New Orleans Recipe: Crescent City Shrimp Jambalaya

From Denny:  Not in the mood for the chicken version of jambalaya?  No problem; make it with shrimp and andouille sausage for a change of pace.  Shrimp is ridiculously popular down South that we are forever creating new dishes to keep up with the demand.

Louisiana cooking is based off of French cooking and with the same mindset of employing whatever food sources are at hand.  From the bayous or spillways teeming with yummy crayfish to the gorgeous shrimp and oysters from the Gulf of Mexico we create recipes around our bountiful food.

Kick it up a notch with Louisiana food products like from Zatarain's that help us make our meals cook that much faster and we are all a happy lot.  This recipe employs Zatarain's Jambalaya Mix of rice and seasonings.  You provide the fresh shrimp, sausage, onion, bell pepper, parsley and tomatoes.

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Chef Recipe: How To Make Remoulade Sauce

From Denny:  Remoulade sauce is popular here in Louisiana because it is so versatile.  This restaurant recipe makes a large amount so plan on dining on a lot of salads, gifting some friends or holding a family reunion.

Originally, remoulade sauce was used in France as a dressing for carrot, potato or raw celery root salad.  Classic French remoulade sauce is based with Dijon mustard, fresh made from scratch mayonnaise and an assortment of favorite French herbs like tarragon, chervil and parsley.  To that they add capers, some finely chopped pickles and then anchovies.

But this is the Creole style of remoulade sauce we enjoy here in Louisiana.  This version of remoulade is much more spicy.  We use Creole mustard in place of the traditional Dijon mustard.  We also include ketchup, finely chopped green onions or minced shallots.  To kick up the spice once more we add hot pepper sauce like the Tabasco brand or finely ground cayenne pepper.

So, how can you use a remoulade sauce?  We love it with seafood like shrimp cocktail, seafood po'boy sandwiches, crab cakes or a pan-fried fish but it also goes well with cold meats.

Mardi Gras: New Orleans Zulu King Cake

From Denny:  When you experience Mardi Gras in New Orleans one of the first things you want to enjoy again is the famous King Cake.

Here in Baton Rouge our grocery stores and local bakeries offer literally dozens of varieties from chocolate eclair to cream cheese and blueberry.  Those are two of my favorites.  :)

The Zulu King Cake has coconut and chocolate chips.  Cinnamon, sugar and cream cheese is another popular version.

Simple Appetizer From Chef Poppy Tooker: Andouille in Creole Mustard Cream Sauce

From Denny: New Orleans food is known for its great tasting creative comfort food. It's also loaded with calories, usually from the sauces. This delectable appetizer qualifies for the High Calorie Club. But that's the beauty of Louisiana food as you can often choose to serve it in smaller portions to help reduce the calorie load while still enjoying great flavor!

Chef Poppy Tooker did just that. She sauced the andouille slices in heavy cream flavored with Creole mustard. If you can't find andouille sausage or Creole mustard in your area just substitute with your favorite sausage and a great deli mustard of full flavor.