Christmas Time in New Orleans
(Scroll down to "The Playlist" and hit play before reading... works better that way!)
Magnolia trees at night sparkling bright and fields of cotton look wintery white; when it's Christmas time in New Orleans. At least that's how Louis Armstrong sees it.
I just love New Orleans... especially at Christmas. From the buggy rides to the streetcars, lights, food and music; it's just cool. It is hard to put a finger on what I love the most, because this place goes all out for celebrations and parties.
And... for me, there is no better time of the year than Christmas.
So, put your party dress on Baby and come on in. We be dancin', drinkin' and dining as we celebrate a crazy cool Christmas!
The Pots are on...
The Plate...
Fried Green Tomatoes with Shrimp Remoulade
A little something different for your Christmas Celebration, but hey we're doing it cool and crazy the NOLA way. Ain't nothing better than a good shrimp dish. Add some tang from a few fried green tomatoes, and some good Remoulade and I'm good to go.
Oh yeah, this is gonna be some kinda good.
So, put down that Eggnog... (like I didn't see you already skip down to the bar menu), and let's get cookin'!
What you need...
Remoulade -
1/4 cup Creole mustard
2 tbls horseradish
1 tsp paprika
1 egg yolk
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and ground pepper
1 cup canola oil
1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced onion
3 tbls ketchup
3 tbls white wine vinegar
2 tbls chopped parsley
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic finely chopped and smashed into a paste
3 dashes of Tabasco
Fried Green Tomatoes -
2 cups fine ground yellow cornmeal
Salt and ground pepper
8 slices green tomatoes, cut about 1/2 inch thick ( about 3 tomatoes)
1 cup canola oil
Spiced Shrimp -
1 tbls celery seeds
1 tbls garlic powder
1 tbls onion powder
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground pepper
24 medium (31-40 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 - 3 tbls canola oil
What you do...
Remoulade -
Whisk together the mustard, horseradish, paprika, yolk, lemon juice and zest and some salt and black pepper in a medium bowl. Gradually add the oil in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly, until all the oil is incorporated and emulsified.
Stir in the celery, onions, ketchup, vinegar, parsley, Worcestershire, garlic and hot sauce to taste.
Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
Fried Green Tomatoes -
Put the cornmeal in a large shallow bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper on both sides. Dredge the tomatoes in the cornmeal on both sides and tap off excess.
Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until it begins to shimmer. Fry half of the tomatoes until golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, about 1 minute 30 seconds per side. Transfer with a slotted spatula to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Season with salt and repeat with the remaining tomatoes and oil.
Spiced Shrimp -
Combine the celery seeds, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper in a mortar and pestle and crush into a somewhat fine powder. Toss the shrimp with the spice mixture.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large saute pan over high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the shrimp and cook until crusty and just cooked through, about 3 minutes (do this in batches if necessary with more oil; the shrimp should be in a single layer).
Plate it up -
Toss lettuce with a few tablespoons of the remoulade and season with salt and pepper. Divide the lettuce among the tomatoes and top each tomato with 3 shrimp. Drizzle with more of the remoulade. Garnish with parsley leaves.
Stir in the celery, onions, ketchup, vinegar, parsley, Worcestershire, garlic and hot sauce to taste.
Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
Fried Green Tomatoes -
Put the cornmeal in a large shallow bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper on both sides. Dredge the tomatoes in the cornmeal on both sides and tap off excess.
Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until it begins to shimmer. Fry half of the tomatoes until golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, about 1 minute 30 seconds per side. Transfer with a slotted spatula to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Season with salt and repeat with the remaining tomatoes and oil.
Spiced Shrimp -
Combine the celery seeds, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper in a mortar and pestle and crush into a somewhat fine powder. Toss the shrimp with the spice mixture.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large saute pan over high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the shrimp and cook until crusty and just cooked through, about 3 minutes (do this in batches if necessary with more oil; the shrimp should be in a single layer).
Plate it up -
Toss lettuce with a few tablespoons of the remoulade and season with salt and pepper. Divide the lettuce among the tomatoes and top each tomato with 3 shrimp. Drizzle with more of the remoulade. Garnish with parsley leaves.
Recipe from Bobby Flay and the Foodnetwork
The Playlist...
Zat You, Santa Claus?
Here's a great way to start off your "Crazy Cool Christmas". Just push play and turn it up. The next thing you know you'll be doing a second line dance all around the Christmas tree. Love, love this kind of Christmas music... original, hip and swinging. Check out Vince Vance and his crew doing the original "All I Want For Christmas", Kermit swinging on "Oh Christmas Tree" or Louis wondering "Zat You, Santa Claus?". It's all good! And, yes... all I want for Christmas is the SAINTS in the Superbowl!
("The Playlist" runs on Spotify. Don't have Spotify?... Click here it's free )
The Bar...
Eggnog Daiquiri
12 oz dark or spiced rum
1 quart prepared eggnog
1 cup heavy cream
Ice
Ice
Stir together the rum and eggnog in blender
add ice and give it a buzz
turn the blender down to low
add ice and give it a buzz
turn the blender down to low
fold in the cream
dust with nutmeg
Enjoy
Christmas Time in New Orleans by James Andrews
And To All A Good Night
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