Musings on food, cooking, and dining by a New Orleans Foodie

It only took me a week, but I finally cooked my Valentine's Day dinner - Crawfish Stuffed Shells with a Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce. If you think the name is a mouthful, you should've tried the shells! My intention was to cook last Monday, but due to a post-Mardi Gras sickness, I skipped a formal meal and instead had Advil and hot tea.

I was a bit apprehensive about the recipe at first, as multiple searches of internet sites provided very little guidance about mixing crawfish with traditional shell stuffing. The typical recipes I found included stuffing such as spinach or Italian sausage, ideas I will probably utilize in the future. But for some reason, I was dead set on using crawfish, and being the beginning of crawfish season in South Louisiana, my timing was impeccable. However, in this recipe I used a bag of Chinese crawfish (packaged by a Louisiana company); I didn't want to spend the money for Louisiana crawfish on a recipe that could've easily failed. From here on out, it'll only be fresh Louisiana crawfish for me. The cream sauce is also a bit unique, as most stuffed shells are doused in a tomato based sauce. I was intent on using a cream sauce; the roasted red pepper idea came after a discussion with my friend Tom.

This recipe turned out better than I thought, and a bit easier. Try it out for yourself, and if you can't get crawfish, try shrimp or lobster. Let me know how it comes out!

Crawfish Stuffed Shells with a Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

Makes 12 - 15 stuffed shells, a typical serving is about four shells

Ingredients

1/2 lb. Crawfish Tails
1 Large Shallot (minced)
4 Green Onions (Green tops only-chopped)
4 Cloves garlic (minced)
1 Large red pepper (roasted)
Half & Half or Heavy Cream
Ricatta Cheese (about 8 oz.)
Parmesan Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
Butter
Extra Virgin Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne
CajunLand Seasoning (may be necessary if crawfish aren't seasoned)

Method

Roast the red pepper and peel off the skin, remove seeds and membranes, then dice.
Par-boil the pasta, do not overcook the pasta, as it will be placed in the oven.
Make sure that crawfish are cooked and seasoned. If not seasoned, place in a bowl and toss with CajunLand all-purpose Cajun seasoning (alternatives are Tony's, Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Magic, etc.).
Coat the bottom of saute pan or fry pan (I just used a 10" Aluminum fry-pan) with extra virgin olive oil and a bit of butter. Saute the green onions and crawfish until hot.
Place hot crawfish mixture into a mixing bowl and combine with ricatta cheese and grated parmesan. This will be your filling for the shells. Season as needed with cayenne, salt and black pepper.
To begin your cream sauce, coat the same pan with a bit more olive oil and butter, and sweat the shallot and diced red pepper. Remember that sweating will allow the flavors to leave, while sautéing keeps the flavor in. After several minutes, add the minced garlic. Once garlic has been cooked, take about three quarters of the mixture and put it in a blender, then puree with some half and half. Pour the mixture back into the pan and add additional cream. Let the sauce reduce for ten minutes on low heat, stirring often to prevent burning. If you are concerned about burning the sauce, a small saucepan with a heavy bottom may be preferable.
When shells are nearly finished cooking, remove them from the boiling water and shock with cold water to prevent further cooking. When they've cooled, use a spoon to stuff each shell with the crawfish stuffing mixture. Place each shell seam-side down in a small baking dish. Pour the cream sauce over the shells and top with grated mozzarella cheese.
Cover and bake the shells in the oven at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes.

NOTES: This is a super easy dish, despite the eight steps. This whole dish can be done with a fry-pan, baking dish and a pasta pot. The seasonings weren't measured, so you'll need to taste as you go along.

According to Playboy Magazine (March '05 issue, p.45), the most expensive cocktail in a hotel bar is The Engaging Martini at Boston's Fairmont Copley Plaza. The hefty $12,750 price tag gets you two olives and a one-carat diamond ring. A little expensive for my tastes, but then again, what use would I have for a diamond ring? For a few dollars less, you can have Jack make you a great Bombay Sapphire Martini at Vega Tapas Cafe, where I started my weekend on Friday afternoon. When it comes to a good martini, you generally get what you pay for; a quality drink will come with a respective price tag. However, my experience yesterday disproved that theorem; I had several martinis for $.25 a piece with my lunch at Commander's Palace.

Once again, I took advantage of my President's Day holiday and went to lunch. This time turned out to be a great meeting of amateur New Orleans food writers. Ok, so it was only two of us, but it was still a great meeting. I contacted Robert Peyton, of Appetites and proposed that we have an early lunch at Commander's Palace. It had been many years since I'd been, so I was due for a visit. Oh yea, they also have great lunch specials and $.25 martinis.

It was 11:30 am when I arrived and Robert was in the process of procuring a table for two. After being seated, I started out the morning with an ice cold gin martini- up, with a twist. I was impressed when it arrived ice cold, with crushed ice on the rim of the glass. I couldn't have asked for a better presentation. As much as I enjoyed the martinis, we actually did eat. I started with a bowl of the soup du jour, a sweet potato and andouille soup; great flavor but a little sparse on the andouille. I followed the soup with a cast iron blackened filet of drum, balanced atop a mound of carmelized pearl onions, brussel sprouts, peas and an assortment of veggies. Again, the fish was good, but it didn't knock my socks off. Fortunately the meal got progressively better, and it wasn't because of all of the drinks! We both finished with the Ponchatoula Strawberry Shortcake, with fresh sweet local strawberries, whipped cream and a tasty biscuit. Of course, the final course was my last martini. My bar bill was a whopping "one dollar;" cheaper than Ms. Mae's!

So how good is a $.25 martini? Pretty damn good, if you ask me. The secret to a good martini is keeping it ice- cold. I enjoyed the crushed-ice coated rim and there were shards of ice floating in the well-shaken drink. Many purists argue that a martini should be stirred, but I'll always prefer mine shaken; there's just something about a hand shaken martini. And the gin? One of my favorites is Bombay Sapphire, but I didn't inquire as to what I was drinking at Commander's. For $.25 each, I have a feeling is was a nice well gin, maybe Aristocrat or Skol. Oh well, they worked well for me.

Speaking of martinis, I made a ton of them Saturday night at my new bartending gig at Vaqueros (2037 Metairie Rd. 504-837-7776). For some reason, a beautiful drink with a great presentation is addictive. Once I made the first one, EVERYBODY wanted one! But sometimes all it takes is a mention of a martini to get me in the mood. I had e-mailed a friend on Friday afternoon to rub in the fact that it was happy hour in my time zone. When she e-mailed me back and mentioned a martini, I was hooked. Not to worry, I had a few for each of us. :)

I had planned to spend Valentine's Day alone and had set aside that time to work on a new dish that I want to try: Crawfish Stuffed Pasta Shells with a Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce. If you're here looking for the recipe, just be patient, as I've been under the weather for the past few days. I think I've got the details of the recipe outlined, but unfortunately I was in no mood to cook, much less go to the grocery store for the ingredients. I'll have it available later this week. So how was my Valentine's dinner? After having takeout from August Moon Restaurant for lunch, I wasn't too hungry, so I had two cups of herbal tea and a handful of Advil. Makes for a pleasant evening of sleep (almost, but that's a whole other topic).

That being said, I did want to take a minute to recap my first dinner at Dick & Jenny's (4501 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-894-9880) that took place recently with a group of friends. It was a rainy Tuesday, exactly one week before Mardi Gras Day, and my next door neighbor Stephanie decided on Dick & Jenny's as a dinner destination for her group of visitors. Naturally, they invited me, and although I was a bit hesitant at first, I realized I would be diner number six, and felt obligated to help make the party and even number. Besides, where can you get a table for five?

We arrived in the rental minivan (what better way to travel?) promptly at six, and were about the fourth party in the restaurant. For those who haven't been, Dick & Jenny's is an eclectic little restaurant, complete with white tablecloths and wine glasses at every place-setting. Reservations are not accepted, which creates a dilemma for those who arrive later in the evening. However, the waiting area is a fun little adult playground; an enclosed patio with outdoor furniture and porch swings. Unfortunately, our wait was almost non-existent, which only gave me several minutes on the wooden swing.

We sat down and immediately ordered a bottle of wine, which, split several ways only lasted us until we finished our appetizers. To begin, we ordered three different starters: the Trio of Fried Green Tomatoes, three friend green tomatoes, one topped with a crab cake, one topped with a crawfish sauce, and the third, whose topping presently escapes me; the Crawfish and Crab Cheesecake, a savory cheesecake that contains spicy crawfish tails and lump crabmeat; and last, the Fried Calamari. Bobbi (sp?), a young-at-heart woman from California sat next to me at dinner and turned up her nose when I insisted we order the cheesecake. Her attitude changed quickly after she tried the first bite. I don't think she could get enough! This type of cheesecake is becoming more and more popular around town, and has even spread to the likes of bread pudding, ala Vaqueros (see my review below).

Since there were six of us, I can't remember all of the entree's. I do know that Stephanie, our hostess (not the restaurant hostess), ordered a fish dish that was covered in a crawfish sauce that she had been craving. I tried her dish and shortly found out why it was her favorite. I think they probably could've put a plate of crawfish sauce in front of her and she would've devoured it. I'm pretty sure the fish only acted as a medium to soak up the sauce. All three of us on my side of the table ordered the Duo of Beef Tornedos (or was it a trio?); one topped with lobster, the other with brie cheese and both covered with a Béarnaise sauce. The tournedos were accompanied by some small, crispy oven-baked potato wedges and a mound of cooked greens. For all I cared, they could've accompanied the dish with plywood, as it would've been out of this world slathered in the Béarnaise sauce.

During dinner, we had another bottle of red wine, and I finished up my meal with an ice cold Abita Amber. We did have dessert, but for the life of me can't remember what it was. I do know that it tasted fantastic. Oh yea, I think it was some variety of cheesecake; I think. Dick and Jenny's is one of those unique New Orleans restaurants that keeps the locals coming back and always gets recommended to tourists. If you are a tourist, I would stay far away from this place (ok, I'm being selfish, I just don't want to wait in line too long). I've attempted to dine there on my previous two birthdays, to no avail, but it is now on my top- five list. The wine is reasonably priced, the entrees are original and the atmosphere is cozy and welcoming. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Dick and Jenny's to a local or visitor.

Since I had to get out of bed at 5 am yesterday morning to bring Tom to the airport, we decided to start early and have a few drinks at Fat Harry's before eating some dinner at Vaqueros (2037 Metairie Rd.). I think we were still a bit full from lunch at The Galley, so we decided to have a few appetizers and more cocktails.

We started out with an order of chips, salsa and guacamole. Vaqueros charges for their chips and salsa, a rarity in this town, but they are worth the money. The order comes with fresh fried chips and three different salsas: a spicy tomato salsa, a smoky chipotle salsa and pico de gallo. All three were good, but not spicy enough; the guacamole was outstanding. We also had the Crab and Oyster au gratin, with new trinity, Gruyere cheese and breadcrumbs, served with bread on the side. It was super tasty and not something usually found in a Southwestern style restaurant.

One very unique dish was the Mexican Sausage and Smoked Shrimp Bread Pudding, a savory bread pudding with Manchego cheese and sweet onion sauce. I really can't explain the taste, but I'd liken the premise of the dish to the savory cheesecakes that are becoming popular at places like Jacques-Imo's and Dick and Jenny's. Vaqueros has just taken the idea and done a unique dish unlike anything I've had. I would put this one on a must-have list of appetizers in New Orleans. Trust me, just try it.

Last, we finished up with a bowl of Poached Mussels, black mussels poached in cream, brandy, mint and smoke jalapenos. I'm a huge fan of mussels and try to taste the different variations around town. Although this wasn't my favorite, it is near the top of my list. I was hesitant to try the mussels at a Southwestern-style restaurant, but I wasn't dissapointed. In fact, I used the bread and soaked up every bit of sauce I could catch. They were another fantastic dish.

Chef Joseph Griffo has only been the owner of Vaqueros for several months, but he's making large strides in the kitchen. After cooking in Santa Fe, New Mexico for the past decade, he's got some inside knowledge of the New- Mex cuisine that can't really be taught in school. Sure, he's adapting to the local scene by using some seafood and local ingredients, but the style is truly authentic. I haven't had any of the entrees yet, but a small group could split appetizers and still have a fantastic dining experience. If you can, finish up the meal with some flan, light and fluffy and probably one of the best I've had (of course, my experience is somewhat limited, so try it yourself).

The past week has been a bit of a blur. There's been a whole lot of beer, a little vodka, gumbo, red beans, more gumbo, jambalaya, king cake, a dinner at Dick and Jenny's, Popeye's Fried Chicken and more. I usually lose a few pounds during Mardi Gras, but this year I'm afraid I've gained a few.

To celebrate the end of Mardi Gras, my buddy Tom and I went for lunch at The Galley Restaurant (2535 Metairie Rd, 504-832-0955). We started off with three pounds of boiled crawfish that were served hot and perfectly seasoned. The last time I had boiled crawfish was on New Year's Eve and they were a little small, but the ones we had today were perfect. A great way to start out the meal and spicy enough to clear out the sinuses.

When it came to lunch, I couldn't pass up the Fried Soft-Shell Crab Po-Boy. The Galley has been serving the Soft-Shell Crab po-boy at JazzFest since 1977 and it is the first item I consume when I arrive at the Fest in the morning. For some reason, the po-boy sounded like a good way to start out a Wednesday (no, I didn't eat breakfast... only coffee). I also estimate that I drank about 60 oz. of liquids during lunch; I'm trying to make up for a de-hydrated body over the past week. The po-boy was a bit salty, so I figure I'll be drinking a ton of water for the rest of the day.

That's about it for me right now. Still have plenty to write about some recent meals, but it's the day after Mardi Gras, I need to recover just a bit more.

Now that it is Wednesday, I can finally relax and think about my weekend. It was quite a whirlwind of a time, mostly spent with my neigbors that included a catered brunch, a four course meal at Cannon's to celebrate their tenth anniversary, a lot of alcohol consumption and a wild night dancing on the pool table at F & M Patio Bar (F&M's). There wasn't a whole lot of sleep involved and I met some great people from all over the country, one of which won't be easily forgotten... but I digress.

On Sunday morning I dined for brunch at a place that most locals don't visit - The Court of Two Sisters. In fact, it was the first time I had ever eaten there. This is a place that is usually labeled as a tourist destination, mostly by locals who have never eaten there. I have to admit, if it wasn't for this group of friends, it might have been another year before I made it to the place. Sure, it's a little touristy, but it was fun and the food was good.

I'm not usually one for buffet type brunches, but I think the format works well for a place like this. The buffet was complete with boiled crawfish, grits & grillades, oysters bienville, and duck orange. During one trip through the line, a cute girl behind me commented that "for 25 bucks, there's no way I'm eating grits." Sure, she had a point, but I don't think she realized that they were supposed to be topped with grillades (braised veal). Poor thing. The one thing I liked about the buffet is that there were no eggs. However, there was an omelette station that would make any sort of omelette or even eggs benedict. There is nothing worse on a buffet than a pan of runny, luke-warm eggs; fortunately my omelette was cooked perfect and fresh.

Now that I've been there, I have to say that I enjoyed the experience. We sat outside and the weather was fair, but almost every table was full on a Sunday afternoon. The bloody marys were pretty damn good and the company was great. Thanks Stephanie!