Lush is the only word for this book, and it belongs on every shelf. Ralph Brennan's New Orleans Seafood Cookbook is the definitive guide to recipes using the bounty of the waters around New Orleans. This is the food that has defined a city and a region, and that has been the mainstay of New Orleans cooking. With authentic recipes and glorious photographs, the result is a romantic evocation of bayous, of a slow sax playing into the night, of the courtyards and iron balconies of the French Quarter, even of a streetcar named 'Desire.'
Ralph Brennan is a third generation restaurateur and carries the traditions of his ancestors with pride and with dead-on authenticity. The food of New Orleans is built on a variety of ethnic traditions, all of which managed to mix rather than stay in small pockets of individual cuisines. New Orleans emerged with a unique culture and unique foods, one of the few areas of the US that could justify its claim to an authentic "cuisine." These recipes have been tested, not only three times in a test kitchen, but also by generations of diners who returned again and again seeking comforting foods and good taste. We call them classics and Brennan's pride is justified, but he also moves with the times and creates new recipes built on the traditions of the past, offering a dizzying 170 recipes in total. Brennan states as his intention, "This book was created to demystify seafood and provide every person passionate for our indigenous cuisine with the tools necessary to conquer the challenges of preparing New Orleans seafood at home." Goal accomplished, we salute Mr. Brennan and his team which includes his four executive chefs Haley Bittermann, Gregg Collier, Chris Montero and Darrin Finkel as well as food writer Gene Bourg.
This is a book for both devotees and for the uninitiated. Devotees, recognizing the authentic, will rush to the kitchen while the uninitiated will be taken by the hand and guided to success by the detailed instructions that Brennan and Bourg offer. There is "A Seafood Cook's Manual" that offers illustrated step-by-step instructions for handling, storing and preparing seafood, including Finfish, Crabs, Crawfish, Shrimp, Oysters, even Alligator, Frog Legs and Turtle. There is a guide to pairing seafood with wine, and a bonus section with substitutions, tips and special instructions to guarantee success. Additionally, Brennan and Bourg include a glossary of Creole and Acadian food terms and a comprehensive ingredients source list.
The recipes are an eclectic mix of simple and complex, of traditional and innovative. You can try such recipes as the simple Barbecue Shrimp, Grilled Redfish "on the Half-Shell", Crawfish Spring Rolls with Roasted Corn Relish & Chile-Garlic Sauce, then move on to the delectably complex Crawfish Bisque, Crabmeat Lasagna with Crab-&-Chanterelle Butter Sauce. You can stay with tradition by making such recipes as Trout Amandine, Oysters Rockefeller and Shrimp Creole or enjoy the contemporary Crawfish Spring Rolls, Barbeque Oysters, Grilled Redfish "On the Half Shell" and Crabmeat Lasagna with Crab-&-Chanterelle Butter Sauce.
Brennan has covered all bases and includes chapters on Accompaniments, Sauces Butters and Dressings, Seasonings Flours and Breadcrumbs, Stocks, and to wash it down a few of those drinks called Spirits. He does not forget the sweet tooth and you'll find such recipes as Praline Bread Pudding, Creole Cream Cheese Cheesecake, Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie, Peanut Butter Pie and Creole Red Velvet Roulade.
Run, do not walk, to the bookstore and enjoy the authentic taste of New Orleans. Play a little jazz as you cook.
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