Recipes From Crescent City Cooking

Classic French Vinaigrette 

My favorite salad mix would be a tumble of frisée, red oak, and arugula. To dress it, I'd opt for this vinaigrette and a bit of crumbled blue cheese.

1 tablespoon minced shallots
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil

Whisk together everything but the olive oil in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. After you've added 1/2 cup, taste the mixture. It might be perfect for you, but if it still tastes a bit acidic, add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Tip: For most salad dressings, I prefer a mix of pure olive oil and extra-virgin olive oil. For my palate, straight extra-virgin olive oil is often too strong and overpowers the other ingredients. The exception is when a simple salad, such as a plate of sliced ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil, cries out for the deepest green, most flavorful olive oil.

Goat Cheese Croutons With Wild Mushrooms in Madeira Cream

Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes
 This dish is one of our most popular items. To achieve the best flavor and texture, it's essential to sauté the mushrooms in a very hot pan, so they will be nicely browned and crispy.

Goat Cheese Croutons
1/4 cup fresh goat cheese, softened to room temperature
1 tablespoon butter, softened
4 slices 7-Grain (or any whole-grain) bread

In a small bowl, use a fork to combine the goat cheese and butter. Lightly toast the bread. Spread equal portions of the goat cheese mixture on the toast. Trim the crusts and cut the squares in half. (The toasts will have a cleaner edge if you trim the crusts after spreading on the goat cheese.) Set aside.

Madeira Cream

2 tablespoons shallots, finely chopped
1 cup Madeira (such as Rainwater or Sercial)
1 cup heavy cream

In a small saucepan, simmer the shallots in Madeira until the liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup. Add the cream, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer 5-10 minutes, until the cream thickens slightly. Set aside.

Wild Mushrooms

1/2 pound wild mushrooms (preferably a mix of oyster mushrooms, shiitakes, and/or chanterelles)
2 tablespoons butter
1 garlic clove, minced
Madeira Cream
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons snipped fresh chives, plus extra for garnish
Goat Cheese Croutons

Turn on the broiler. Remove the tough stems from the mushrooms and discard. Slice or tear the mushrooms into pieces. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is bubbling but not browned, add the mushrooms and cook until they're golden brown and crispy, 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and Madeira Cream. Turn the heat to high and boil for about 2 minutes, until the mushrooms have absorbed most of the cream. Season with salt and pepper and fold in the 2 teaspoons chives.

Broil the Goat Cheese Croutons until bubbly and lightly browned. Arrange the croutons on plates and spoon the mushroom mixture over them. Garnish with chives.

French Braised Leeks With Dijon Vinaigrette 

Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15-20 minutes for stovetop, 20-30 minutes in the oven (see below for oven method)
 This is the most basic French preparation for leeks, and one of the most delicious. It's also the recipe that sold me on them forever.

1 bunch leeks (5 small or 3 large)
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock or water
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cut the root end off the leeks, as well as the dark green stem end, leaving just the white and light green portion. Split them lengthwise and remove the outer 2 layers. Wash thoroughly under running water, being careful to rinse between layers to remove any grit. Shake off the excess water.

Rub the bottom of a large, heavy-bottomed skillet with the softened butter, then lay the leeks, cut side down, in the pan. They should fit snugly in one layer across the pan. Pour the wine and chicken stock over the leeks, sprinkle with salt and a little pepper, then cover with waxed paper or parchment (which will keep the tops of the leeks moist), and bring the liquid to a boil.

Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes. Use a small spatula or tongs to turn the leeks once, halfway through the cooking process. When cooked, the leeks should be completely tender and not stringy. Turn them over once more, so the outer layers are facing up. To test doneness, I usually just peel off one or two outer layers, the last to get cooked, and sample them (if they are the least bit tough, cook for another 5 minutes).

Remove pan from the heat and cool. If there are more than 2 tablespoons of juices left in the pan, remove the leeks to a serving platter and reduce the juices to 2 tablespoons. Whisk the juices into the Dijon Vinaigrette.

Pour the dressing over the leeks and let sit for at least 10 minutes. These leeks are wonderful served warm or cold, but I like them best at room temperature.

Dijon Vinaigrette

1 medium shallot, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons wine or apple cider vinegar
Reserved leek pan juices
1/2 cup olive oilv Salt and pepper

Whisk together the shallot, mustard, vinegar, and pan juices in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.

Oven-braised Leeks: Alternatively, you can braise the leeks in a 350°F oven for 20 to 30 minutes in a buttered gratin dish (which, when cooled slightly and served atop a trivet, can go right to the table as a rustic-looking serving dish). Oven braising is actually easier: Cooked in this manner, the leeks do not need to be turned. Simply prepare the leeks as described above (placing them cut side down), and don't forget to cover them with parchment.

Seared Yellowfin Tuna With Walnut Red Pepper Sauce 

Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
 Pole-caught yellowfin tuna is a good sustainable choice; its meaty texture and flavor stand up well to the thick pesto-like pureé. Swordfish would be a good alternative, cooked the same way as the tuna.

4 pieces yellowfin tuna (6-8 ounces each)
Salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon plus 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon each coarsely ground fennel and coriander seed
2 roasted red bell peppers (see Roasting Peppers and Chiles below), seeded and chopped
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted
Juice of 1 medium lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses (see note below)
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

Season the tuna with salt, pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of the cumin, and the fennel and coriander.

Combine the red peppers, walnuts, lemon juice, garlic, molasses, remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and crushed red pepper in a food processor and pulse on and off for 1 minute. Slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet until hot but not smoking. Add the tuna and cook about 2 minutes on each side. (My recommended doneness for tuna is rare to medium-rare.) Serve the tuna with a dollop of the sauce. (It's thick and concentrated, so you won't need much.)

Roasting Peppers and Chilies: To roast fresh poblanos or other peppers or chilies, place them directly on the grill over a low flame on a gas range, or on a baking sheet under a broiler, and char until evenly blackened, turning as necessary. Transfer peppers to a bowl and cover with a hand towel for about 5 minutes to steam the peppers (this will make their skins easier to remove). Alternatively, you can steam the peppers in a sealed plastic bag. Use your paring knife and/or your fingers to remove the stem, seeds, and skin from the peppers and use the smoky flesh as directed in the recipe.

Note: Pomegranate molasses (or syrup) is tart, tangy, and fruity and is usually available in Middle Eastern or specialty food markets.

Grouper Baked in Grape Leaves

Makes 4 servings
Prep time: about 45 minutes
 The feta cheese is a tasty addition and a pretty garnish, but it's not necessary. When it comes to choosing fish, a thick, super-fresh fillet of mahimahi, grouper, amberjack, or snapper would be ideal.

Couscous and Red Pepper Garnish

1/2 cup couscous
2 red bell peppers
Grated zest of 2 lemons and 1 orange
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Place the couscous in a large bowl and pour 1/2 cup of boiling water over it. Cover and set aside for about 5 minutes. Then stir the grains, breaking up any lumps with your fingers. Char the peppers (see Roasting Peppers and Chilies, above) and peel, seed, and cut them into large triangles. Set them aside for garnish, and finely chop any scrap pieces that are left. Add the scraps to the couscous with the lemon and orange zest, cilantro, mint, parsley, scallions, garlic, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Grouper

1 (16-ounce) jar grape leaves
4 (5-ounce) fillets of grouper, cut 3/4-inch thick
Salt and pepper
Cooked Couscous
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
Juice of 2 lemons and 1 orange
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, quartered lengthwise
1/4 cup pitted green olives
Red Pepper Garnish
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 ounces crumbled feta cheese, for garnish

Blanch 8 grape leaves in simmering water for about 3 minutes. Remove and drain. Cut off the stem ends.

Season the fish with salt and pepper. Place two overlapping grape leaves (dull sides facing up), in front of you, and top with a few spoons of Couscous mixture. Center one fillet bottom-side-up on the couscous, then fold first the sides, then the top and bottom of the grape leaves over the fish to enclose it like a package. Place the "package" seam-side down in a roasting pan with a lid. Repeat with remaining fillets, brush each wrapped fish with olive oil, and pour wine and 1/2 cup water over the fish. Add the bay leaf, cover, and bake 15-17 minutes, basting from time to time. While the fish is baking, place the reserved lemon and orange juice in a small saucepan with the vinegar. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced to 3 tablespoons of liquid. Pour into a small bowl and whisk in the 1/3 cup olive oil, shallots, and olives, and season to taste. Place the fish on a platter or individual plates. Sauce with the vinaigrette, and garnish with the Red Pepper Garnish, rosemary, and feta cheese.

Roasted Duckling With Orange-Cane Syrup Sauce 

Makes 2 to 4 servings
Prep time: 2 1/2 hours
 This duck is delicious with simple sides like wild or pecan rice, haricots verts, or sugar snap peas.

1 duck (about 5 pounds)
1 onion, quartered
1 medium orange (or satsuma, a Louisiana mandarin), zested and quartered
1 teaspoon each chopped fresh sage and thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Rinse and pat the duckling dry and trim away some of the excess fat around the cavity. Stuff the bird with the onion and orange quarters. Tie the duck legs closed with string. Combine the orange zest, sage, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Prick the duckling skin lightly all over and rub it generously with the herb mixture. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerate up to 12 hours.

About 2 hours before serving time, preheat the oven to 425°F and place a 13-by-9-inch roasting pan in the oven.

Place the duck breast-side-up in the preheated pan. Roast for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 400°F. Turn the duck, baste with Orange-Cane Syrup Sauce, and roast for 30 more minutes. Finally, turn the duck breast-side-up again, baste it, and roast for 40 more minutes, until the skin is crisp and the juices run clear when you prick the thigh. Remove the duck from the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes.

You may serve the duck whole, or remove the breasts and legs, then serve the breasts sliced and the legs whole. Spoon the warm sauce over the duck or serve it on the side.

Orange-Cane Syrup Sauce

2 cups fresh-squeezed orange or satsuma juice
1 cup cane vinegar or apple cider vinegar
2 medium shallots, minced
1/4 cup cane syrup
2 cups chickens stock
2 tablespoons butter, softened
Salt

Place the orange juice, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until it has reduced to about 1 cup. Whisk in the cane syrup and divide the mixture in half. Reserve one half for basting the duck later. In another saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the stock is reduced to 1/2 cup, then whisk in the orange juice mixture and simmer for about 7 minutes, until slightly syrupy. Whisk in the butter a tablespoon at a time, until you have a light, creamy sauce. Taste for seasoning and add a little more salt if necessary. The sauce should be balanced between sweet and tart. If it's too tart, add a little more syrup. Keep it warm while the duck is roasting.

Carving a Duck: Place the bird on a cutting board. Disjoint and remove a leg from the side nearest you. Use a knife to remove the wings (they will come off easily). Slicing along the breastbone, gently remove the whole breast in one piece. Slice the breast on the slant to make nice medallions. Repeat with the other side.

Epiphany Lemon Tart 

Makes 8 servings
Prep time: 50 minutes
 This recipe is a little trickier than most lemon tarts that use a precooked curd, but to me the taste is brighter and fresher and the texture smoother than most.

Sweet Tart Crust

1 1/2 cups flour
5 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons butter, chilled and diced
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Sift the flour, sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Add the butter and work it in with your fingertips until the mixture is crumbly and well mixed. Mix the egg and vanilla together with a fork and stir into the flour mixture. Gather the dough into a ball and knead just a little. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, at least 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch tart pan.

Roll out the dough on lightly floured parchment paper to about 1/8-inch thick. Chill again for about 5 minutes. Press the dough into the pan, taking care to tuck the corners in. Fold the excess dough back onto itself to form a lip all the way around, just slightly higher than the rim of the tart pan. (This is important, as the filling is very liquidy, and you want to fill the tart all the way to the rim of the pan. The higher edge will keep the filling from spilling out.) Keep a tiny ball of excess dough to repair any cracks in the baked shell. Line the shell with a piece of foil or parchment and fill with dry beans, making sure to press them up against the sides. Bake for 10-15 minutes, then carefully remove the foil and beans, check for cracks, and use your extra dough as "spackle" to fill them in. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes, until cooked through and light golden brown. Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool for at least 5 minutes.

Lemon Filling

5 eggs
1 cup sugar minus 2 tablespoons
6 tablespoons butter, melted but not hot
Juice of 3 lemons and 1 orange (about 3/4 cup)
Zest of 2 lemons Fresh berries, for garnish, optional

Lower the oven temperature to 300° F.

Beat the eggs lightly and whisk in the sugar until well blended. Add the melted butter, then juice and zest. Whisk just until blended. Place the pie shell in the oven and pour in the filling. Bake for 30 minutes, until the filling is just set in the center. Cool and serve, garnished with fresh berries.

Espresso Pôts de Crème

Makes 8 servings
Prep Time: 1 to 11/2 hours
 A favorite foolproof dinner party dessert

2 cups heavy cream
2 cups half-and-half
1/2 vanilla bean, split open and scraped
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon instant espresso
6 egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whipped cream, for garnish, optional
Chocolate-covered espresso beans, for garnish, optional

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Heat a kettle of water.

Combine the cream, half-and-half, vanilla bean (and inside scrapings), and sugar in a heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat until the mixture just barely reaches a simmer. Stir in the espresso until dissolved.

Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl, then temper the yolks by whisking in a little hot cream. Add the remaining cream in a slow, steady stream. Whisk the cream mixture back into pan. Stir in vanilla extract and adjust flavoring.

Strain the mixture through a fine strainer. Ladle 5 or 6 ounces into eight custard cups, ramekins, or coffee cups. Place the containers in a baking dish and add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides; cover the dish with foil. Bake in the water bath for about 45 minutes or until the cream is set around the edges; the centers will be not quite firm.

Let the cups cool in the water bath, then serve at room temperature or chilled, garnished with whipped cream and chocolate-covered espresso beans.

Working With Vanilla Beans: You can't beat the deep flavor and perfume of a fresh vanilla bean. They are not cheap but are worth the investment for special desserts. The freshest beans will be pliable and leathery (not crackly and dry). If the bean is dry, you can rehydrate it in warm water until it feels soft. To split the bean, lay it on a cutting board and run a paring knife down the center. Use the knife to spread open each half and scrape out the seeds.

For more information about Susan Spicer's restaurants, call Bayona at 504/525-4455, or visit www.bayona.com, or call Herbsaint at 504/524-4114, or visit www.herbsaint.com.