New Orleans Sabbatical

As an Executive Chef/Owner I have noticed that if I am not rested and refreshed, my food suffers.  I hate that.  No, I HATE that.  As I’m sure you do too…. I decided, for many reasons to make Blue House Bistro a seasonal endeavor.  Some of the reasons include the seasonality of the Holland area, the high costs of running the bistro during the slowest season, and my own needs of a break from 14-hour days.  


I closed up & went to New Orleans.
  
My trip to New Orleans was so wonderful this year.  I treated the whole time I was there as one part sabbatical and one part rejuvenation.  I ate out a bunch, I met up with some chef & bartender friends a bunch, and I listened to and played some music.  It was wonderful.  


Some highlights---


• My discovery of The Three Muses restaurant on Frenchmen Street.  They have a delightful and delicious menu that is set to the tune of live music nightly.  If I could have afforded it, I would have eaten there every day! 

Angie K & Noelle Link

• I got to play some music with my good friend Noelle Link. 


• My tattoo was worked on by Rain of World Famous Forbidden Art during a special late night session.  

Rain of Forbidden Art Tattoo

• I also took a side trip to visit some family in Savannah.  I love Savannah.   


• I spent a bunch of quality time with my dog.  We went to dog parks, on walks, and to bars.  Yes, bars.  I love New Orleans.  There is even a website that lists what hotels, bars, and restaurants are dog friendly.

Chef Angie K & Sylvia at Igor's Lounge

• The promotion of my dear friend MaryJane to the Executive Chef position at The Country Club.  Being as this is the only restaurant in New Orleans that features a pool & hot tub (or would it be a pool and hot tub that feature a restaurant?!?!) I spent most of my time here.  


• While I was there it was also Mardi Gras.  Need I say more?  

Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras

Overall I had a great time & am ready to get back to work.  There is a lot to do at Blue House Bistro.  A LOT! Sometimes it is overwhelming, but (to be cliché’) Rome wasn’t built in a day!  I have a bunch of fresh and exciting things planned from some inspirations, so I hope that you will join me!  

New Orleans Spicy Shrimp

While lurking about in food/recipe blogs, I found a recipe adapted from Chef/Owner Scott Boswell of Stella. While I personally have never been to Stella and do not know Scott Boswell personally, I have known some of the people that have worked there in the past. My friend, Steve, was one of them, and I have had the privilege of swapping some great recipes with him over the years.

The ingredients in this recipe include a combination of global influences and “swamp-trotting” flavors. It is right up my alley. I changed it a bit from the original format that I saw it, I think that the shrimp was being cooked to long, and I adjusted some of the ingredient levels to suit my preferences. As complicated as it may sound it is actually a simple recipe. The trick is to go fast, so that you don't over cook the shrimp.

This appetizer sells on the menu at Stella for about $15.00. Let me know if you try it, how it turns out & what (if anything) you change!


Ingredients
3 Large Whole Shrimp
1 ½ Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
1 Tbsp Chili Flakes or Cayenne Pepper
1 Tbsp Chopped Green Onions
1 Tsp Granulated Sugar
1 Tsp Chili Paste (bought in or made from dried chilli powders & oil)
1/3 Cup Cold Unsalted Butter Cubed
To taste Salt and White Pepper
Thick Sliced French Bread

Preparation

1. Peel and de-vein the shrimp. Leave the tail portion and head intact. Season them on both sides with salt and white pepper.

2.In a very hot sauté pan add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and allow it to just reach the smoking point, and then add the garlic and shrimp. Sauté shrimp on both sides turning after a few seconds

3.Add about 1/4 cup of the white wine to the pan and then add the chili flakes/cayenne pepper, continuing to sauté. Turn the shrimp often to coat evenly with the chili flakes.

4.Coat the French bread with the remaining olive oil and then set it under a broiler or toaster oven to toast the top side

5.Add the remaining white wine, green onions, sugar, chili paste, and then stir well to combine all the ingredients in the pan.

6. Remove the pan from the heat and gently whisk in the chunks of butter to smooth into the sauce.

7.Serve with toasted French bread and garnish with more chopped green onions.

Blue House Bistro

Bananas Foster was created in 1951 by Paul Blangé at Brennans Restaurant in New Orleans. It has become not only a local favorite, but a global classic in the time since its invention.  I serve it on the feature menu at my restaurant from time to time.  Although intimidating in appearance it is relatively easy to prepare; requiring only a small sense of adventure, patience for the slow melting process, ability to move quickly, and a not so sensitive fire alarm.

Bananas Foster
Serves 6

6 Ripe Bananas
2Tbsp Unsalted Butter
2Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
2 Cups Brown Sugar (Firmly Packed)
1 Cup Rum
2qts Vanilla Ice Cream

Cut peeled bananas lengthwise into two sections each.

Add sugar, cinnamon and butter to a frying pan. Cook over low heat (I absolutely cannot stress LOW heat enough!) and stir constantly until butter and sugar have melted and blended.

Quickly add sectioned bananas and rum to melted sauce mixture.

Immediately remove from heat and using a long lighter, ignite the top of sauce mixture.

Let the flame naturally extinguish, and serve immediately over ice cream.

Enjoy!