Monthly Archives: January 2012

January Wine Dinner at Charley G’s – 1st Time’s a Charm!

29 Sunday Jan 2012

Posted by in Carolyn Wright Blog, La., Louisiana, restaurants in lafayette, louisiana

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I have heard and read a lot, over the past couple of years, about the Wine Dinners at Charley G’s…and for some unknown reason, Robert and I have never attended (how and why, I’ll never know!).  But, when we received an e-mail from 2 new friends of ours – about the January Wine Dinner – we immediately said “Yes”…and we were so glad that we did! A five course dinner…with wine pairings and getting to visit with friends and new acquaintances – on “hump day“?!  It was just great…

Just walking into Charley G’s has always been a calming experience – there is almost always great music being played, on the piano, by some of Lafayette’s favorite musicians and… honestly, I have never once been dissapointed by the solid creative menu, quality of food or service (not to mention the ambiance!).  Chef Holly Goetting, who has been executive chef at Charley’s G’s, is just remarkable!  Always knowing that your Lunch or Dinner will be perfect means sooo much… Just imagine a Wine Dinner at Charley G’s!

This is it…

1st course:

Marinated Shrimp, Celery & Chives tossed in a Shallot-Thyme Vinaigrette, Tobikkoi Creme Fraiche;  Paired with a Simonnet-Febvre  Cremant de Bourgogne, Brut Blanc

The wonderful and fresh flavors of the Jumbo Gulf Shrimp, bright vinaigrette, tiny bits of caviar in the creme fraiche was perfect – with what I would call a great  “champagne”…but really a Brut Blanc!

2nd course:

Lyonnaise Salad, Quail Egg, Apple Slices Frisee, Bacon Vinaigrette, Roasted Fingering Potatoes;  Paired with a 2008 Domaine Vincent Girardin  Rully Blanc, Vielles Vignes;

I just love fresh salads with a poached egg sitting alongside or on top…just waiting for you to pierce it and let the wonderful richness of the yolk run and “pull together” all of the flavors… And, of course, paired with a fabulous white wine – well, it just made me smile!

3rd course:

Snail Ravioli in Tender Garlic Sauce with Melted Leeks;  Paired with a 2008 Domaine Vincent Girardin  Bourgogne Rouge, Cuvee Saint-Vincent;

Since I have had a few “tough” experiences with snails (escargot)…I was very hesitant about the “snail” ravioli – But, our friends (Mark and Linda) convinced me that they should be tender and have the texture of morel mushrooms…well, they were right!  It was my favorite dish of the night – perfectly cooked house-made ravioli with very tender snails (in a wonderful rich garlic sauce), that melted in your mouth…sitting alongside tender sautéed leeks!  As if that was not enough to make me sing – it was paired with a beautiful red wine!

4th course:

Confit Duck Leg, Fire Roasted Sweet Corn Cake, Blackberry Ginger Glaze; paired with a 2009 Chateaux Saint Martinde la Garrigue  Brozinelle, Coteau de Languedoc;

Everyone at the table was looking forward to the Duck Confit…and they certainly were not disappointed!  It was just fabulous…beautifully roasted duck leg (confit – cooked in its own fat) sitting on the slightly sweet wedge of corn cake sauced with  fresh blackberry glaze  – If we could have, very politely, gnawed and chewed on those duck legs…everyone would have!!!  Along with the boldness of the red wine, that it was paired with….this was the favorite for everyone sitting around me!!

5th course:

Chocolate, Macadamia Nut Shortbread, Orange Liqueur Mouse, Fresh Berries;  Paired with Mathilde Liqueur d’ Oranges au Cognac XO;

“Show stopping” presentation of a mild orange mousse sitting on top of a delicate and slightly savory shortbread – then topped with a thin “sheet” of chocolate… Paired with a great cognac that contained just hints of orange.  Great way to end a fabulous meal!

Can I tell you – at the end of the dinner… there was a room full of happy people!  (I know that it wasn’t just the generous pouring of the wonderful wines!) It sure seemed like everyone enjoyed the food, wine and company of each other…I know that we did! And, I know that we will be back for more…

Wine Dinner at Charley G’s – 1st Time’s a Charm!  Thank you, Chef Holly Goetting and all of the staff, for making it a night to remember.

Creole Onion Soup Hits the Spot!

22 Sunday Jan 2012

Posted by in cajun food, Carolyn Wright Blog, creole food, Creole Onion Soup

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Soup again? 

Guess, it’s just the time of the year that screams…”SOUP”!  Even though the weather has been mild, in South Louisiana, so far – I just love making soup in January…and I love French Onion Soup.  But, when I see “Creole Onion Soup” on a menu…well, my heart stops!  Maybe, it’s because you just don’t see it that often or  maybe –  it’s just that good… Whatever the reason, if a restaurant has it on their menu, try it!  It is similar to French Onion Soup, except it is creamier (but without cream) and there isn’t a thick crust of cheese on top.

Don’t be mistaken into thinking or reading that it is “a short cut” to making a great onion soup…because, if you do it right – it’s not!  Yea, you still need to peel and slice a small mountain of fresh onions and cook them down slowly..but so worth the effort! 

Ingredients:

3 lbs medium Vidalia or other “sweet” onions – sliced very thinly using either a mandolin, food processor or by hand (have your goggles ready!)

1 stick unsalted butter

1/4 cup olive oil

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup dry white wine (Justin Wilson was right on this one…never cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink!)  Looks like a little more than a cup – just noticed! Guess, it worked…

1/2 gallon beef stock – homemade or using concentrated beef stock

1 can beef consomme’

1 cup of water

3 springs fresh thyme – if you can’t get fresh, just omit

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1 clove garlic – chopped

1 loaf of baguette bread or small french bread – cut into small rounds, buttered lightly and toasted in oven

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Melt butter and olive oil in medium size dutch oven or soup pot;

Add onions (it will look like they won’t fit…but they will cook down quite a bit!)

Stir onions well – to make sure that they are all coated with the butter and olive oil;

Cook on high heat – stirring frequently – just until onions begin to saute’, then lower  to a medium heat;

Add salt and sugar – continue to cook and stir often until onions begin to carmelize (about 1 hour).  If onions begin to brown or cook too quickly, turn heat down;

Add chopped garlic and cook for an additional 5 minutes;

Very slowly, add flour to onions (about 1/4 cup at a time) stirring and blending well in between additions, until all flour has been added;

Stir flour and onion mixture, stirring constantly (being careful not to break up the onions), for another 10 minutes;

Slowly, add wine – stirring and blending into mixture as you pour;

Cook over medium heat, stirring and scraping bottoms and sides of pot to delgaze, for about 10 minutes;

Add beef broth, consomme’ and water – stir to blend and combine into soup;

Add fresh thyme, bay leaf, cayenne and black pepper;

Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer – cook for 30 minutes;

Turn off heat, cover and let sit for at least 15 minutes before serving;

Place a piece of toasted bread round (or two!) in the bottom of a bowl and pour soup on top…

I promise…it’s good! 

So good, that when my husband, Robert, started eating his bowl of soup (In front of the TV…on his lap!)  I could hear him moaning…”That is sooo good – no, delicious!”  then a little louder…”what kind of cheese did you use?”  To my, “No cheese!”; then…”is that sherry in the soup?”  “No, white wine!” …Finally, “man, I need another bowl of that stuff!” And my final warning…”remember, onions and your heart burn!”  Surprise…he ignored me and had the second bowl! 

That good….

Portuguese Kale and White Bean Soup…Cajun Style!

18 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by in cajun food, Carolyn Wright Blog, Portuguese Kale and White Bean Soup

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After coming home from the Hub City Farmer’s Market this past Saturday morning, looking at the beautiful “3 Kale Mix” from Gotreaux’s Family Farm, I knew instantly what I wanted to do…cool January Day and a quiet house – Soup Day!!!  Not just any soup – the Portuguese Kale and White Bean Soup that I have made a couple of times before…yes,  I had just the recipe.

Robert, my husband, just happened to have cooked a big pot of white beans on Thursday, so I knew they would be great with the Kale…and I always keep a package of Savoies Pork Sausage in my fridge (what good Cajun girl doesn’t?)!  Fresh tomatoes from my “front porch garden” – thought that they would never turn red!  But, they did…and I  just had to use those precious “3” in something that would really be wonderful – If you ever watched “3” (yes, only 3!) tomatoes slowly grow, and slowly turn light pink, then red…and then your plant is done – you know what I mean!!!  To top off all of these ingredients – my herbs are still doing great and thriving on the porch – and those fresh herbs are sooo important in the flavor of this soup.  But, don’t ever not cook this soup if you don’t have fresh herbs…you can, now, buy them at almost every market or use dry herbs.

Looked like I had all of the ingredients for this wonderful special soup…

Ingredients:

Kale – 1 bunch chopped

3 fresh tomatoes – chopped or 1 can of whole tomatoes chopped

(Just look at those precious tomatoes!)

1 package of dried white beans – cooked or 2 cans of cannellini or any type of canned white beans

2 quarts of homemade chicken stock or 2 quarts of chicken stock made from dry or concentrated chicken stock

1 pound of Savoies Smoked Pork Sausage or any other type of smoked sausage you can find – chopped into bite size, small pieces

3 medium potatoes – chopped into small pieces

2 Onions – finely chopped

1 Bell Pepper – finely chopped

3 cloves garlic – chopped

Bouquet Garni – 6 stems of fresh parsley, 6 stems of fresh lemon thyme and 4 fresh sage leaves tied together and removed after soup in cooked or use 1 tsp of each herb dried

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 tsp black pepper

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Heat olive oil in medium size soup pot or dutch oven on medium heat

Add chopped sausage and stir frequently until browned

Add kale, onions and bell peppers and continue to cook on a medium low heat until all veggies are soft

Stir in tomatoes and potatoes – cook for 15 minutes, stirring often

Add chicken stock and white beans –  blend all ingredients well

Stir in Bouquet Garni or dried herbs and pepper – you shouldn’t need any additional salt, because the sausage contains a lot of salt

Bring to a boil, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes

Turn off heat and let soup sit for at least 30 more minutes

Serve with any good fresh “crusty” bread…enjoy!!!!

My oldest daughter, Kimberly, came by and loved it so much, that she took some home for supper and asked if I could freeze some for nights when she wanted something warm to eat…which, of course, I was thrilled to do!! Then, brought some to my precious Anne Marie, who just had her first baby (and I miss her like crazy, at work!).  I even had enough to freeze a few containers to keep…Imagine!

So, if you want to know if a Cajun girl can cook a “Portuguese Soup”…of course we can!!!  Works for everyone I know!

Cabbage Rolls – Bring in the New Year….Every Year!

12 Thursday Jan 2012

Posted by in Cabbage Rolls, cajun food, Carolyn Wright Blog

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Cabbage Rolls have been a traditional New Year’s Day meal in our family, for as long as I can remember…can I say – a long time!!! My mother learned to make these delicious little bundles from my grandmother (her mother-in-law) in the 1960’s and they have been a family tradition ever since! At some point in time, I sat by my mother and made her measure everything so that we would not lose this great treasure….The recipe comes out perfect every time – Just as it was written!!!

So what happens when my husband and I decide (for the first time ever!) to go out-of-town for the whole New Year holiday? Meaning that I won’t be home to make the “Annual Cabbage Roll Feast”… (This always consists of cabbage rolls, black-eyed peas, potato salad and a Honey Ham.)

Well, after my children all decide that I need to either stay home or make the cabbage rolls ahead of time (which I didn’t have the time to do)….. My oldest daughter, Kimberly, painfully pulls out the recipe that I had given to her years ago and decides that maybe it is time for her to give it a try… Many phone calls later, I am thrilled to report that she was successful with her very first attempt! She just didn’t know what to do with all of the rolls….the recipe makes about 100! She ran out of cabbage and saved the leftover meat mixture for me…I was sooo happy, because I just had to make – even the smallest of batches for my year to get off to the right start! Not just ready to pass the torch on making the “family cabbage rolls”, just yet….but it sure feels good to have a “back up”!

Ingredients:

4 lbs. ground beef
4 large onions chopped finely
1 1/2 cans whole tomatoes – cut up with juice
2 cans tomato soup
3 cups raw rice
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 cups shredded par-boiled cabbage (use the center portions of the whole head of cabbage after removing the leaves that you will use for the rolls)
5 heads of cabbage

In a large pot, fill with water and bring to a boil;
Have a large cookie sheet or some other shallow pan near the stove to put the leaves of cabbage on;

Remove a few of the tough outer leaves off of each head of cabbage and lin the bottom and sides of a large pot that you will be cooking the rolls in;

Remove center core of cabbage, and drop the whole head into boiling water;

After a few minutes start to remove the outer leaves with tongs and place leaves on pan;


Continue removing until the leaves begin to get too small to use;
Remove the par-boiled center and use for shredding into meat mixture;

Mix all ingredients in a very large bowl;

Place an ice cream scoop full on each leaf and roll ends in, then roll from the sides;
Start  layering your Dutch oven or large pan with cabbage rolls until it is full or you run out of the mixture or cabbage leaves;

Once the pot is full of rolls, add water to cover about 1/2 way up to the top of the rolls;


Place in 350 degree oven for about 1 1/2 hours. Take one out to test for doneness (rice should be done). If rice is still a little crunchy, let cook for another 30 minutes.

Remove pot from oven, take lid off so that they will stop cooking and drain any of the liquid remaining in pot. Or, once they have cooled enough to be handled, you could carefully remove cabbage rolls from pot and place in another large container or in containers to be given to a few close friends and family….I can assure you they will be thrilled!

The last time I made cabbage rolls with my grandmother, she was 95…Still living in her home, doing quite well for herself – but wanted “her” cabbage rolls – and it is quite an undertaking, needless to say!  She knew that I made them just like she did, so she called me and asked me to come over to help her….I prepared all of the cabbage and mixture – as she looked on,  telling me..”yea, that’s how you do it”!  Then, finally came her favorite part…the rolling.  Now, she was a tiny woman and wanted to do this part of the process at her kitchen bar area…To get up, I had to give her a little “boost” up so that she could sit on one of her bar stools to roll with me.  We sat at that counter in her kitchen, laughing and telling stories as we rolled 96 of these precious cabbage rolls (and yes, she counted!).  When they were done, she ate a few, put some in the refrigerator for later, let me take home about a dozen…then carefully wrapped the rest separately in saran wrap, to put in zip locks, in her freezer for God only knows how long!  All I know, is that she wasn’t sharing with anyone…she was stashing them away for when she had that “envie” for one of “her” cabbage rolls.

I cherish the memories of that particular day with her – always will…

Cabbage Rolls have been working in my family for a long time – New Year’s Day or any old day!!!

New and “Haunting” Places – Sylvain in New Orleans

08 Sunday Jan 2012

Posted by in Carolyn Wright Blog, New Orleans Restaurants, Sylvain New Orleans Restaurant

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Every time Robert and I plan a trip to New Orleans, I almost “lose my mind” over planning our meals…I want to make sure that I get in as many different restaurants as possible~! It doesn’t matter what the occasion might be – for me, the main event will be the food. But, the most difficult part is trying to balance wanting to return to our old favorites and wanting to try all of the new and some “not so new” that we haven’t been to yet. What a problem to have, right?!!!

So, starts the mad googling…reading what Tom Fitzmorris has to say about where he has been lately, looking at menus, reading online reviews (which I don’t put too much stock in, since a lot look like angry people who had a bad night!)… then talking to people who have the same expectations as you do – that is the real clincher! Then, I just go with what feels right….

This particular weekend, we had the good fortune of being in New Orleans for 2 nights! This is what it came down to:

Friday, late lunch: Sylvain – Opened in 2010 – New one for us…but, one of our daughter’s friends (Charlie) had been a waitress there before moving to Dallas and they all loved it – a bonus: she would be with us for lunch!

Friday night dinner: We had already planned to attend Tom Fitzmorris’s Fabulous Eat Club Annual Gala at Le Foret! How could we go wrong? This would be wonderful…

Saturday lunch: We love the Saturday “Light Lunch” at Bayona – so that was a must!

Saturday night dinner: The Pelican Club – new to us, but have been hearing nothing but rave reviews! and…..

Sunday before going west down I-10: The Royal House – our old favorite for raw oysters and very casual dining – This is the place where we spent 10 hours for Super Bowl Sunday (to watch the Saints) in 2010!  Maybe, a repeat in 2012???? (We can hope!)

5 different restaurants! Perfect combination – if only we could sneak in a little John Besh or Galatoires!!! Next time… We had a great fun time and sooo enjoyed all of places that we went….Sounds like 5 different posts to me!

Starting with Friday late lunch at Sylvain wwwsylvainnola.com:  Called a “Gastropub” by new foodie groups, but I am really not sure what that means!  To me, it is a really cool, somewhat informal little restaurant that has kept that old feel of New Orleans, while updating their menu to include current trends of unique and really delicious food and isn’t a tourist trap yet…that is what I like!

The building was built in 1796, where Jean-Francois-Marmontel and Andre Getry’s one-act comic opera Sylvain was performed in New Orleans.

Since then, the building has been owned by numerous New Orleans dignitaries and characters, including notorious French Quarter Madame Aunt Rose Arnold who presided over her own Storyville brothel and lived at 625 Chartres during the 1920s. Standing over six feet tall, Aunt Rose was an imposing figure and friend of many of the neighborhood’s bohemians as well as friend of famous authors; Sherwood Anderson who wrote of her in “A Meeting South” and Faulkner is also believed to have used her as his muse, patterning his character “Miss Reba” after her in “Sanctuary” and “The Reivers.”

In fall of 2010, Sylvain opened at the very site of Mr. Almonaster’s Chartres Street carriage house. (They even leave a cocktail out every night for Miss Reba, who supposedly still wanders her old home and creates havoc at times!)

As soon as we walked in – through the long old bricked walkway leading to the open courtyard and were seated in the intimate historic dining room – that has doors opened onto Chartres Street…we knew that this place was special – and, of course with our daughter and 3 of her old friends in tow…it was!!!

Our wonderful, bright and knowledgable waitress told us all about their very unique and delicious Bloody Marys (served with a shot of Schlitz Beer, in honor of Chef Alex Harrell’s father’s favorite beer!)…we were sold!  We are always game to try anything with a story – and we love Bloody Mary’s….

Then, I just had to meet this Chef that I was hearing so much about…that’s where Charlie (our daughter’s friend) took control!  She was showing me around and told me a few “choice” stories, then introduced me to the man behind all of this wonderful creative food…

Not only is he one talented chef…but gracious (and good-looking) to boot!!! So, we wandered back to our table to start our tasting or “grazing”…

For starters we had to try several:

Roasted Beet Bruschetta with Goat’s Milk Cheese, and Sherry-Walnut Vinaigrette:

If you like beets, and even if you don’t…you will love this combination of the smooth mild goat cheese spread on the wonderful thin toasted slices of bread topped with the roasted beets and sweetened nutty vinaigrette – Even my daughter (who doesn’t eat much in the way of veggies, loves this!!)

Chicken Liver Crostini with Martas Farm’s Sprouts and Dandelion Vinegar:

Perfect smooth Chicken Liver Pate slathered on a crisp crotini….topped with fresh bright sprouts and “dandelion” vinegar…who could have ever imagined such a blast of flavor on a plate?  Chef Harrell – fantastic!

Then on to a salad…that the girls said we had to try…

Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Apples, Pecorino Romano and Hazelnuts:

Get the idea of what you know about brussels sprouts out of your head!  This salad really can change anyone’s opinion of this veggie that is usually roasted or boiled…It is prepared by shaving the fresh brussels sprouts very, very finely – then tossing them with chopped apples and hazelnuts…then topping all of this wonderful mixture with a finely grated, delicious pecorino romano cheese!  A salad that was a table pleaser….everyone enjoyed it!

On to Entrees…

Slow Cooked Pork Sandwich with Pickled Collards, roasted Garlic and Chili, Served on Wildflour Bread:

If you worked at Sylvain and this is your choice…(yes, Charlie’s lunch!) then you know it has to be good…It was delicious – she insisted that we all taste and that slow cooked pork, was so tender!!!

Grilled Italian Sausage with Louisiana Polenta, Stewed Eggplant and Balsamic Syrup:

Our daughter’s roommate’s favorite…and I know why now!  The subtle flavor  of the fennel in the sausage was incredible..and the tender eggplant blended with the sweet sauce was to die for!  Sitting on a bed of local polenta…well, fantastic!

“Chick-Syl-vain” Sandwich – Buttermilk Fried Chicken breast with House-Made Pickles:

Any chicken fried in buttermilk would steal my heart…but this was exceptional – yes, we all had a bite of this “Grand Sandwich”. Another crowd pleaser!

Braised Beef Cheeks with Potato Puree, Sweet Onions, Field Peas and Natural Jus:

I couldn’t believe it…this is my daughter’s favorite!  New Orleans has definitely opened up her palate for a broader variety of foods and flavors…it is sooo much fun to watch her grow and bloom!   After sharing this beautiful dish with us…I know why it is her favorite.  The beef cheeks were so tender (melt in your mouth tender!) and full of rich deep flavor in its natural jus…and the plating with the potato puree, sweet onions and field peas was just beautiful – and fabulous!  Maybe, my favorite too!

Gulf Shrimp and Littleneck Clams with Spanish Chorizo, Tomato-Fennel Broth and Smoked Paprika:

This is what Robert decided on….Just look at this bowl of deliciousness!   I would call it Sylvain’s version of a bouillabaisse. The freshness of those gorgeous Jumbo Gulf Shrimp and wonderful Littleneck Clams…with the mild smokiness of the chorizo and faint hint of fennel and smoked paprika bathing in the rich tomato based broth – Oh my gosh!!! It was wonderful…and yes, I tasted this too – I just had to!

Now, we just couldn’t pass up a “tasting” of dessert…we decided to order 2 desserts for the table…and ended up with a little “lagniappe” from wonderful Chef Harrell!

Chocolate Pot au Creme:

Rich, silky deep chocolate creme topped with fresh whipped cream and rasberries…”according to Charlie” – this was one of the local favorites when she worked here!  It was the last one that they had that day…she was just so happy to have it!

Local Honey Panna Cotta with Almond Brittle:

Fresh, smooth and fantastic Panna Cotta…and that wonderful Almond Brittle was just a perfect partner for this dessert – needless to say, we all loved it!

And the Lagniappe…

Bete Noire with Toasted Hazelnuts and Double Cream:

A fabulous version of the classic flourless chocolate cake…”The Black Beast” – Dense rich chocolate with a great side of crunchy hazelnuts, cream and a little slice of sweet local grapefruit…just when we thought we couldn’t eat another bite!  It was devoured – quickly!

Needless to say, we are sold on Sylvain!  A unique and fun place to have a great meal in New Orleans…you know that it has to be good (and consistent) if it has become a “local” favorite! (Throw in a little story about the haunting of Mrs. Reba’s ghost and her nightly cocktail) And to top it all off… my daughter is now enjoying beets, beef cheeks and brussels sprouts!?  Now, that is what I call Food that Works…