Favorites From New Orleans & Beer Pairings

Creole Crawfish Dip, Whole Grain Mustard Toasts:
Ingredients:  Yields 12 servings
1 C Celery, diced
1 C Onion, diced
1 C Green Bell Pepper, diced
¼ C Garlic, minced
6 oz Sherry wine
1 pint Heavy cream
8 oz Cream cheese
1 T Horseradish
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T Crawfish tail meat
½ C Green onion

Method Of Preparation:
In a medium sauce pot, combine celery, onion, green bell pepper and garlic (the “holy trinity”).  Sweat for 5 minutes over medium heat; add sherry.  Reduce by half; add heavy cream, reduce until smooth and slightly thick.  Remove from fire, stir in cream cheese until completely melted.  Add horseradish, Dijon mustard, crawfish tail meat and green onion.  Taste for salt.  Reserve for service.

NOTE:  the whole grain mustard toasts are simply sliced baguette spread with whole grain mustard and toasted lightly so that the toast is crisp on outside but still spongy inside.


Pork Belly & Pan-Roasted Clams:
Ingredients: Yields 12 servings:
1 C Celery, diced
1 C Onion, diced
1 C Green Bell Pepper, diced
¼ C Garlic, minced
2 C Pork belly, diced
1 C Chicken stock
48 ea Little neck clams
½ C Green onion
tt Kosher salt
tt Cayenne pepper          
1 oz whole butter
Splashwhite vermouth

Method Of Preparation:
In a medium sauce pot, combine celery, onion, green bell pepper and garlic (the “holy trinity”).  Sweat for 5 minutes over medium heat; add pork belly, chicken stock.  Allow this to boil rapidly until the stock is reduced and the pork belly begins to caramelize.  Add clams, cover, allow clams to steam open.  Once the clams have opened, add the green onion, seasoning, butter and a splash of vermouth.


Pork Belly & Eggs, Green Tomato “Trinity”:

Ingredients:
Yields 4 servings
Prepare ahead 4 hard-boiled eggs.

This preparation is similar to the pork belly and pan-roasted clams previously listed.  The trinity and the stock and the pork belly cooks together until the pork belly begins to caramelize.  For this dish, we then add diced green tomato, green onion, salt, cayenne pepper, a touch of butter and halves of hard-boiled egg at service.  A version of bacon and eggs.