The New Orleans Menu

Below is an alphabetical list of the most popular recipes that appeared in the New Orleans Menu Daily over the years. Each was developed and tested in our own kitchen--no outside, unchecked recipes. Click on the recipe you're interested to go to its page.

Also on this page are recipes for selected appetizers, entrees and desserts that are perfect for this time of year, using seanal ingredients. Those begin here.

Search The Index. You can search the subject indexes below by just scanning it (it's in alphabetical order). Or type Ctrl-F and entering a small part of the subject in the pop-up window. So, to search for barbecue shrimp, enter shrimp or bar or shri in the window.

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Recipes Listed Alphabetically By Main Ingredient
Click on a dish to get its recipe.

Click here for this season's best recipes.

Asparagus, Broiled With Parmigiana Cheese.

Asparagus Risotto.

Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Banana Peanut Butter Bread.

Barbecue Brisket.

Barbecue Shrimp.

Bearnaise.

Beef Stew, New Orleans Style.

Beignets.

Blackened Tuna.

Blue Cheese Salad Dressings--Two Of Them.

Bouillabaisse with Spicy Garlic Rouille.

Brabant Potatoes.

Bread Pudding Alaska.

Bread Pudding, Light And Rich Style.

Brined and Smoked Turkey.

Broiled Fish With Orange Beurre Blanc.

Buttermilk Biscuits.

Caramel Custard.

Catfish With Pecans.

Caviar Served on Savory Lost Bread.

Chicken Bonne Femme.

Chicken, Fried.

Chocolate Mousse.

Coconut-Crusted Gulf Shrimp.

Cornbread, Jalapeno and Cheese.

Crab and Corn Soup.

Crabmeat Au Gratin.

Crabmeat Berdou.

Crab Cakes.

Crab Claws With Garlic Butter.

Crabmeat Ravigote (Crabmeat Maison).

Crabmeat Remick.

Crawfish With Morel Mushrooms.

Creamed Spinach.

Creme Brulee.

Creole Sauce.

Fettuccine Alfredo.

Fish Marinade .

Fish On The Half Shell.

French Fries.

Fried Chicken.

Fried Parsley.

Guacamole.

Gumbo (Chicken-Andouille)

Gumbo (Seafood).

Gumbo z'Herbes.

Hollandaise.

Italian Oysters.

Lasagna With Six Cheeses.

Lost Bread (Pain Perdu).

Marinara Sauce, Fresh Style.

Oysters Amandine.

Oyster-Artichoke Soup.

Oysters Bienville.

Oysters, Char-Broiled Drago's Style.

Oysters en Brochette.

Oysters Suzette.

Oysters In The Broiler.

Pecan Pie.

Pizza On The Grill, Fresh Tomato Sauce.

Pork Loin, Pepper Crusted With Sweet Heat Sauce.

Pork Tenderloins With Mushrooms And Brandy Cream Sauce.

Redfish Courtbouillon.

Redfish On The Half Shell.

Roast Beef Poor Boy.

Root Beer Glazed Ham.

Shrimp Remoulade.

Soft Shell Crab With Pecans.

Split Pea Soup.

Stewed Chicken With Brown Gravy And Rice.

Stocks: How To Make All Kinds.

Steak Au Poivre.

Strawberry Shortcakes.

Stuffed Crabs, Deluxe.

Veal Marsala.

Vinaigrette Dressing With Paprika And Parmesan.

Wild Rice With Hazelnuts And Pecans.

This Season's Best Recipes

Broiled Asparagus Parmigiana

I'm finding some beautiful, very large asparagus right now, the best time of the year for that vegetable. This is my favorite recipe for asparagus as a side dish. It takes a few minutes longer than just boiling them, but the results are superb.

1 lb. fresh large asparagus
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (I recommend Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano)

Preheat the broiler.

1. Bring a large pan of water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, either cut off the tough bottoms of the asparagust, or peel the outermost woody parts off.

2. Either poach or (better, if you have a steamer) steam the asparagus for about two minutes, then remove. Rinse with cold water until they're no longer hot.

3. Arrange the asparagus on a baking sheet, parallel to one another and almost touching. Pour a ribbon of olive oil back and forth across the asparagus, but not so much that it collects on the baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with crushed red pepper to taste and lemon juice. Then top with enough Parmesan cheese to form a gappy layer.

4. Put the pan under the broiler, about four inches from the heat, until the Parmesan cheese melts and just begins to brown.

5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool enough for the cheese to set. Then, using a metal spatula, remove four to six asparagus, still held together by the cheese, and serve.

Serves four.

Coconut Crusted Gulf Shrimp

This is one of the Red Fish Grill's best appetizers, and people are always asking for the recipe. It was originally created, I think, at Mr. B's; Ralph Brennan took it with him when he opened the Red Fish.

12 Gulf shrimp (16-20 count)
1/2 tsp. lime juice
Vegetable oil for frying

Coconut crust:

1 oz. medium shredded coconut
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 oz. cornstarch
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne

Beer batter:

6 oz. beer
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt

Plum sauce:

4 black plums, peeled and pitted
1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbs. fresh grated ginger
2 Tbs. chopped chilpotle pepper, seeds removed
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1. Peel the shrimp, leaving only the tail on. Skewer the shrimp, three to a skewer, leaving about a half inch between each.

2. Combine the ingredients for the coconut crust and the beer batter. Dip each shrimp in the coconut mixture, then into the beer batter, then back into coconut crust.

3. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep, heavy skillet to 375 degrees. Put the skewers in and fry until golden brown. Drain, and serve with the plum sauce, below:

Plum sauce:
Combine all ingredients in a stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a light boil and cook for about ten minutes. Puree. Refrigerate what's not used right away.

Serves four.

Guacamole

This is a little more complicated than most guacamole recipes, and probably not authentic, but it sure tastes good. If you have fresh chili peppers available, chop about two tablespoons' worth and substitute it for some or all of the Tabasco jalapeno. Don't cut the avocados until absolutely everything else is chopped and combined. Doing this will prevent the avocados from browning. The hard part is getting avocados at the perfect point of ripeness. That would be when the little button at the top, left over from the stem, pops off with light finger pressure.

1 medium white onion
10 sprigs cilantro, leaves only
Juice of one small lime
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 large clove garlic
3 Tbs. Tabasco jalapeno pepper sauce
2 large, very ripe tomatoes, seeds and pulp removed
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. ketchup
4-6 Haas avocados (depending on size)

1. Put the onion, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, and jalapeno pepper sauce into a food processor and chop finely, but don't let it become a slush. Put this into a plastic or china bowl.

2. Chop the tomatoes coarsely and add to the bowl. Add the salt and ketchup.

3. Cut the avocados in half. Remove the pits. With a spoon, scoop out the flesh into the bowl, avoiding any discolored or stringy parts.

4. With a large wire whisk, mash and mix everything together. The guacamole should be on the chunky side, not a puree. Add salt and more Tabasco to taste. Serve with tortilla chips.

Serves ten to fifteen.

Chow-Chow

Chow-chow, a condiment widely used throughout America (although not to the extent that it was, say, fifty years ago), was made by Zatarain's and other companies until the hurricane. Zatarain's appears to have left chow-chow out of their product line when they returned. Rex, the other local brand, is still out there, as is the very chunky Crosse & Blackwell version. For some reason, in recent months people have asked me about Zatarain's chow-chow almost daily. Here is a recipe that at least approximates the stuff. Use it on sandwiches or as a relish for vegetables.

1 head cauliflower
2 cups vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup salt
2 small onions, quartered
1/2 green cabbage, core removed, roughly shredded
2 small green tomatoes, peeled and seeded, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 16-oz. jar whole sweet pickles
3 16-oz jars yellow mustard

1. Slice the florets off the cauliflower, breaking them into pieces the size of the tip of your little finger. Discard the branches and core.

2. Over medium heat, bring the vinegar, sugar and salt with one quart of water to a light boil in a large saucepan.

3. Add the cauliflower, onions, and cabbage. Cook four or five minutes. Add the green tomatoes and red bell pepper and cook two or three minutes. Turn the heat off and let the vegetables cool in the boiling liquid for about a half-hour.

4. While waiting, drain the pickles and chop them into small dice (about 1/4 inch) by hand. When the vegetables are cool, drain and chop them about the same size as the pickles.

5. Combine the pickles and vegetables in a large bowl. Add the mustard and stir to blend.

6. Sterilize canning jars of whatever size you prefer. Fill the sterilized jars with the chow-chow mixture. Cap and process according to standard canning procedure. It's best to let the chow-chow rest for a week or more before using.

Makes about eight eight-ounce jars.

Caribbean Creole Red Snapper
and Scallops

Here's the kind of food we had over and over again during our cruise through the Caribbean. It has a distinctive flavor, but one that has very close similarities to the food we eat here in New Orleans every day.

1/2 poblano pepper
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 yellow bell pepper
1 white onion
1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh ginger
1 bay leaf
1 cup tomato juice
6 black peppercorns
1/4 tsp. mace
1/4 tsp. allspice
2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbs. cider vinegar
2 Tbs. olive oil
4 fillets red snapper, about 8 oz. each*
1 dozen large scallops
Creole seasoning

*Acceptable fish substitutes: redfish, black drum, speckled trout, flounder, grouper, sheepshead.

1. Slice the peppers and the onion into narrow strips (julienne). Combine these in a saucepan with the ginger, bay leaf, tomato juice, peppercorns, mace, allspice, and Worcestershire. Cover the saucepan and bring to a light simmer, until peppers are completely tender and sweet--about 30 minutes.

2. Add vinegar and olive oil and simmer another three minutes. Remove bay leaf.

3. Rinse the fish and season to your taste with Creole seasoning. Heat a charcoal grill or black iron skillet very hot, and sear the fish and the scallops until fully cooked--one to three minutes per side, depending on thickness. Turn only once.

4. Spoon some of the sauce on the plate, and place a fish fillet and three scallops onto it.

Serves four.

Grilled Marinated Chicken
With Hot and Sweet Peppers

This was a standard dish for years at Brigtsen's, and is a good example of the kind of robust, painstaking, but essentially simple dishes in that great little Creole bistro. Frank Brigtsen says it was the sort of thing he did a lot when he worked for Chef Paul Prudhomme.

Marinade:

1 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. chopped fresh garlic
1/8 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
1/4 tsp. chopped fresh basil

4 boneless chicken hindquarters
4 boneless chicken breasts, skinned
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp. Chef Paul Prudhomme's Poultry Magic Seasoning

Sauce:

2 Tbs. softened unsalted butter
1/2 cup diced sweet bell pepper--red, yellow, green, or some of each
1/2 tsp. fresh chopped jalapeno pepper
1/4 tsp. chopped fresh garlic
1/2 cup strong chicken stock
1/4 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp. honey

1. Combine all marinade ingredients except the olive oil in a mixing bowl. Mix well. While whisking, add the olive oil in a thin stream until fully incorporated. Marinate the chicken for between six and eight hours in plastic food storage bags.

2. To grill the chicken, lightly brush it with clarified butter or olive oil. Season lightly with Magic seasoning.

3. Place the chicken on a very hot grill or in a black iron skillet, and cook about three minutes on each side, until done. Cook the hindquarter pieces skin side down first. If using an outdoor barbecue grill, you might want to baste the chicken with the leftover marinade.

4. To make the sauce, melt 1 Tbs. of the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic. Cook for about a minute, stirring constantly.

5. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the lemon juice and the honey. Add the remaining butter. Stir or shake the skillet just until the butter is melted and fully incorporated. Serve immediately over the grilled chicken.

Serves four.

Pad Thai

When chefs Gary Darling, Hans Limberg, and Greg Reggio started Semolina, one of their best and most popular dishes was pad thai. It never was exactly the way you'd find it in a Thai restaurant, but it was hardly bad. This recipe evolved in my kitchen from theirs. It differs in that I let the ingredients brown a little more over higher heat. And I make it a good deal spicier.

Sauce:

1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
6 dried shrimp, ground to powder
1 tsp. Pickapeppa sauce
1/3 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup sesame oil
2 cups cooked, diced chicken
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup tofu, cut into medium rectangles
4 sprigs cilantro, leaves only, chopped
4 large leaves fresh basil, sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 Tbs. Sriracha (Asian hot sauce)
1 lb. medium rice noodles, cooked till just soft and drained

Garnish:

1/4 cup crushed roasted peanuts
2 cups bean sprouts
1 small carrot, sliced into matchsticks
Sliced green onions
Cilantro leaves
Crushed red pepper

1. Combine all the sauce ingredients. Add a tablespoon or two of water to lighten it if it seems too thick.

2. Heat the sesame oil in a skillet or wok over high heat until it almost smokes. Add the shrimp and cook until pink. Add all the other ingredients, tossing constantly, until the tofu begins to get firm. Add the sauce and cook, tossing the pan contents constantly, until the sauce coats everything and the pan is steaming.

3. Remove the pan from the heat and add the peanuts, sprouts, and carrots, tossing very lightly. Serve in a broad-rimmed bowl with more Sriracha squirted along the rim and green onions, cilantro, and crushed red pepper for those who like this really hot.

Serves two to four.

Strawberry Shortcakes

Every year, when I see the first Louisiana strawberries at the fruit stand in Abita Springs, I feel compelled to make this, and then to share the recipe with you. How nice that it should be on Whipped Cream Day this year.

A true shortcake is not the sponge cake that's typically used for this famous old dessert, but something a lot like a drop biscuit. We make these every time we have good strawberries--unless my daughter Mary Leigh, whose passion for strawberries knows few bounds, doesn't eat them all first. (Who could blame her?)

Shortcakes:

4 cups self-rising flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 stick butter, softened
1 3/4 cups half-and-half

2 pints fresh strawberries
1 pint whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

1. Measure flour and sugar into a large bowl. Whisk to blend. Cut butter into flour mixture and stir in with a wire whisk until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. A few small lumps are okay.

2. Blend in the half-and-half with light strokes of a kitchen fork. Continue lightly blending until the dough leaves the side of the bowl. Add a little more milk if necessary to work all the dry ingredients into a sticky, thoroughly damp dough.

3. Spoon out the dough with a tablespoon and drop biscuits about four inches in diameter and two inches high on a greased cookie sheet. Leave about in inche between each. Bake 10 to 14 minutes in the preheated 475-degree oven. They're ready when they lightly brown on the top. Don't look for a dark brown; that indicates overbaking.

4. Wash and remove leaves from the strawberries. Slice them top to bottom about 1/4 inch thick.

5. Whip the cream in a chilled metal bowl until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue whipping until no grittiness remains.

6. Slice the shortcakes in half. Spoon some whipped cream on the bottom half. Add sliced strawberries until they fall off the sides, and a little more whipped cream.

Makes about twelve shortcakes.

Lemon Ice Box Pie

I have no idea where I got this recipe, but I've had it so long that I think of it as mine. I thank whoever gave it to me. (Another mystery so familiar to those of us who save everything.)

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle or Magnolia)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained
Zest (grated peel) of one large lemon or two small ones
3 eggs, separated
Eight- or nine-inch pie shell
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
3 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

1. With an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks until they become light-colored and thick. Beat in the condensed milk for about a minutes. Then add lemon juice and lemon zest, and blend well. Pour into cooled pre-baked pie shell.

2. Make a meringue by beating egg whites in a completely clean, grease-free bowl (the best possible is a copper bowl) with cream of tartar at high speed, until peaks begin to form. Add the sugar and vanilla, and beat until stiff but not dry. Spread meringue on top of pie.

3. Bake pie at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, or until top is lightly brown. Chill several hours before serving.

Makes one pie.

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