Cookbook Thursday: Jyl Benson's 'Fun, Funky and Fabulous' New Orleans

            New Orleans food writer Jyl Benson takes on the more colorful side of New Orleans cuisine in “Fun, Funky and Fabulous: New Orleans’ Casual Restaurant Recipes,” with photography by Sam Hanna and illustrations by Simon of New Orleans. It’s a fun trip through a city whose cuisine continues to evolve, spotlighting recipes from unique spots such as Vega Tapas Café, Juan’s Flying Burrito, The Three Muses and Miss Linda’s New Orleans Soul Food.  

            Benson will be signing copies of this eclectic cookbook from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at Oil and Vinegar Louisiana culinary shop, 6111 Pinnacle Pkwy. in Covington. The book features three recipes from Covington chefs Keith Frentz and Nealy Frentz of LOLA Restaurant and we'll be serving samples to snack. She will also sign copies at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Coquette, 2800 Magazine St. in New Orleans, with Chef Michael Stolzfus serving up samples from the book.

            The official book launch will be at 6 p.m. March 5 at Octavia Books in New Orleans with Chef Michael Nirenberg of Fulton Alley serving the andouille tots shown on the book’s cover.

            Here’s a recipe for chilled crab and cappellini salad by Chef Isaac Toups of Toups’Meatery.

Chilled Crab and Cappellini Salad

From “Fun, Funky and Fabulous: New Orleans’ Casual Restaurant Recipes”

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and white pepper to taste

8 ounces dried cappellini pasta cooked until al dente, chilled

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1 ounce of your favorite caviar

8 ounces jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage

20 satsuma, tangerine or blood orange segments, membranes removed

4 large basil leaves, cut in a chiffonade

            Directions: Start with well-chilled ingredients. Whisk the lemon juice, mustard, and sugar in a bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Add the oil in thin rivulets, whisking constantly until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cappellini, parsley, chives and caviar; toss gently to coat. Gently fold in the crabmeat, taking care not to break up the lumps. Divide the salad evenly among four chilled salad plates. Divide the citrus segments and basil evenly among the plates.

Louisiana Book News is written by Cheré Coen, the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.

Cookbook Tuesday: New Orleans cuisine in a slow cooker

            I’m all about easy when it comes to cooking but I hail from New Orleans and live in Lafayette, surrounding by the best food imaginable, so ordinary meals don’t fit my bill. That’s why I was excited to see “In a While, Crocodile: New Orleans Slow Cooker Recipes” by sisters Patrice Keller Kononchek and Lauren Malone Keller, a collection of recipes you can add to the slow cooker and let it do its magic, then return to a delicious meal that live up to Louisiana standards.

            The book is published by Pelican Publishing out of New Orleans and includes recipes that include barbecue shrimp, cochon de lait with beef broth (recipe below), mock turtle soup, grits and grillades and bananas foster.

            Clocking in at $21.95 (less online and from the publisher), “In a While, Crocodile” also makes a great holiday gift.

Mais Oui Cochon de Lait

1 4-5 pound pork butt

6 cloves garlic, whole

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 teaspoon coriander

1 12-ounce can beer

1 12-ounce can beef broth

            Directions: Cut 6 evenly spaced slits in top of pork butt and insert a garlic clove into each slit. Place pork butt in the slow cooker.

            Spread mustard over the top of the meat.

            In a separate bowl, combine chili powder, pepper, and coriander. Sprinkle spice mixture evenly over the top of the meat.

            Pour beer around the pork, not over the top. Add enough beef broth to bring the liquid near the top of the pork, but do not cover.

            Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or until pork falls apart.

Cheré Coen is the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.

Celebrating Louisiana's Latin culture and cuisine

            Latino culture has long been a part of New Orleans and Louisiana culture and history, influencing many segments of society, including our cuisine. Food historian Zella Palmer Cuadra researched this little-known — or better yet little discussed — history and showcases our Latino heritage in “New Orleans con Sabor Latino:The History and Passion of Latino Cooking.”

            After a fascinating history that poses New Orleans as more of a Caribbean city, she profiles several New Orleans Latinos and their experiences with both the city and its cuisine. There’s Alexey Marti, a Cuban immigrant who performs with his band Urban Mind; socialite Margarita Bergen from Santo Domingo; Kid Chef Eliana, a 13-year-old of diverse genealogy who’s already written two cookbooks; and Edgar M. Sierra Jimenez of Columbia, waiter at K’Paul’s. They and others are interviewed documentary style, with recipes that exemplify their Latin influences.

            Dishes run the gamut, many typical Louisiana dishes with a Latin flare, some more traditional to their origins. The author offers a few herself that made me want to wave a wand and have them instantly appear, recipes such as Southern fried chicken with mojo gravy and Chicago Puerto Rican Po’Boy with Grillades.

            Here’s a Banano de Foster a lo Latino, or Bananas Foster Latin Style, from Jimenez, one the author suggests is just as good using plantains, which I think is a marvelous idea. As a did-you-know, New Orleans used to be banana central, importing billions of bananas over the years by the United Fruit Company.

Bananas Foster Latin Style

From “New Orleans con Sabor Latino: The History and Passion of Latino Cooking”

4 ripe blackjack plantains (plantains should be turning black but still be somewhat firm) 

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/3 cup of unsalted butter

1/4 cup of dark rum

1/4 cup of banana liqueur

1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder

Good quality French vanilla ice cream

            Directions: Remove plantain peels and cut the plantains on a slant, about 1 inch in size. Sauté the brown sugar and butter, constantly stirring until caramelized. Add cinnamon and then the plantains. Add a little water so the plantains won’t stick. When the plantains begin to soften and cook down, add the rum carefully. Tilt the pan over the fire slightly to ignite the rum. When the flame subsides, add the banana liqueur and serve over two scoops of vanilla ice cream.

 Cheré Coen is a Lafayette freelance travel and food writer. She is the author of “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Tour of Historic Acadiana,” both from The History Press.