New Orleans Chef Recipe: Tasty Fig Gelato

Photo/LSU AgCenter -- This LSU Purple fig 

From Denny:  At the Hotel Monteleone’s Criollo Restaurant in the French Quarter this is a seasonal featured dessert, served with slivered almonds, caramelized sugar and lovingly garnished with summer's fresh blackberries.  Figs are hanging off back yard Louisiana trees this month and people are always looking for new recipes utilizing figs.  The Criollo also serves a killer banana split:  small scoops of Pontchtoula (Louisiana grown) strawberry, stone-ground chocolate and fig gelato snuggled up with long slices of banana in sauce, all served in an almond "boat."

The restaurant was willing to seat a couple of food journalists who wandered in just for dessert - and did so graciously.  The chef was also willing to share his recipe!  So, if you are traveling to New Orleans any time soon and fancy a frozen treat to beat the summer heat, just saunter on in to the Hotel Monteleone!  People with this great an attitude deserve a Denny Lyon Bump!  (Stephen Colbert has nothing on me.)  :)

(FYI - artist and journalist Denny Lyon has no association with Hotel Monteleone, just enjoyed reporting on the local news story featuring them)

If you would like to be a guest at this famous historic hotel, here's the contact information:

Hotel Monteleone, an historic luxury French Quarter hotel

214 Royal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130-2201

Email questions:  Reservations@hotelmonteleone.com

Phone:  (504) 523-3341 or Toll-Free at (866) 338-4684

Retro Sunburst 17" Laptop Sleeve

Check out this happy design and a blast from the retro past!

Available in bedding, pillows, shower curtains and more

From Louisiana artist Denny Lyon

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

New Orleans Chef Holiday Appetizer: Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp with Rosemary and Stilton

From Denny:  This is an upscale version of the classic shrimp rolled in bacon appetizer.  New Orleans Chef Anthony Spizale of The Rib Room - in the heart of the French Quarter - has definitely kicked up the taste levels on this recipe.

This tasty version is rich with the spectacular Stilton butter coating all over the shrimp just as you finish cooking it.  Then, to gild the lily, there is the Port Wine reduction sauce for dipping.  Definitely a "wow!" recipe sure to impress during the holiday season or for that special dinner.

Santa Jingle Woven Throw Pillow

New Orleans: Creamy Seafood Jambalaya Pasta

From Denny:  Need a quick pasta dish finished in 30 minutes?  Zatarain's created a product using the traditional jambalaya seasonings but with pasta noodles instead of rice!  If you want to include more than shrimp, like some tilapia or other fish, then cook these first and set aside.

Cooking shrimp separately to be added by the diner is also a good idea if you have diners who don't like shrimp or are allergic.

You never want to overcook seafood, especially shrimp.  Under cook them slightly while you finish the rest of the dish.  That way the heat of the sauce and vegetables will finish the seafood cooking without ruining the delicate texture.  I usually place the cooked seafood in a warmed ceramic/ironstone pasta bowl and cover with a small plate to keep it warm and moist until ready to place in the final dish.

If you are bored with fresh parsley as a garnish then consider diagonally sliced green onion.  It looks pretty and helps cut the rich cream sauce!

Funny Friday Weekend iPhone 5 Case

Tell the world how you really feel about coming back to work

* * *  Support Warriors Pearl Foundation - contributing to fund efforts to help homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Mardi Gras: New Orleans West Bank Chicken Wings

From Denny:  When I think of Mardi Gras the first images that come to mind are all the wonderful parties and delicious food.  Of course, I do - it's Louisiana!   

One thing is for sure we are all often short on time to prepare our favorites dishes so I've decided to post onto this blog my favorite recipes from the Zatarain site.  

They are a New Orleans based company that provides products to short cut the Cajun cooking process from slow food to a more efficient use of our time.  I prefer to cook "from scratch" most of the time but there are those times when we all turn to a faster way to prepare our favorite dishes...

Hurricane Vampire Survivor Mug

I survived the hurricane. Fangers on the bayou? I'll have to get back to you on that... by louisiana artist denny lyon

* * *  Support Warriors Pearl Foundation - contributing to fund efforts to help homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!