Recipes

All recipes by Nancy Johnson


Wine commentary by Gary Twining

  • The Big Easy

    The cuisine of New Orleans is as rich, fascinating and versatile as the vibrant people who inhabit the Crescent City.

    Cajun cuisine originated with the French Acadians of Nova Scotia who settled in the bayous around New Orleans in the 18th century. Taking its cues from Acadian French cuisine, Cajun cooking has evolved over the years, with culinary contributions from Spanish, African, Choctaw and Chickasaw cultures.

    If Cajun cooking is rooted in simplicity, creativity and economy, Creole cuisine is the sophisticated and somewhat exotic city slicker, the popular foods of New Orleans itself.

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  • Blackened Catfish

    Blackened seafood was popularized by New Orleans chef Paul Prudhomme in the mid-‘80s. Today it can be found on menus all over the country. Be sure to turn on the fan while cooking the fish, as this method will create smoke. The results are worth it though and even better when served with the creamy corn dish, Maque Choux.

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  • Maque Choux

    This recipe is believed to be from the Choktaw Indian tribe of Louisiana. Best made with fresh summer corn, it is also very good when made with canned or frozen corn during the winter. If using fresh corn, be sure to scrape the “corn milk” from the cob and add to the pan for extra flavor. Add crawfish or shrimp for a to-die-for entrée.

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  • Pecan and Mandarin Orange Salad

    Pecans are found all over the South, including Louisiana. A side of fresh salad greens with toasted pecans and mandarin oranges is a delicious way to cool the heat of Cajun cuisine. A version of this salad can be found at many Louisiana restaurants. Northern cooks would use white sugar in the dressing, but Louisiana cooks add dark brown sugar, giving it a darker, smokier and more mysterious flavor.

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  • Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

    Creole and Cajun cooks never waste a crumb in the kitchen, which is why bread pudding is so popular in New Orleans. Found more often on Northern restaurant menus, bread pudding has moved from a “poor man’s dessert” to gourmet status as of late. Nuts, dried cranberries and other delicacies can be added in place of or in addition to the raisins. Some Cajun chefs even add fruit cocktail to the mixture!

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  • Chicken with Honey Lemon Wine Sauce

    This is a light, delicate dish, similar to Chicken Piccata but with the addition of honey and wine to the lemon sauce. Because it bakes in the final 20 minutes, it’s a great dish to make while you sit down and have a glass of Sauvignon Blanc with your guests.
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  • Wild Mushroom Linguine

    This is great as a first course, or as a delicious vegetarian main dish when served with a salad and a baguette. Use a mixture of the freshest mushrooms you can find and vary according to the season. For a perfect pot of linguine, cook pasta in salted boiling water for 13 minutes. This gives the water time to come back to a boil. You should see starchy white bubbles around the edges of the pot, which is a good indication that the pasta is ready. After draining the linguine, return it to the pot with about 1/4 cup of the starchy cooking water. This will keep each strand separated and will help to thicken the sauce.
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  • Beer Cheese Soup

    Lager Heads, my favorite restaurant in Medina County, serves a similar soup. Unsalted butter is best for this recipe because the cheeses will add a certain level of saltiness. German lager beer will lend flavor without overpowering the mellow cheddar.
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  • Beer-Braised Ribs

    There are many ways to cook ribs, but this beer-braised recipe is my all-time favorite. It turns out a tender, succulent fall-off-the-bones entrée that can be enjoyed all year round. For optimum flavor and texture, be sure to remove the ‘silver skin’ that runs along the back of the ribs, using a sharp knife and your fingers.
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  • Get in the Spirit

    Many people avoid cooking with beer or wine because they’re not quite sure what type to use. I’ve made suggestions here, but use what you enjoy drinking and you can’t go wrong. Serve the same wine or beer at the table and the results will be sublime. And although it’s always best to start with fresh, good quality wine, I will confess that when I have leftover wine I know I won’t drink within a few days, I freeze it in one-cup servings so that I always have wine to add flavor to sauces, stews, roasts and more.
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Featured Recipes

  • Ham, Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya

    Jambalaya is descended from Spanish paella. Every Louisiana household has a special recipe for this dish but it’s the city of Gonzales that put jambalaya on the map. Known as “The Jambalaya Capital of the World,” this Spanish-influenced Louisiana city hosts an annual jambalaya competition in which the dish is cooked in gigantic iron pots over wood-fueled fires.

    Andouille sausage is a smoky, peppery sausage. If you can’t find it, use smoked kielbasa. Stirring the rice in the skillet for about a minute before adding the liquid gives it a hot fat coating that will help it retain its texture. There are as many versions of jambalaya as there are cooks in Louisiana, so feel free to change this recipe each time you make it by adding chicken, oysters, catfish, pork ribs, ground beef or crawfish.

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  • Crawfish Etouffee

    Crawfish are at the heart of many Cajun dinners but live crawfish can be hard to find in Ohio. Louisiana crawfish tail meat is sold in the freezer section of many stores. If you can’t find crawfish meat, use shrimp. Etouffee means “smothered,” and that’s exactly what happens in this dish – the crawfish are smothered under caramelized vegetables and a tasty roux, which is a cooked mixture of butter and flour. To avoid burning the roux, be sure to add the onion and celery as soon as the roux turns the color of peanut butter. This will instantly lower the roux’s temperature. Once the roux is cooked, the rest of the dish comes together quickly.
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  • Milaneasy Risotto

    This is not an authentic risotto, because it’s made in the microwave, but every bit as delicious and much less fussy. It is not an exceptionally creamy risotto but it does have a wonderful sticky texture. Saffron is expensive but you need only a teaspoon or two. Served with a salad and bread sticks, this makes a fine meatless meal.

    3 TBS butter, cut into pieces
    3 TBS olive oil
    1 medium onion, minced
    3 cloves garlic, minced
    1 cup Arborio rice
    2 1/2 cups chicken broth
    1/2 cup dry white wine
    1 tsp saffron threads, or to taste
    1/2 tsp dried thyme
    Salt & pepper to taste
    Parmigiano-Reggiano for garnish

    Combine butter and olive oil in a 4-quart microwave-safe casserole dish. Microwave on high power, uncovered, for 2 minutes.

    Add onion and garlic. Cook, uncovered, on high for 2 minutes.

    Add rice, stir to coat and cook, uncovered, on high for 2 minutes.

    Add chicken broth, wine, saffron, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir. Cook, uncovered, on high for 18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

    Remove from microwave, cover and let stand 10 minutes. Grate Parmigiano-Reggiano over rice and serve.

    Serves 4

    Gary – The thyme and saffron add to the brightness of flavor. Almost any white with light to moderate acidity and defined flavors will be a pleasant match. Those without intense aromatics would probably make the best pairing.

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