Recipe: Oyster Soup

From Denny: Touted as a rock star on the food scene in New Orleans comes a simple recipe anyone can do!

Here's an excerpt from the article about him from Country Roads Magazine. For the rest of the interesting article, go here:

Appearing on Food & Wine magazine’s cover as one of America’s ten best new chefs for 2007 must be the culinary equivalent of being on the cover of Rolling Stone.

Even in a world of rock-star chefs, Ian Schnoebelen might not have perceived himself in that limelight. Iris’ chef-and co-owner Schnoebelen was caught by surprise by the honor although Food & Wine‘s representatives had been calling the restaurant and asking questions.

“I was excited they were interested in the restaurant but had no idea they had chosen me for best new chefs,” Schnoebelen said. As far as seeing himself on the magazine’s cover, he said, “It was great, especially for business, but a little embarrassing.”

Schnoebelen will have to get used to the attention. He’s made the city proud and he’s turning out fantastic fresh cuisine at the tiny forty-two-seat restaurant he co-owns with partner Laurie Casebonne."


From: Chef Ian Schnoebelen at restaurant Iris, New Orleans, Louisiana, published in Country Roads Magazine

Ingredients:

5 lbs Vidalia onions (mild, sweet onions)

4 ribs celery

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 quarts fish stock

1 quart milk

Salt and pepper to taste

8 doz oysters

Method:
Sweat vegetables in medium potatoes with no color. Add liquids. Bring to boil. Turn down and simmer until potatoes are soft, stirring bottom of pot occasionally. Puree in blender and strain through medium fine sieve. Add freshly shucked oysters and oyster liquor as needed, about 4 oysters per 8 oz. Serving. The oyster will cook in simmering soup.

Fish Stock:

1 cup fish scraps

1/4 onion, diced

1 celery rib, sliced thinly

2 quarts water, cold

Directions:

Place all ingredients in sauce pot and bring to a boil. Skim and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain through sieve and cool.

Recipe: Black Bottom Pie

From Denny: Now here's a favorite in Southern homes! The calories are a lot less than most desserts that chefs are making in their restaurants. Chef desserts run in the 600 - 900 calorie range whereas this little gem comes in at 332 for a generous slice. Give this classic a try! The description is awesome!

From: Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Elizabeth Wilson, an Atlanta-born writer who lives in Stone Mountain, says she got this recipe from her mother, who said that she got it 50 years ago from a Dobbs House Restaurant. Atlanta cooking teacher Virginia Willis, who tested the recipe, says: "The chocolate layer, or black bottom, is very similar to a firm ganache, normally made from heavy cream and chocolate. . . It's rich, thick and slightly dense. The rum-flavored layer is spongy and light, and not very sweet. The combination, especially with the pillow-soft layer of whipped cream, is not only visually stunning, but a textural explosion in the mouth."

Hands on time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Serves: 2 (9-inch) pies, 6 to 8 slices each

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar, divided

1/4 teaspoon fine-grain salt

2 tablespoons cornstarch

3 large eggs, separated (see note)

2 cups whole milk

5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 prebaked pie crusts or chocolate cookie crusts

1/4 cup cold water

1 1/2 envelopes (about 3 3/4 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin

1/2 teaspoon dark rum or rum-flavored extract

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup heavy cream, well-chilled

Sifted cocoa, grated chocolate or cacao nibs, for garnish


Instructions:

Combine 1/2 cup sugar, salt and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Add yolks and whisk well to combine. Slowly whisk in milk and stir to combine. Place over medium-high heat and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a rolling boil and thickens, about 5 minutes.

Place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler and cook, stirring occasionally with a dry wooden spoon, until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes.

Once the cornstarch mixture thickens, pour half into the melted chocolate. Stir to combine and add vanilla. Divide mixture between the 2 prepared pie crusts; set aside. This forms the black bottom layer.

Place the water in a liquid measuring cup. Add the gelatin and stir to combine. Add this mixture to the remaining cornstarch mixture and stir to combine. Add rum or rum extract and stir to combine. Set aside for 8 to 10 minutes until the mixture just starts to set, or congeal.

Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. With the machine on medium-high speed, whip the egg whites until foamy. Increase the speed to high, and continue beating until soft peaks form. Slowly, steadily add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Take about 1/3 of the beaten whites and add to the rum-flavored mixture and stir well to combine. Pour that lightened mixture over the whites and fold to combine. Once the mixture is smooth, pour the rum-flavored mixture over the chocolate bottoms in the pie crusts. Refrigerate to set, at least 1 hour.

While the pies are chilling, place a clean mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, making sure the cream and equipment are well-chilled, place the bowl on a mixer fitted with the chilled whisk attachment. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Top the set pies with the whipped cream and serve. Garnish with cocoa, chocolate or cacao nibs, as desired.

Note: To avoid the very small risk of bacteria contamination posed by raw egg whites, use 2/3 cup pure liquid pasteurized egg whites instead.

Nutrition:

Per serving (based on 6): 332 calories (percent of calories from fat, 51), 5 grams protein, 38 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 20 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 71 milligrams cholesterol, 234 milligrams sodium."

Recipe: Real Man's Cajun Quiche

Traditional Quiche Lorraine version Image by Marylise Doctrinal via Flickr

From Denny: This is a delightful meaty version of how a Cajun would make one of those prissy French quiches. Lots of sausage, hot peppers and cheese, a winner! (no photo from the site)

A quiche is so easy to make and bake and can feed a whole family with a salad on the side too. Great way to use up those little bits of leftovers like meat and veggies. I often have some leftover sauteed red or green bell peppers that I like to include on my omelets or quiches. A little warmed salsa would be a nice finish with this too, complimenting the egg and cheese flavors. Don't forget your hot Tabasco sauce to put on your eggs, Cajun style! :)

From: Andy Steinmann, father of four, of Gainesville, Georgia and published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Hands on time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 store-bought or homemade pie crust

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1/2 pound precooked andouille sausage, sliced 1/4-inch thick

4 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated (about 1 cup)

4 ounces cream cheese, cubed

5 eggs

3 ounces ( 3/8 cup) milk

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced into rings

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line pie pan with crust, crimp edges, prick with fork and prebake for 10 minutes.

Heat butter in small frying pan and saute onion until translucent. Scatter half of sausage over pie crust, sprinkle with half of onions, 1/3 of pepper jack cheese and half of cubed cream cheese.

Repeat order with remaining sausage and onions, another 1/3 of pepper jack cheese and remaining cream cheese. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Pour over filling. Top with remaining 1/3 of pepper jack cheese and jalapeno slices. Bake for 45 minutes or until quiche is set and top is golden brown.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 484 calories (percent of calories from fat, 71), 18 grams protein, 14 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 38 grams fat (17 grams saturated), 228 milligrams cholesterol, 701 milligrams sodium.