Comfort Foods

For the past few weeks, I have been glued to the television and reading several newspapers looking for detailed accounts of the devastation in New Orleans.

This American city has contributed so many distinctive dishes to the culinary landscape. The Creole and Cajun traditions are steeped in French, Spanish and Caribbean ingredients. Because New Orleans is a port city, fish and shellfish have always been plentiful.

While watching the news the other day, a woman and her family had finally arrived from New Orleans to stay with friends.

"The first thing I am going to do is make up a pot of shrimp etouffee," she said.

When people are displaced or leave their homelands for a new life, they seek comfort in preparing the foods they know. Those from New Orleans are no exception. Crawfish Etouffee is a classic dish, but it can be tough finding the main ingredient in Philadelphia. Shrimp is a good substitute.

New Orleans has given us gumbo, jambalaya, Oysters Rockefeller, the muffuletta, red beans and rice, dirty rice, bread pudding, shrimp Creole and a host of other dishes. Oysters were so popular and plentiful, home cooks and chefs always enjoyed creating new recipes for them. Many people simply serve them on the half shell, but pass the Tabasco, please.

What I especially like about Cajun and Creole dishes is many are one-pot wonders. You can make jambalaya for a crowd or for a family of four. The same can be said of gumbo. Although onions, celery, peppers and rice are intrinsic to these classics, you can improvise with the other ingredients.

Jambalaya

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 ribs of celery, diced
2 red, green, yellow or orange peppers, seeded and diced
4 fat cloves of garlic, sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 pound of ham, diced
3 Andouille sausages, sliced
1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes with juice
1 (15-ounce) can of chicken stock
1-1/2 cups white rice
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled
1 pound scallops
1 pound oysters with juice

Directions:

Heat the oil over medium-high in a heavy 4-quart pot. Add the onion, celery, peppers and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent, about five minutes or so. Add kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Add the ham and sausages and sauté until the sausages are browned, about five minutes. Add the tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Slowly add the rice and lower the heat to simmer. Cover the pot and cook until the rice is done, about 20 minutes. Check to make sure there is sufficient liquid. Add a cup of water, if needed.

When the rice is done, add the shrimp and scallops. Bury the shrimp and scallops in the rice and blend. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the oysters with their juice and bury them in the rice. Cover and heat through for about 10 minutes.

Serves six.

Muffuletta

Ingredients:

1/2 pound pitted green olives, chopped
1/2 pound pitted black olives, chopped
3 tablespoons capers, drained
About 1/2 of a 7-ounce jar of pimentos, sliced
1 small stalk of celery, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 hoagie rolls
1 pound Genoa salami, sliced
1 pound ham of your choice, sliced
1 pound sharp provolone, sliced

Directions:

Place the olives, capers, pimentos, celery, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Add the olive oil and vinegar and mix. Set aside.

Divide the salami, ham and provolone evenly among the rolls. Top each roll with some olive salad.

Serves four.

Note from Phyllis: Yes, the muffuletta is the Philadelphia hoagie’s first cousin. This sandwich was invented in 1906 at a grocery store in New Orleans and is made on individual round Italian rolls. They were originally made with only green olives, but I like a blend of green and black. You can also add some chopped garlic and parsley to the olive mix.

Shrimp Etouffee

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small green, yellow or red pepper, chopped
4 fat cloves of garlic, minced
2 pounds of medium shrimp, peeled
1/2 cup dry white wine
1-1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon imported Hungarian sweet paprika
Black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 scallions, sliced
Handful of fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Tabasco

Directions:

Place the butter in a heavy 4-quart pot over medium. Add the celery, onion, pepper and garlic and sauté for about 15 minutes.

Add the shrimp, wine and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Add the seasonings, place the lid partially on the pot and simmer for 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/2 cup of water with the cornstarch to make a slurry. Add to the pot and mix well. Add the scallions and parsley. Stir well and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.

Serve over rice. Pass the Tabasco.

Serves six.