Hollandaise Sauce

Hollandaise Sauce

Makes 2-3 portions

12 Tbsp butter
4 large egg yolks, room temperature
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Melt butter in microwave.  Skim off white foam from top of butter.

Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, pepper and cayenne in the blender.  Blend for 15 seconds.

With the blender running, remove center of cover and slowly pour in hot butter, leaving the settled milk solids in the bottom of the cup, blend for 30 seconds or until the sauce is thick.  Serve immediately.

Crawfish and Shrimp Etouffee

Creole Crawfish and Shrimp Etouffee

Serves 6-8 portions

1 1/2 cups butter
1 cup flour
2 lb onions, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, medium dice
2 ribs celery, medium dice
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Cayenne pepper
2 lbs Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb Crawfish tail meat
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, minced
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp dried Thyme
juice of 2 lemons
7 cups chicken stock
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp Louisiana hot sauce

Melt butter. Add flour, stir until dark tan. Quickly add onions, bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, salt, cayenne pepper. Stir over medium heat until vegetables are tender. Add crawfish and shrimp and stir together. Add chicken stock. Stir together to fully incorporate roux mixture with stock. Add green onions and parsley. Cover and geat to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and cook 12-15 minutes. Add lemon juice. Let stand 15 minutes and serve over white rice.


White Rice
Ratio = 1 cup rice : 1 3/4 cup water

2 Tbsp butter
2 bay leaves
1 tsp salt

Bring water to a boil. Add butter, bay leaves and salt. Stir in rice. Return to boil and cover. Immediately reduce heat to lowest setting and set timer for 20 minutes. Do no remove the lid. When 20 minutes expires turn off heat and keep covered for an additional 5 minuites. Remove lid and fluff rice with a fork.

Mushroom Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients:

6 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb assorted wild mushrooms
1 onion, coursely chopped
1 leek, coursely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms (the best you can find), ground into powder
fresh parsley sprig
2 oz dry sherry
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup cream (optional)

Method:
In a medium saucepan or dutch oven, melt butter with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chopped mushrooms and saute until they begin to brown and release their moisture. Once the moisture begins to come out, salt lightly with sea salt. Continue to cook until all of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the onions, garlic, leek, thyme and dried porcini powder. Saute mixture until onions begin to soften and turn opaque. Stir in sherry and deglaze pan. Stir in chicken stock and parsley sprig and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer for about an hour.

After an hour, remove parsley and discard. Let soup cool slightly and puree until desired consistancy is achieved. Stir in cream (if using) and season with salt and pepper.

Simmer soup (if needed) to develop flavor. Serve hot with a drizzle of white truffle oil or aged balsamic vinager.