Bertram's Tailgate Oysters - a weekend recipe

Louisiana is football crazy. People in New Orleans like the Saints and everyone in Louisiana like L.S.U. Bertram Picou is no exception. He’d like to tailgate along with all the other Louisiana football fanatics except he has no help at his eclectic French Quarter bar. When the Saints or the Bengal Tigers are playing, he’s always working.

Through the years, he’s devised ways to keep his bar open while watching the big games and doing his own version of tailgating. He used to have a little TV set under the bar. Now, he has a big screen mounted on the wall and makes even more money than before from the lucky fans that wander in off the street. Lucky, you say? Bertram has an open grill in his tiny kitchen.

During big games, he always cooks up some tailgating fare, Louisiana style, and serves it free to his customers. Here is one of his and his customers, favorite tailgating fare:

Ingredients 

·         Oysters, large and fat

·         Bacon, thin strips

·         Butter

·         Parsley, minced

·         Lemons, sliced

·         Olives, sliced

Directions

Place a thin strip of bacon on a skewer, alternating with the oysters until the skewer is full. Broil over a medium flame. When the edges begin to ruffle, the oysters are ready. While you are doing this, prepare drawn butter by placing a cup near the flame so that it will melt. When it does, mix in the minced parsley.

Alternate the oysters and bacon on a hot plate and pour the drawn butter and parsley over them. Garnish with olives and lemon slices and you have the perfect, Louisiana tailgating snack, even if you are in a bar watching the game on a big screen TV.

Born near Black Bayou in the little Louisiana town of Vivian, Eric Wilder grew up listening to his grandmother’s tales of politics, corruption, and ghosts that haunt the night. He now lives in Oklahoma where he continues to pen mysteries and short stories with a southern accent. He is the author of the French Quarter Mystery Series set in New Orleans and the Paranormal Cowboy Series. Please check it out on his Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iBook author pages. You might also like to check out his website.

Mavis' RC Soft Custard - a weekend recipe

Here’s a recipe my mom used to make for my brother Jack and me. We both loved RC’s. Growing up without air-conditioning in hot and humid Louisiana, the custard hit the spot on a hot summer’s day. The recipe came from a cookbook she had called Favorite Recipes, compiled by the Pilot Club of Shreveport. Many of the recipes were attributed to someone. This one was not.

Ingredients 

·         1 bottle Royal Crown cola

·         2 eggs

·         2 Tbsp. sugar

·         1/8 tsp. salt

Directions 

Add sugar and salt to eggs and beat. Add the bottle of Royal Crown cola and cook over hot water until slightly thickened, stirring frequently. Pour into custard cups and chill in refrigerator until set. Serve and enjoy.

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Shannon's Logan County Venison Chili - a weekend recipe

My stepdaughter Shannon lives on a ten-acre farm west of Guthrie in Logan County, Oklahoma. She has nine horses and far too many cats, dogs, chickens, peacocks and other assorted animals. Like her Grandmother Joy and Mother Marilyn, she is a wonderful cook. When Scotty, her significant other, returns from a hunt during deer season, she often prepares her own version of venison chili. Take it from me, it’s wonderful!


Ingredients
• 2 T vegetable oil

• 1 onion, large, chopped

• 1 green pepper, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, large, minced

• 2 ½ T chili powder

• 1 ½ lbs venison, well trimmed, cubed

• ¾ lbs venison, well trimmed, ground

• 1 28 oz can tomatoes, crushed

• 1 c red wine

• 2 T cumin, ground

• 2 T Worcestershire Sauce

• ½ t red pepper

• ½ t salt

• 1 t black pepper

• 2 t Massa powder

Directions
Heat oil in large skillet. Stir in onion, green pepper, garlic and chili powder. Sauté until tender. Add venison and stir with a wooden spoon until brown. Drain off fat. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes or long enough for chili to thicken. Serve in festive bowls topped with shredded cheddar cheese.

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Big Billy's Catfish Fajitas - a weekend recipe

It’s no secret that Big Billy, a Dallas restauranteur and Oklahoma oil man, loved to cook, and he loved Southern comfort food. Here is one of his favorite and simplest recipes.

Big Billy's Catfish Fajitas

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. catfish, filets

• 1 cup lime juice

• 3 cups mesquite wood chips

• 1 onion, large, chopped

• 1 red pepper, large, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 Tbsp. butter

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp pepper

• 8 tortillas, flour or corn, warmed

• Sour cream, salsa, avocado and lime slices

Directions

Place fish filets in a large zip-top bag. Pour in lime juice, seal, and marinate in the refrigerator for one hour. Soak wood chips in water for one hour. Drain wood chips. Sprinkle wood chips over pre-heated coals in a covered grill. Brush the grill rack lightly with cooking oil and place catfish filets on the rack. Close the grill and cook for about five minutes on either side or until the fish is flaky.

In a large cast iron skillet, cook onion, red pepper, and garlic in the butter until tender. Stir in salt and pepper. Cut filets into chunks, toss into skillet, and mix well. Fill warmed tortillas with catfish mixture and serve with sour cream, salsa, avocado, and lime slices.

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• Born near Black Bayou in the little Louisiana town of Vivian, Eric Wilder grew up listening to his grandmother’s tales of politics, corruption, and ghosts that haunt the night. He now lives in Oklahoma, where he continues to pen mysteries and short stories with a southern accent. He authored the French Quarter Mystery Series set in New Orleans, the Paranormal Cowboy Series, and the Oyster Bay Mystery Series. Please check it out on his Amazon author page. You might also like checking out his Facebook page.

Marilyn's Chicken-Fried Catfish with Pan Gravy - a weekend recipe

Do you crave southern comfort food? Who doesn’t? Here is a recipe that embodies the spirit of food for the soul. Serve it with mashed potatoes and pan gravy. Heck, I even like pan gravy over my green beans. Enjoy.

Marilyn’s Chicken-Fried Catfish with Pan Gravy

Ingredients

• 4 catfish filets

• 1 cup vegetable shortening

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 1 cup whole milk

Directions

Combine salt, pepper and flour in a large zip-top plastic bag. Mix well. Pour milk into a large bowl. Dip filets in milk and shake off excess. Enclose in bag and shake to coat. Shake off excess. Set a cast-iron skillet over medium flame and add shortening. Lay each filet in hot fat. Repeat until skillet is full, but not crowded. The shortening should be no deeper than ¼ inch. Heat only until it's hot enough to set the breading on the catfish after it's dropped into the skillet. When the bottom crust starts sizzling, turn filets and set the other side.

Pan Gravy

Ingredients

• 3 cups milk

• Catfish drippings

• 3 Tbsp. flour

• 1 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. pepper

Directions

In a heavy, 2-quart saucepan, heat 3 cups milk but don't let it boil. Using the skillet in which you cooked the catfish, pour off excess grease, leaving about 4 or 5 tablespoons in the pan. Over medium flame, heat the drippings and add 3 tablespoons flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue stirring to brown flour. When brown, hot and bubbling, add hot milk. Stir constantly until thick and creamy. Add 1 ½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.

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Lily's Cajun Butter

We all like butter on our corn. My ex-mother-in-law Lily used to whip up a special concoction she called Cajun butter and often served it over carrots, cauliflower and even her mirlitons. It makes fresh vegetables taste even more wonderful and it’s easy to prepare. Whip up a batch and see if you don’t agree.


Lily’s Cajun Butter

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

• 2 tsp. lemon juice

• 1/8 tsp. parsley

• 1/4 tsp. chili powder

• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder

• 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

• 2 Tbsp. butter

• 1 tsp. cornstarch

• 1/4 cup chicken broth

Preparation

Mix parsley, chili powder, black pepper, garlic powder and red pepper. Cook in hot butter and olive oil for 1 minute. Stir in cornstarch. Add chicken broth and lemon juice. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Serve warm over corn or vegetables.

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Big Billy's Crawfish Fritters with Texas Dipping Sauce - a weekend recipe

My close friend Big Billy was both an oil entrepreneur and a Dallas restauranteur. He was such an interesting character, I could write a book about him. Come to think of it, maybe I will some day.

I once sold him an oil deal in Noble County, Oklahoma. It was a reentry—going into a previously drilled well in hopes of completing in a productive zone the original operator missed. We were unsuccessful in the predicted pay zone but came up roses in a shallow limestone. The well tested nine hundred MCFD (pretty damn good for a six hundred foot well) and Big Billy ultimately drilled ten offsets.

Big Billy, like his name, was a big man—six foot four and three hundred seventy five pounds. He had the mentality of a wildcatter along with the wildly crazy luck that made him successful. He had absolutely no pretense, but could cook some of the tastiest meals imaginable. He also liked Texas music and he, Kathy—his significant other— and I once made a special trip to see Willis Alan Ramsey at the Blue Door in Oklahoma City. But that’s another story.

Yes, Louisiana is the land of Acadia, but there are probably just as many Cajuns living in Texas. Big Billy borrowed a few secrets from his Louisiana neighbors in creating this dish that I guarantee is to die for. Although no longer with us, his legend and recipes will live forever.

Big Billy’s Crawfish Fritters with Texas Dipping Sauce

Ingredients
• 1 cup flour, sifted
• 1 pound crawfish tails, cooked and chopped
• 4 green onions, chopped
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 1 ½ tbsp. melted butter

Texas Dipping Sauce
• ¾ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ lemon, sliced
• ½ cup ketchup
• ¼ tsp. horseradish, prepared
• ¼ tsp. Texas hot sauce

Directions
Combine eggs, crawfish meat, onions, butter, salt and Cayenne in a large mixing bowl. Stir in flour until blended.

Heat cooking oil in a large cast iron skillet until very hot. Drop tablespoonfuls of batter— a few at a time—into hot oil. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, squeezed lemon juice and Texas hot sauce. Serve fritters with Texas dipping sauce.

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Roast Pork Loin with Red Chile Peanut Mole - a weekend recipe

In my new book, formerly Bones of Skeleton Creek, now titled Pagan Bones, Buck McDivit is involved with a murder investigation, cattle theft and a mysterious shape-shifting black panther. He also becomes the only male participant in a pagan spring revel.

In the book, Buck enlists the help of his best friend, Trey Calderham. Trey is an agent for the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, a private agency that has the authority to make arrests in both Texas and Oklahoma. Yes, there really is such an agency.

Trey’s new lady love, Beth O’Hara, is one of Buck’s old flames. Beth owns a restaurant, the Azure Pendant, in the eclectic Paseo District of Oklahoma City. When Buck pays them a visit, she cooks an amazing New Mexican dinner.

Here is a recipe for the excellent dish that I found on the web at Santa Fe School of Cooking. What is mole? Check out the very interesting website and find out.

Roast Pork Loin with Red Chile Peanut Mole

Serves 8 to 10

2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
2 teaspoons freshly toasted cumin seeds
2 teaspoons freshly toasted coriander seeds

4 to 5 pound boneless, center-cut pork loin
3 tablespoons olive oil

Grind all spices in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Rub the spice mixture over the surface of the pork loin. Wrap the loin in plastic and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.
1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Sear the pork on all sides until browned. Transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet and roast in the oven until the internal temperature reads 160°, about 1-1/2 hours. Allow the pork to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.

Red Chile-Peanut Mole

12 dried Ancho chiles
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 unpeeled garlic cloves, roasted, then peeled
4 large, ripe tomatoes, roasted, then peeled
3/4 cup dry roasted peanuts
1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds
1/3 cup toasted sesame seeds, ground to a powder in a spice grinder
1 or 2 teaspoons espresso powder, or to taste
1 to 2 teaspoons each freshly ground cumin, coriander, canela and allspice, or to taste
4 tablespoons lard or olive oil
Salt to taste
Chipotle chile powder to taste

1. In a preheated skillet over medium, press the chiles, 3 or 4 at a time, onto the bottom of the pan until fragrant and pliable. Be careful not to burn them. Remove the stems and tear the softened flesh into large pieces, removing the seeds that stick to the flesh. Soak the chile pieces in hot water for 30 minutes, until softened.

2. In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a small skillet and sauté the onion until softened. Place the sautéed onion, the garlic cloves and the tomatoes in a blender and puree. Pour mixture into a bowl and set aside. Return 1 cup of this mixture to the blender and add the peanuts, almonds and sesame seed powder. Puree, adding a little of the tomato liquid, if necessary. Combine the puréed tomato mixture and the peanut mixture, and add the espresso powder and spices.

3. Drain the chiles, reserving the soaking liquid. Place the chile pieces in a blender and add 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid, or more if needed. Puree until thoroughly blended. Add the chile puree to the other purees and stir to combine thoroughly.

4. In a large saucepan, heat the lard. When it is hot, add the puree all at once. You may want to use the lid of the pan as a shield, as the liquid will splatter. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, season with salt and chipotle chile powder, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until you have a sauce with the consistency of thick cream.

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Big Billy's Curry Mango Shrimp Tacos

My good friends Big Billy and Kathy, his significant other, once bought a large sailboat and pulled it on a trailer to Seattle. They were both too young to retire, but neither knew it at the time.

They lived on the sailboat for two years, sometimes sailing miles from shore. Usually, they were docked in Seattle, enjoying their sea-going neighbors and the ambiance of the City.

Big Billy, a former Dallas restauranteur, was a wonderful cook. Despite the fantastic fare in the Seattle area, he couldn’t help but cook with Texas flair. He had a little charcoal grill he kept on deck and quite often prepared world-class meals for him and Kathy before they ventured out for the night to drink the local beer and listen to music in the clubs. Here is a simple recipe for one of their favorite dishes.

Big Billy’s Curry Mango Shrimp Tacos

Ingredients

• ½ lb. shrimp, large, peeled and de-veined
• ¼ cup mango chutney
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger
• ½ tsp. curry powder
• 1 avocado, large, cubed
• corn tortillas

Directions

Combine mango chutney, lime juice, olive oil, ginger and curry powder in a mixing bowl. Grill shrimp over the white hot coals on the grill while heating the soft corn tortillas in a pan (don’t overcook the shrimp and just warm the tortillas). Wrap the shrimp in tortillas and drizzle mango mixture over them. Top with cubes of avocado. Enjoy.

Good with a nice Riesling, but Big Billy much preferred Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

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Blackened Catfish Burritos - a weekend recipe

Here is a San Francisco-style burrito with a Cajun twist. It has my comfort food guarantee.

BLACKENED CATFISH BURRITOS

Ingredients
• 4 catfish filets
• 8 large flour tortillas, steamed
• rice, cooked
• red beans, cooked
• Cajun spice
• 1 cup butter
• Avocado, chopped
• Tomato, chopped
• Lettuce, shredded
• Tabasco Sauce, to taste

Directions

Heat a cast-iron skillet at least ten minutes, the hotter the better. Dip catfish in butter, coating both sides liberally. Sprinkle Cajun spice evenly on both sides of the fish. Cook quickly over high heat until the underside forms a crust, and then flip the filet, letting it cook and form a crust. This doesn’t take long so be careful not to burn the fillets. Slice each filet down the middle, into eight pieces.

Drain your ingredients. You don’t want a soggy burrito. Build your burrito by adding ingredients to a large flour tortilla in this order: rice, beans, lettuce, avocado, and tomato. Add blackened catfish last, along with Tabasco Sauce to taste, and then roll that puppy up. Wrap the burrito in foil to give it structure. Serve on a festive plate along with chips and salsa on the side. Enjoy.

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Born near Black Bayou in the little Louisiana town of Vivian, Eric Wilder grew up listening to his grandmother’s tales of politics, corruption, and ghosts that haunt the night. He now lives in Oklahoma where he continues to pen mysteries and short stories with a southern accent. He is the author of the French Quarter Mystery Series set in New Orleans and the Paranormal Cowboy Series. Please check it out on his Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and iBook author pages. You might also like to check out his website.

Big Billy's Green Chili Stew

My close friend Big Billy isn’t with us any more but he was a Texas oil man and Dallas restaurateur. Like me, he liked beer and comfort food. Here is a recipe for one of his most comforting dishes. Try it with Dos Equis, Shiner or Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (Big Billy’s personal favorite)

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. pork
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. oil
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• ½ cup onion, diced
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 6-8 fresh roasted green chili peppers (skinned and deseeded) chopped
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

Cube meat, sprinkle with salt and fry until brown in oil. Add potatoes to browned meat together with onion, garlic, salt, chili peppers and enough water to cover. Simmer for 1 ½ hours or until potatoes are tender. Serve with cheddar cheese and tortillas on the side.

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Blackened Bleu Burger - a recipe

Many will agree that a well-prepared hamburger is the ultimate comfort food. Here is a Cajun variation - with a whimsical name - on the all-American repast.

Ingredients

4 eight ounce hamburger patties
4 ounces red onions
2 tsps olive oil
4 ounces bleu cheese
4 tomato slices
Cajun seasoning, to taste
4 hamburger buns

Directions

Grill patties and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning. Sautee red onions using 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Top each patty with sautéed onions, bleu cheese and tomato slices. Serve on freshly grilled hamburger buns.

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Fried Garfish Balls - a weekend recipe

Growing up in northwest Louisiana - not far from Black Bayou and Caddo Lake - I saw many large garfish. I didn’t know that these prehistoric denizens of many southern rivers and lakes were edible. Today, I learned differently.

My good friend and fellow geologist Mickey O. spent a couple of days this week in Houston (sorry Aunt Dot. I didn’t have time to call) at the North American Prospect Expo. On the way home, before traversing fifteen inches of snow in Dallas, we stopped for lunch at a Mexican seafood restaurant in Houston adjacent to I-45.

One of the items on the appetizer menu was garfish balls. They also had octopus tacos, which I didn't try. I didn’t get the recipe for the garfish balls at the restaurant, but I found this one on the web. Quite tasty.

Fried Garfish Balls

· 2 lbs ground garfish
· 1 cup green onions – chopped
· 1 lb. boiled and peeled potatoes
· 2 medium white onions – chopped
· ¼ cup Creole seasoning
· ¼ cup all-purpose flour
· corn flour

Boil potatoes; mix the first 6 ingredients together in a bowl. Roll the mixture into balls the size of golf balls or maybe even a little bigger if you like. Put the balls in the cornflour and roll them around to fully coat the balls. Put the balls in the fryer preheated to 375° and fry until golden brown. Serve as appetizers or as a side with the main meal.

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Born near Black Bayou in the little Louisiana town of Vivian, Eric Wilder grew up listening to his grandmother’s tales of politics, corruption, and ghosts that haunt the night. He now lives in Oklahoma where he continues to pen mysteries and short stories with a southern accent. He is the author of the French Quarter Mystery Series set in New Orleans and the Paranormal Cowboy Series. Please check it out on his Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and iBook author pages. You might also like to check out his website.

Crab Imperial - a weekend recipe

Many years ago, I took a field trip to Venice, Louisiana with some fellow geology students from NLSC (now University of Louisiana, Monroe). We spent the night in an onshore barracks and then took a crew boat out to visit a few offshore drilling rigs the following day. After reaching a location on a choppy sea, we had lunch on one of the rigs.

Drilling crews stay on the offshore rigs for days on end, twenty-one days on, seven days off. There is television and the game room, but little else to occupy your time while stranded miles from shore. The food makes everything bearable. When my geology class visited, I was impressed (as any twenty-one-year-old man would be) at the steaks, chicken, red beans and rice, multiple desserts, etc. available four times a day.

Offshore cooks are the best in the world at keeping people happy. I found this recipe on the web, donated by Dick English, a cook on an offshore drilling rig. Thanks, Dick. Try it and enjoy it.

Crab Imperial

Ingredients:

½ pound of butter
1 cup of flour
2 cups of milk
½ cup of celery, chopped fine
½ cup of mushrooms, chopped fine
½ cup of parsley, chopped fine
½ cups of green onions, chopped fine
½ cup of pimentos, chopped fine
2 pounds of lump crab meat
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
Tabasco sauce, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Breadcrumbs

Cooking Instructions

Melt butter over low heat and stir in flour. Cook until bubbles appear on top. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly. Add celery and mushrooms. Continue cooking while adding parsley, green onions, and pimentos. Fold-in crabmeat. Add Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper, to taste. Pour mixture into individual baking dishes and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake until brown in a 350-degree oven.

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Born near Black Bayou in the little Louisiana town of Vivian, Eric Wilder grew up listening to his grandmother’s tales of politics, corruption, and ghosts that haunt the night. He now lives in Oklahoma where he continues to pen mysteries and short stories with a southern accent. He is the author of the French Quarter Mystery Series set in New Orleans and the Paranormal Cowboy Series. Please check it out on his Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo and iBook author pages. You might also like to check out his website.

Lily's Chalmette Meatloaf - a recipe

My ex-mother-in-law Lily was a wonderful cook. Not only could she cook Cajun and Creole dishes, she also knew how to prepare traditional southern dishes, famous from Florida to Texas. Meatloaf, without question, is a southern comfort food, and here is Lily’s Creole version of the recipe.

Chalmette Meatloaf

Ingredients

· 2 bay leaves, whole
· 1 tablespoon salt
· 1 teaspoon ground red pepper ( cayenne)
· 1 teaspoon black pepper
· ½ teaspoon cumin, ground
· ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ground
· 4 tablespoons butter, unsalted
· ½ cup of celery, finely chopped
· ½ cup bell pepper, finely chopped
· ¼ cup greens onions, chopped
· 12 teaspoons of garlic, minced
· 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
· 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
· ½ cup milk
· ½ cup catsup
· 2 pounds beef, ground
· ½ pound of pork, ground
· 2 eggs lightly beaten
· 1 cup bread crumbs

Instructions

Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Melt the butter in 1 quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and bell pepper, green onions, garlic, Tabasco, Worcestershire and seasoning mix.

Sauté about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the pan bottom well. Stir in the milk and ½ cup catsup. Continue cooking for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and allow mixture to cool to room temperature. Place the ground beef and pork in an ungreased 13 x 9 inch baking pan.

Remove the bay leaves, add the eggs, the cooked vegetable mixture and the bread crumbs. Mix by hand until thoroughly combined in the center of the pan. Shape the mixture into a loaf that is about 1 ½ inches high x 6 inches wide and 12 inches long. Bake uncovered at 350 for 25 minutes, then raise heat to 400 and continue cooking until done, about 35 minutes longer.

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Tomatoes Bonaparte - a recipe

Many years ago, Anne and I flew to New Orleans with friends Gary and Carroll. It was off-season, somewhere between Mardi Gras and the Jazz Festival, so we got a good rate on a French Quarter hotel. Not much was happening except for the Festival of the Tomato.

Cajuns and Creoles love their tomatoes and use them as ingredients in almost everything. While enjoying the Quarter during the festival, we tasted many wonderful variations of tomato dishes. We quickly learned, when topped with oils and spices, the tomato needs no other ingredients. Here is a standalone tomato recipe I think you will enjoy as much as I do.

Tomatoes Bonaparte

Ingredients
· 2 large Creole tomatoes
· ¼ pound fresh mozzarella cheese
· Several stems fresh basil
· 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
· ¼ cup high-quality salad vinegar
· 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
· ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
· ½ teaspoon salt
· Freshly ground pepper

Directions
Slice tomatoes about 1/3 inches thick. Place a slice on each of 2 salad plates, then a slice of mozzarella, then several basil leaves. Make 2 more layers and drizzle with as much dressing as desired. To make dressing, whisk the vinegar and mustard together in a small bowl.
Gradually pour in the olive oil, continuously whisking. Add salt and continue whisking until smooth. After adding dressing to Bonaparte’s, place a few basil leaves around the plate and grind pepper lightly over all.

Serves two

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Lily's Rice Dressing

Lily, my former mother-in-law, had eight children. All her kids and their families usually came to her house for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Lily was a Cajun, but like families across the country, she would usually cook the traditional turkey.

Unlike most of the country, she would stuff her bird with Cajun rice dressing. Lily cooked by feel and taste rather than recipe, but this is a close approximation. Try it sometime and enjoy.

Lily’s Rice Dressing

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken or turkey stock
2 cups rice
1 pound chicken gizzards
½ pound chicken livers
½ pound ground beef
½ pound pork
½ cup oil or meat drippings
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
Salt, pepper, to taste

Directions:

Bring chicken stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Add rice, reduce heat, cover and simmer until done, about 20 minutes. Set aside. Simmer chicken gizzards in water to cover until fork tender, about 30 minutes, add livers and cook about 10 more minutes until livers are done. Drain and remove the tender meat from the gizzards, discarding the tough gristle. Grind or process gizzard meat and livers together until coarse. Set aside.

In a large pot, brown the ground beef and pork, drain and set aside. In the same pot, heat the oil and sauté onions, celery and bell pepper until soft. Add garlic and sauté briefly. Away from the heat, add rice, meat, green onions, parsley and seasonings, and toss lightly.

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Eric's Green Pepper Stew

It’s mid-December, much of the month already cold and dreary. Glancing out my window this morning I realized today would bring much the same. With the temperature in the thirties, a chill wind whistling threw the shrubs and a darkly overcast sky it is a perfect day for weekend comfort food.

Here is a simple recipe that is sure to provide comfort for your gloomy weekend.

Green Pepper Stew

Ingredients
· 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
· 2 lbs. pork
· 2 tsp. salt
· 2 tbsp. oil
· 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
· ½ cup onion, diced
· 1 large garlic clove, minced
· 6-8 fresh roasted green peppers, skinned and de-seeded

Directions
Cube meat, sprinkle with salt and fry until brown in oil. Add potatoes to browned meat together with onion, garlic, salt, peppers and enough water to cover. Simmer for 1 ½ hours or until potatoes are tender. Serve with cheddar cheese and warm tortillas on the side.

Makes 6 servings

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