louisiana is the boudin capital of the world, so even if you've had boudin before, you'd be remiss to skip out on exploring the boudin trail! I'd recommend stopping by Rabideaux's Sausage Kitchen or anywhere on this list. Smoked by the link or fried up in a ball, boudin is a must-try in Lake Charles.

Tour Bayou Rum Distillery

Bayou Rum's Satsuma Rum Liqueur at their distillery in Lake Charles

In 2013, Bayou Rum sought to continue the long-lost tradition of Louisiana rum. It makes sense, right? Sugar plantations in South Louisiana before the Civil War often built distilleries adjacent to the main house. Learn more about the history and process of rum making on one of their distillery tours (and don't pass up the rum tasting bar). Bayou Rum has one of the coolest distillery tours around, and you can grab their rum and some branded swag in their immense gift shop afterward.

Cocktails & Small Plates at Restaurant Calla

Blue crab beignets at Restaurant Calla

One of the newer restaurants on the Lake Charles food scene, Restaurant Calla offers "creative, seasonal, and sustainable" dishes in the budding Southwest Louisiana culinary scene. Chef David Sorrells has a unique vision for modern Louisiana cuisine, and he carries it out well at Calla. The restaurant is gorgeous, but don't let that fool you: the menu is straight-forward and lacks pretension. Grab a drink off of their list of fun cocktails and split a couple of small plates with the table. But save room for dinner!

Dine at La Truffe Sauvage

Life-altering saffron risotto topped with fish at La Truffe Sauvage

Since 1998, Chefs Mohamed Chettouh and Arthur Durham's La Truffe Sauvage has been putting Lake Charles on the culinary map. Their take on fine French dining is something special that shouldn't be missed. Here you can read my detailed write-up of the meal I had there. I'll just say that their selection of wines is noteworthy, and the saffron risotto I had there was life-altering.

Where are your go-to spots in Lake Charles?

Wining and Dining at "The Wild Truffle" in Lake Charles

by Sydney "Brown Nose" Blanchard

I think there's an often overlooked observation to be made about Louisiana cuisine. For every specialty meats store tucked inside an unassuming gas station, there also exists an extravagant, fine dining establishment that defies expectations.

In my recent travels to Lake Charles, Louisiana, I got to experience the best the area had to offer on both ends of the dining spectrum.

On our final night in the LC, we were loaded onto our party bus one final time and herded to La Truffe Sauvage. Jay had the chance to dine there back in 2013, and his write-up got me excited to try out one of Lake Charles' finest restaurants.

Chef Mohamed Chettouh along with Chef Arthur Durham opened the French-inspired eatery back in 1998. Prior to that, both enjoyed successful international and regional culinary careers.

Chef Mohamed combines his background in traditional French cuisine with a dedication to the local ingredients Louisiana has to offer to create mouth-watering, seasonal menus.

And our dinner at La Truffe Sauvage was no exception.

We started the evening off with French 75 cocktails topped with St. Germain foam, and soon after sat down to begin our five-course wine dinner.

Wild Gulf red snapper with saffron risotto and heirloom tomato confit 

First, the chef sent out pan roasted wild Gulf red snapper on top of saffron risotto and heirloom tomato confit. The delicate, flaky white fish and the buttery, fluffy risotto were paired with a 2010 Domaine William Fevre Chablis, which is a chardonnay with fresh, floral notes. 

Sunchoke velouté en crôute with duck confit

Next came the "sunchoke velouté en crôute" with duck confit, which amounted to a sunchoke soup with bits of duck in it served in a pastry-crusted teacup. Sunchoke, also known as Jerusalem artichoke, is a root vegetable not at all like an artichoke. This course was paired with a 2013 white wine called Vin Soave Classico from the Inama Winery in Italy. Fruity and sweet, it matched well with the delicate flavors of the sunchoke.

Chèvre chaud on roasted red and yellow beets

The next dish was a crowd-pleaser: chèvre chaud (fried goat cheese) atop roasted red and yellow beets, asparagus, and arugula swimming in a black truffle vinaigrette. This was one of the best things I have ever eaten. The aromatic cheese patty was crusted and had a distinct lemony flavor that balanced well. Paired with this dish was a Chilean pinot noir from the Indomita Duette Vineyard. The spicy flavor with hints of dried red fruit made it a perfect match for this course.

Filet mignon topped with foie gras

Last came the tournedo Rossini, or filet mignon topped with foie gras, with pomme macaire (a potato cake), carrot fondante, steamed young spinach, topped with sauce madère. Truly, this dish captured me. The sauce combined with the perfectly cooked cut of meat and the foie gras made for a delicious bite, and the potato cake and carrots were heaven-sent, providing a perfect palate cleanser in between bites of filet. This very French dish was paired with an award-winning Spanish red wine from Ribera del Duero.

Dark chocolate mousse in almond tulip

And finally, dessert. After eating four substantial courses, I doubted I was capable of eating another bite of anything. But when the dark chocolate mousse was brought out, I couldn't resist. The mousse sat in an almond tulip and was topped with orange curd. The vanilla cream sauce and orange segment were a nice touch, but the mousse was the real star of the show. Dessert was paired with a 10 year Tawny port by Quinta do Noval out of Portugal. The dried fruit and orange zest notes brought out the orange flavors in the dessert.

Just when we thought we'd finished gorging ourselves, we were brought a selection of truffles: white chocolate, dark chocolate, and milk chocolate. I couldn't bear to take one more bite, so I had mine boxed up to enjoy later that evening in the privacy of my hotel room.

La Truffe Sauvage is small and warm and quaint. It feels like eating at home, if you're able to cook fabulous French cuisine at your house (I'm not). I can't wait to go back!

La Truffe Sauvage in Lake Charles, LA

La Truffe Sauvage in Lake Charles, LA

Lake Charles not only impressed me with the tour around town, boudin and cracklins, and seafood feasting, but at night we also got to experience a spectacular meal at Lake Charles' premiere fine dining restaurant. La Truffe Sauvage is a French style eatery that clearly puts a lot of passion behind their food. We went through a culinary journey on a wine dinner the night before Lake Charles' annual Rouge et Blanc wine festival. I'll attempt to walk you through all the courses as I salivate while I remind myself of all the deliciousness. The Hors d'Oeuvres, not pictured here, included octopus with extra virgin olive oil, lemon, and oregano, Parmigiana Reggiano crusted asparagus with sauce verte, white truffle macaroni and cheese with beef tenderloin, and duck confit with onion marmalade. Served with some bubbly, a Gosset Brut Excellence, the passed appetizers prepared us for our sensational meal from Chef Mohamed Chettouh and wine pairings by D.C. Flynt.

Louisiana Jumbo Lump Crab Cake and Shrimp Bourek

Our first seated course came in the form of a shrimp stuffed Turkish pastry atop a luscious crab cake and a red, green, and yellow tomato relish. The dish paired with a Fevre et Fevre 2011 Chablis. I really appreciated the combination of flavors and techniques between south Louisiana and a dish like Bourek which dates back the Ottoman Empire.

Crispy Red Snapper, Porcini Mushroom Risotto, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Lemon

Course two stayed in the seafood category and again combined a classic Louisiana protein with a European starch. The creamy porcini mushroom risotto gave an earthy flavor that contrasted the brightness from the lemon and the acidity in the wine, a Meursault Clos du Cromin 2011 from winemaker David Moret in the Burgundy region of France. The dish really dazzled even more due to the true crispiness of the skin on the red snapper. It added a depth of texture next to the risotto and flesh of the Gulf fish.

Double Duck Consomme, Poached Quail Egg, Rice Noodles, Asparagus Tips, White Truffle Oil

For a soup course we feasted on a duck consomme. The flavorful broth conjured up memories of duck hunting and my childhood... not that I ever ate anything quite like this growing up. A couple 2010 wines from Roland Rapet were served with the duck conomme: a Aloxe Corton and the Corton Grand Cru. Both were stellar accompaniments to the delicious consomme. The poached quail egg also added a great richness in the soup.

Colorado Lamb Two Ways: Roasted Rack & Braised Shoulder, Spanakopita, Ratatouille, Natural Jus 

I looked forward to this lamb course the most and fortunately it did not disappoint. Getting back to eastern European flavors, Chef Mohamed used lamb to create a magical dish. The spanakopita is a Greek style savory spinach pie, which this time also included braised lamb shoulder. The ratatouille came wrapped in cucumber and the lamb chops were delightful. I love lamb. I think I remember sneaking another chop off somebody else's plate to get more. They were full already anyway! The lamb course also came with a pair of wines for us try. This time from Bernard Gros, we had the Vosne Romanee 2008 and the Clos Vougeot Grand Cru "Musigni" 2006. I need to learn more about French wine. I just know it was red and delicious.

Warm Montrachet with Thyme, Heirloom Tomato, Arugula, Herb Cracker, Roasted Shallot Vinaigrette

The salad and cheese course finished off the savory part of the meal. I liked having the salad toward the end as opposed to at the beginning of the feast. I still had a little room for some greenery, so I made it work. The warm cheese worked extremely well with the green tomato and the spicy arugula with the roasted shallot vinaigrette. 

Rum Savarin, White Chocolate - Passion Fruit Mousse, Almond Tuile

The savarin is a yeast cake soaked in rum (or it could be a different hard liquor) and filled with cream. I personally did not find the texture to be all that appealing as it was like a soggy donut, but the flavors were certainly well conceived and delicious. The dessert came served with the Kracher Trockenbeerenauslese. Yes, that's really what it is called. Mr. Kracher is apparently one of the bigger names in Austrian wine and the Trockenbeerenauslese is a style of German and Austrian wine making that produces a very sweet dessert wine from dried grapes with high sugar content. Like I said, I could really use some lessons in European wines, so if anyone is reading this and wants to send me on an adventure around Europe doing "professional development," just let me know!

Assorted Truffles

Second dessert? Yes, please! The meal didn't fully end after the rum savarin course. We still had time for coffee, and along with coffee came some assorted truffles for our dining pleasure. I ate a couple for research purposes, but by that time I had reached my limit and was stuffed. What an amazing meal. Thanks to Chef Mohamed, D.C. Flynt, and everyone at La Truffe Sauvage for having me, as well as the Lake Charles CVB for lining it all up for us. The next day we were off to Rouge et Blanc. More on that later.

Joe Squared Gives Pizza a Name in Baltimore

David and I

Not too long ago I ventured through Baltimore, MD after getting picked up by my good friend Caroline at the BWI airport.  We were on our way to Williamsport, PA for a week of catching up, eating out, and an adventure to the Finger Lakes Wine Country of New York.  Before getting out of the city, Caroline and I made a stop at Joe Squared, a pizza joint where David Mathie Bersch, a friend that I had met while filming Season 2 of Masterchef in Los Angeles, works and plays.

I'm usually in awe of David's facebook postings, finding ways to create flavor combinations with miraculous beauty and composition on a plate.  I'm well aware that I lack his finesse when it comes to cooking, but I still get inspired by it.  Joe Squared isn't really where David does his artistic cooking though. It is more of a working-class pizza joint with beer and wine, and one Hell of a selection of rum.  I liked it because of its uniqueness.  Who has a rum collection like that?  And who drinks all those rums?  Well, I for one, wanted to try some just because I could, and my not ever get the chance to again!

Joe Squared

The inside flap of Joe Squared's menu had an insert for weekly specials.  I knew I liked the place just from reading some of it.  First, just the attention to detail to constantly challenge one's self in the kitchen and to continue to create great specials on a weekly basis instead of simply relying on the standbys is great.  Secondly, a special of the day just doesn't cut it anymore.  I'm not looking for one special dish.  I'm looking for a whole menu.  For some actually thought, creativity, and pairings.  Some of the items on Joe Squared's weekly menu were a Spinach and Lamb Soup, Gorgonzola Dulce and Toasted Pistachio Risotto, draft beer and wine specials, and Raspberry Mole Chicken Wings.  I got the chicken wings.  I rarely pass up a mole.  And I'm glad I didn't.  The wings were fried to a nice crispiness on the outside and tossed in a spicy and earthy chocolate mole sauce sweetened with the fruity notes of the raspberry.  They were messy, but I ate the heck out of them!

Raspberry Mole Chicken Wings at Joe Squared in Baltimore

Since Joe Squared had a risotto menu in addition to a pizza menu, I couldn't help but get one for Caroline and I to try.  I wanted something different, and they had about 20 options to choose from on the menu.  I kinda wanted to go with the weekly special but if memory serves me correctly Caroline picked out the sausage and carrot risotto with Gouda and roasted fennel seed.  Either way, I applauded the decision as the risotto delivered a creamy texture full of flavor.

Sausage and Carrot Risotto

For the pizza we went a little outside the box compared to normal toppings as well.  We ordered a large pizza, which of course is square shaped.  On one half we got the Chicken, Corn, and Apple and on the other I demanded the Cumin Braised Lamb pizza with roasted eggplant, mozzarella, Romano, parsley, and mint.  Both sides were certainly worth eating.  If I had to knock anything, it would be the corn.  The whole kernels tasted like they were just straight out a can or the freezer.  And the apple flavor didn't really come through.  I liked the creativity of it as a whole though.  The lamb pizza, on the other hand, had every element working from crispy crust to succulent lamb.  The mint even added the right touch of uniqueness without being overpowering.

Square Pizza

After the meal and a few rum drinks and brews (for me, Caroline was driving!), we bid David adieu and took off for Pennsylvania.  I definitely enjoyed meeting up with a fellow Masterchef contestant once again though.  And I'd gladly go see him again at Joe Squared!

Patron Dinner at Restaurant IPO

Pork Belly Course

Recently I had the opportunity to attend the "Dinner of all Dinners" as Chef Chris Wadsworth and Sean "Foodie Patutie" Rivera combined forces on a multiple course dinner cooked and paired with different products from the Patron portfolio.  Of course, for the most part, that meant tequila!  And as you might imagine, my memory of the meal is quite faded, so while I can show you pictures, I certainly won't remember every detail from the feast.  We got started with a shot of cream liqueur mixed with the Patron XO Cafe, a coffee liqueur made with tequila.  After a couple of those, we sat down for dinner in The Office bar above Restaurant IPO.  Our first course brought on some pork belly from Chappapeela Farms that had been brined in Patron Anejo tequila.  It came with a Reposado tequila reduction and pickled mirliton.  This dish really worked well with all the textures and flavors coming together to dance on my tongue.  It paired with a Greek infused Ultimat Vodka, a potato and grain vodka in Patron's collection of spirits.  Chef Wadsworth's infusion with cucumber and whole lot more is spot on.  I suggest getting up to Restaurant IPO and trying it! 

Greek Infused Ultimat Vodka

The next course came a delicious chilled soup from Chef Sean Rivera with a tequila based play on a Bloody Mary.  Unfortunately, I can't tell you exactly what was in the soup.  I just know I ate it all.  And I liked it.

Chef Sean Rivera's Soup with a Tequila Bloody Mary

The salad course also escapes me a bit.  The plate presented a duo of salads, one with crab and the other with roasted peppers.  Both were quite nice, as was the tequila based cocktail that came with it.  Or maybe that was the Pyrat Rum.  I had been drinking and forgot to take good notes.

A cocktail with... something

A tequila-based sorbet palate cleanser

I do know the next items that came out, although they maybe the main reason the rest of the details are fuzzy.    The Gran Patron Burdeos and Gran Patron Platinum were poured side by side.  The Burdeos is the most expensive of all Patron tequilas, retailing in the neighborhood of $500 per fifth.  The tequila is made from extremely selective agave and matured in a combination of new American and French oak barrels for a minimum of 12 months, and up to 2 years.  It is then distilled again before it is racked in vintage Bordeaux barrels.  The tequila is smooth and sweet.  It picks up notes from the wood similar to a bourbon with the vanilla and oak flavors.  It can be sipped repeatedly without the need to pucker of gasp at the taste of tequila.  I'd go so far as to say it might be the best tequila I've ever had.  Though in all honesty, the Gran Patron Platinum may have had it beat just because it actually tastes like tequila.  Really.  Good.  Tequila.  The Platinum is comes from those same high-quality agave plants that are hand-selected for sugar content.  It is triple distilled and rested in oak tanks.  The silver tequila is smooth yet carries the taste of agave without being covered up by excessive aging.  This is what the best agave in the world tastes like, and I'd never pass up a taste.  Don't shoot it though.  Both of these tequilas deserve to be sipped and enjoyed, not chased with a squeeze of lime.

Gran Patron Burdeos and Gran Patron Platinum

The main course featured a crawfish stuffed pork chop over boursin risotto with a tequila sauce and crowned by cracklins.  The chop had a well seared exterior with a juicy middle.  The spiciness of the crawfish and the rub played with the sweetness in the tequilas for a great pairing.  In fact, they both worked extremely well, showing me that tequila can be used to pair with foods.  Good to know!

Crawfish Stuffed Pork Chop

By the time dessert came, tequila ran through my blood like Rickey Henderson through a stop sign from his third base coach.  I know it had a chocolate cake with strawberry... because I have the picture below.  I'm sure there was tequila in there somewhere, but I don't really recall.  I also don't have a picture of whatever cocktail came with it, so I'm totally lost there.  But it still capped off a great meal.  Chef Chris Wadsworth and Chef Sean Rivera pulled off an fantastic dinner, and I'm glad I got to attend with rest of Team Voltron.  The folks from Glazers and Patron were excellent as well.  It definitely made me understand what makes a great tequila.

Dessert

Salú on Magazine

Bacon Wrapped Prawns at Salu

Salú specializes in tapas, or Spanish-style small plates, meant to be passed around the table and shared in feasting camaraderie   Often it seems that Americans associate this style of dining with notions of expensive appetizers.  Typically, I find that not to be the case.  Chefs right now, like Chris Wadsworth at Restaurant IPO in Baton Rouge, are using the small plates medium to increase creativity without having to charge an arm and a leg for it.  The same can be said Salú on Magazine St. in New Orleans.  The idea is simple: feature dishes inspired by the French, Spanish, and Italian Rivieras, serve them in smaller but share-able portions, and pair them with equally appealing cocktails and wine.  While the concept remains relatively standard, the execution is not.  With their new menu and a rather new Executive Chef, Dustin Brien, Salú is attempting to show off some non-traditional New Orleans cuisine with one of the better happy hours in town.

I began my lunch with a New Orleans Pisco Sour.  A little Peruvian pisco, tequila, orange, lemon, lime, and pineapple juices and a dash of bitters brought on a delightful early-day cocktail.  I'll have to remember this one next time I'm thinking about a tequila sunrise for brunch!  Salú features a mussels menu with various flavors to choose from.  I appreciate a restaurant that can do something like mussels well and with different flavors.  We seem to struggle with mussels a bit in Louisiana since they don't come from the Gulf, but these were up to par.  In the foreground are the Chorizo Mussels with garlic, tomatoes and beer.  Farther back sit the Parmesan Mussels with extra cream, garlic, and chives.  Both were rather tasty.  Simple, but distinct flavors made each dish unique, and the sauces are always great for dipping some frites in!

Candied Pecan Crusted Scallops

Yet another seafood item that isn't found off the coast of Louisiana, the candied pecan crusted scallops at Salú come served over pumpkin risotto with arugula and brown butter.  These large mollusks were divinely seared with extra sweetness that rivaled the savory qualities of the butter and the spiciness of the arugula.  The pumpkin risotto sealed the deal on this dish.  To put it simply: get it!

Zaatar Seared Yellow Fin Tuna from Salú

I wish all tuna could look as gorgeous as this.  My belly began sending signals of fullness, but my taste buds had to be rewarded when I got a look at this fish.  Expertly minimally seared, the bright red tuna sat atop a smoked asparagus tomato relish with additional extra virgin olive oil.  The smoke flavors danced with the freshness of the tuna.  There was no bunny hopping in my mouth, but rather a tango with a sexy lady, wildly swinging on the dance floor called my tongue. 

Bacon Wrapped Date to end the meal at Salú

Lunch concluded with a little something sweet and savory.  A bacon wrapped date perched gorgeously upon fresh greens.  With one bite a flavor punch came across that summed up the whole meal.  Salty, sweet, creative, and strikingly beautiful in its simplicity.  Bravo to Salú.  At least for this one lunch, I felt like I had escaped Louisiana for a European adventure.  Now I just need to get back for Paella Thursday!

Chicken and Buffalo Andouille Risotto - Virtual Potluck

The Virtual Potluck crew recently teamed up with The Buffalo Guys to do a round of blog posts about incorporating various buffalo sausages into a dish.  Since I needed to test out my recipe for chicken and andouille risotto anyway, I decided to give it a try with the buffalo andouille that was so graciously sent to me.

I knew the dish would be pretty similar to a chicken and sausage jambalaya.  The main difference is that the Arborio rice used to make risotto is a short grain Italian rice which cooks a little differently than a longer grain Louisiana rice.  The method for cooking risotto is to slowly add stock little by little, allowing the rice to soak in the flavors as you go, rather than boiling and covering the rice until it has absorbed all the water, as is common in most Cajun dishes.  A risotto should yield a dish that is ultimately similar to jambalaya (in this case, using the Trinity, chicken, and andouille).  The rice should end up cooked through, soft, and perhaps even a bit creamy without being mushy.

Chicken and Buffalo Andouille Risotto 

Makes 4-6 servings

Fresh Herbs from the Garden

• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 quart water
• Several sprigs fresh herbs (flat leaf parsley, thyme, cilantro, oregano from my Harb's Oasis herb garden)
• 2 small carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 pack (12 oz) buffalo andouille sausage
• 1 cup medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbs shopped curly parsley for garnish
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

In a 4-6 quart stock pot, add the chicken stock, water, herbs, and carrots and bring to a boil over high heat.  In an enameled cast iron pot (or another stock pot), heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan over medium high heat.  Cut the chicken thighs and Andouille into bite-sized pieces.  Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper.  Add the chicken to the oil followed shortly by the andouille and brown them until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes, but don’t overcook because you still want the chicken to be juicy.  Transfer the chicken and Andouille and juices to a mixing bowl, the return the pot to medium-high heat.  Add a tablespoon of olive oil followed by the onions, celery, green bell pepper, and garlic.  Saute until the onion becomes translucent. 

Strain the herbs and carrots out of the stock.

Add the Arborio rice to the pot with the onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic, and let it soak up any liquid that might be in the pot.  When everything is dry, scoop in two ladles worth of stock and stir with a wooden spoon until all the stock has all been absorbed.  Add another ladle of stock and stir.  Continue to add stock, one ladle at a time, stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes.  Add the reserved chicken and sausage and continue to ladle in stock and continually stir for another 10 minutes or until the rice has absorbed enough liquid.  Taste the risotto for seasoning and texture of the rice.  Adjust salt and pepper as needed.  If rice still has a little crunch, continue to ladle in stock and cook, stirring regularly, until the rice has absorbed enough stock to be soft throughout but not mushy.

Scoop a pile of risotto onto a plate and grate some fresh parmesan cheese on top, then sprinkle with chopped parsley as a garnish. 

Discount on Buffalo Sausage

Would you like to try some buffalo sausage for yourself? The Buffalo Guys will offer a 15% discount off any hot dog or sausage purchase through the end of March 2012. Just go to their online store and enter the code VIRTUALPOTLUCK when you check out. I’m sure they would also appreciate it if you gave their Facebook page a LIKE.

Poached Halibut Over Pensacola Porter Risotto

I'm never really one to turn down free beer or good food, so when a box of beer from the Lewis Bear distributors in Florida arrived at my doorstep for a little Virtual Potluck, I figured the proper Bite and Booze thing to do was cook with some, and drink the rest!  My assignment was to cook with the Pensacola Brewery's porter, so my brain started to spin about what I could make with it, and what I had available in my fridge!

The results: some Alaskan Halibut that we caught on a fishing trip out of Homer, AK, and some arborio risotto rice that looked like it could pack plenty of flavor!  I got started right away.

I decided that I would poach the halibut in the oven in a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice.  I also sprinkled each side of the fish with salt and pepper.  I preheated the oven to around 325 degrees and then switched my attention to the risotto.  When the timing felt right I stuck the halibut in the oven for about 12 to 15 minutes until the fleshy began to flake apart while still holding moist and firm in the middle.

The key to any risotto is the stock used to create it.  Risotto is an Italian rice dish whereby the liquid is slowly added to the rice and allowed to absorb instead of the simple boil and simmer method commonly employed elsewhere.  The flavor of that liquid, or stock, is what builds character in the dish itself.  For this risotto I used some homemade turkey stock and added some fresh carrot, onion, celery, kosher salt, black pepper, a few sprigs of parsley from my Harb's Oasis herb garden, and about half a cup of the Pensacola Brewery Porter.  

As soon as the stock seemed ready to roll, I toasted off my rice just a tad in a hot pan and began ladling the stock over a scoop at a time, stirring between ladles until the moisture had been taken in by the sponge-like grains.  I continue this process until the rice had the appropriate texture.  I followed that up with pureeing the carrots and a bit of the onion and celery that I skimmed from the stock pot then adding that back to the risotto to give it a lovely orange color and an even deeper flavor.

Poached Halibut Over Pensacola Porter Risotto

To serve the dish I plated the risotto on the bottom and topped it with some freshly grated Parmesan, followed by a halibut filet and a few parsley leaves.  And I also had the rest of the beer!


Want to win something?  The Lewis Bear Company will be shipping out to the winner some beer-inspired t-shirts, hat, and other cool swag. Entry is limited to residents of the US, 18 or older. Contest ends at noon, Eastern time, on Sunday, February 5. 

To enter, comment on this post and tell me what's your favorite craft beer or favorite way to use beer in your kitchen.  For more chances, make sure to tell me if you:

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Beausoleil Celebrates Their First Anniversary!

For the past year I've been raving about how Beausoleil is not only one of my favorite new restaurants in Baton Rouge, but also one of my favorite restaurants period.  Owners Jeff Conaway and Chef Nathan Gresham have breathed a fresh breeze into BR's restaurant scene with their blend of casual atmosphere, soulful dining, and local ingredients.  Their brunch, lunch, and dinner menus change with the seasons and always impress.  Plus, every dining experience begins with fresh pork rinds delivered to your table instead of the traditional bread and butter!  With a bar menu featuring custom cocktails like the Aviator and craft spirits along with boutique wines, Beausoleil is really doing things right!

I recently had the pleasure of attending Beausoleil's One Year Anniversary Wine Dinner featuring a five course meal from hors d'oeuvres to dessert.  Wine pairings came from the Vending Machine Winery which has a local twist as well.  The winery, which is in California, is owned by some excellent Louisianians and is currently only distributed in Louisiana!  The passed hors d'oeuvres featured barbeque rabbit turnovers and shrimp mousse on endive.  The turnovers had a superb texture contrast between the moist and tender rabbit on the inside and the crisp doughy outer shell.  Similarly, the endive had a great natural spice and crunch to it that complimented the creamy shrimp mousse.

When we sat down at our table I knew we were really in for a great evening all around.  My guest Hannah Lane and I were seated at a table with newly weds Brian and Ashley Thom as well as the O'Connors and a few other people.  Pork rinds awaited us at the table, but I knew that I had plenty of eating to do so I didn't overload on them.  I'll admit though, they are incredible hard to resist!  The Premier course brought out a lobster bisque with ghost pepper caviar.  I thought that the bisque would be a little spicier with ghost pepper in the name but Chef Gresham did a marvelous job of incorporating the true flavor of the pepper without leaving behind the intense heat that would have taken away from the delicate lobster and flavorful bisque.  The soup came with the "Loula's Revenge" Chardonnay that contrasted the soup very nicely and left the palate longing for another bite, then another sip, and still another bite.

Our Intermediare course featured a smoked duck breast over mushroom risotto served with a sweet fig sauce.  It paired with the 2009 Vending Machine Winery "Double Shotgun" which is a lovely Petit Verdot/Cab Franc blend.  The duck itself came out masterfully cooked.  The fig sauce had enough sweetness to both contrast with the mushroom risotto and compliment the flavors of the duck.  It actually may have been my favorite dish of the day, which is saying a lot especially with the dish on deck.

Our Principal dish of the evening drew inspiring oohs and aahs when placed in front of the anniversary dinner guests.  Teasing my taste buds sat a blue cheese bruleed New York Strip with crispy fried Louisiana oysters over braised mustard greens and a red wine jus.  Naturally, this dish came with the "Crooked Mayor," Vending Machine's Cabernet Sauvignon.  Everything about the dish worked as I could hardly control myself from gobbling up each morsel as rapidly a Hoover on a dirty floor.  The greens were amazingly tender and the beef had a true flavor despite being surrounded by so many other distractions.  I like to taste a good cut of steak, and I certainly did with this one.  The blue cheese, oyster, greens, and jus only helped add to the party.   

As the Finale to the evening we had a lovely piece of birthday cake and a glass of sparkling wine.  The cake was no ordinary birthday cake though.  The chocolate ganache sat atop salted caramel and underneath some Chantilly cream and fresh berries.  The cake had aspects of dense and fluffy.  It was decadent and flavorful.  The berries, cream, and chocolate all worked together in harmony but were then brought to another dimension by the salted caramel at the bottom.  The cake provided an excellent ending to a magical meal.  Happy anniversary to Beausoleil.  I hope you have many more to come as you continue to make your mark on the Baton Rouge restaurant landscape!