Zatarain’s Gumbo Filé

Photo of Zatarain's Gumbo Filé with a bowl of gumbo and rice.

Transport yourself to Southern Louisiana!
Zatarain’s Gumbo Filé is the essential seasoning for authentic New Orleans gumbo. Shake a little on top of gumbo or soups just before serving as a delicate seasoning and thickener.

Creating authentic New Orleans flavors is made easy Read more…

Pikliz (Haitian Pickled Relish)

Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight
We knew when we decided to go to New Orleans that, at the very least, we would eat well on the trip. And, we were not disappointed. However, our favorite meal was a bit of a surprise.

Anytime I travel, I do the research on where to stay, what to see, and certainly where to eat. Eater.com is one of my favorite destinations for food info. It is where I stumbled upon a recommendation for a Haitian place in the Treme neighborhood that sounded great. And, it was certainly something new.

I, to my knowledge, had never had the opportunity to try Haitian food, so I had no expectations whatsoever. I think ultimately that is what made the meal such a revelation to both of us. It was a surprise. With the other restaurants, we kind of knew what to expect. But, at Fritai, we were in uncharted waters.

I had the pork Griyo, my husband went with the chicken creole. Both were excellent. But, what sent us thru the roof was the Pikliz that was served with all of it.

Pronounced PEE-kleez, it is essentially a Haitian coleslaw or relish…but it packs a punch. This stuff is spicy. But, it hurts so good. The heat comes from little orange scotch bonnet chilies that my husband thought were bell peppers. To be fair, there were bell peppers in the pikliz, but they weren’t the only peppers. As a lover of all things coleslaw, he took a big bite…and needed a lot of water. The problem was that it tasted so good that you could not stop eating it. We had it on grilled shrimp with avocado, the creole chicken, and, of course, the pork. Just so good.

It should come as no surprise that I now have a new obsession with Haitian cooking and have started my quest to learn how to make traditional Haitian food. Yes, cookbooks have been ordered but there are not as many out there as you might think.

Finding a Pikliz recipe was fairly easy. Now that BBQ season is in full swing, I encourage you to give this relish a try at your next backyard feast. Just make sure to warn your people that those aren’t just bell peppers!

Pikliz Recipe
Adapted from Epicurious
Yields 4 cups Read more…

Summer Cherries

A bowl of Summer Cherries on a wooden table This week’s staff pick is summer cherries because they are ripe and delicious and cherry season is short. So, get them while they are fresh!

Selecting Cherries
Cherries don’t ripen further once they’re picked. They are very delicate fruits, bruise easily, and should be treated with care. Read more…

Pecan-Crusted Fish with Crab Salad and Crushed Corn Sauce

Commander’s Palace
When we decided to head to New Orleans, I knew the one thing that we had to do was have dinner at Commander’s Palace, an icon of the New Orleans culinary tradition. It has launched the careers of many a celebrity chef and earned countless awards along the way. There was no way I was not eating at this establishment. I made our reservations the minute the date was available, two months prior to getting on a plane.

By far, the hardest thing we had to do was not eat too much during the day. It wasn’t easy but somehow, we muddled through.

The sacrifice was worth it. We feasted on classic Cajun fare and had to be rolled into our Uber. There was turtle soup (I know, but we had to give it a try). There was gumbo and crawfish. There was also the world-famous bread pudding soufflé.

My choice for dinner was the iconic Pecan-Crusted Fish with Crab Salad and Crushed Corn Sauce. A longtime staple on the menu, the fish was perfectly cooked, the corn sauce was amazing and don’t get me started on the crab on top. Both my husband and I agreed it was the best choice between the two of us (though perhaps not as healthy as we might have hoped).

I wasn’t able to find the exact recipe in either of my Commander’s Palace cookbooks, but I was able to find it online thanks to the Today Show.

Pecan-Crusted Fish with Crab Salad and Crushed Corn Sauce Recipe
Adapted from Today and Commander’s Palace
Yields 6 servings

Crunchy pecans add texture and nutty flavor to mild white fish. The sweet crab salad and fresh corn sauce, round out this signature dish that is not difficult to prepare at home. Read more…