Stewed Chicken

Stewed Chicken Recipe

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Seasoning Mix
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1 5- to 6-pound whole chicken, cut into serving pieces and trimmed of excess fat
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons bacon fat or canola oil
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chicken stock or broth
1 8-ounce package sliced cremini or white mushrooms
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
Baked Rice, for serving

In a small bowl, thoroughly combine seasoning mix. Measure out 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mix and season the chicken pieces; set aside. In a large deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons bacon fat over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the chicken to the pan skin side down. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, 6-8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a large plate. Add reserved 1/2 cup bacon fat to the pan; stir to melt. Once hot, make a roux by gradually adding the flour, whisking carefully and vigorously after each addition until smooth. Continue whisking and scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any brown bits until the roux is the color of peanut butter. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery and jalapeno peppers. Cook, whisking constantly, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and reserved seasoning mix; cook an additional 2 minutes. Stir in chicken stock and bring to a boil. Return chicken pieces and accumulated juices to pan, partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, over medium-low heat until chicken is cooked through and tender, 45-60 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and green onions and cook an additional 5 minutes. Serve over Baked Rice. Makes 6-8 servings.

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Fried Soft-Shell Crab Poor Boy

The hubby and I have been together almost 20 years (I was really, really young when we starting dating. Wink! Wink!). And while we’re not the perfect couple, we do pride ourselves on working hard at keeping our relationship strong. A big part of that is carving out time for each other. We frequently schedule lunch dates and sneak in the occasional night out. But all those outings combined don’t come close to measuring up to the kidless weekends we share each year at the New Orleans Jazz Fest! We’ve been enjoying these date weekends since 1994. Over the years, we’ve gotten up close and personal with many of our favorite local and mainstream musicians, discovered countless new artists, stumbled upon and snagged some really cool and unique arts and crafts and filled our bellies with some of the best fest food in the world.

One of the reasons why Jazz Fest food ranks so high, in our book and in the books of thousand of others who visit each year, is that it’s all local. Unlike the musicians and artisans of Jazz Fest who represent both regional and national talent, the food of Jazz Fest is homegrown. Those coveted spots under the food tents are reserved for fulltime Louisiana residents (with large scale food service experience) whose dishes exemplify, in some way, the culinary culture of our region. And that will never include funnel cakes, deep-fried Twinkies or corn dogs! I know the hubby and I could never waste calories on such trivial items. We have enough trouble making room for tantalizing options like Crawfish Bread, Oyster Patties, Jambalaya, Cochon de Lait and Cajun Duck Poor Boys, Pecan Catfish Meunière, Pheasant, Quail & Andouille Gumbo, Cajun Chicken & Tasso with Creole Rice, freshly fried Cracklins, Pralines and Sweet Potato Pone (to name just a few of our heritage foods)! As for the items we can’t fit in during our two-day soirée, well we turn many of those into dinner projects at home. We do our best to recreate the flavors and fun of the Fair Grounds (where the Fest is held) in our own kitchen. I think we’ve done a pretty good job with the Fest’s famous Crawfish Monica (my Jazzy Crawfish Pasta) and their Spicy Natchitoches Meat Pies (my Mini Cajun Meat Pies). I’d like to think we’ve done the same with these Fried Soft-Shell Crab Poor Boys!

Until next week …

Fried Soft-Shell Crab Poor Boys

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6 soft-shell crabs
Salt and pepper to taste
Peanut or canola oil, for frying
1 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 8-inch pieces French bread, cut in half lengthwise
Garlic Butter, melted, see recipe
Lemon wedges and hot sauce, for serving (optional)

Clean the crabs by removing the gills (the spongy “dead man’s fingers” located under the tips of either side of the top shell) and cutting off the eyes, mouthparts and belly apron with scissors. Season the crabs inside and out with salt and pepper; set aside. Place oil in a large skillet or electric fryer and heat to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, in a shallow dish, combine the milk and eggs. In a separate shallow dish, mix together the flour, salt, granulated garlic, onion powder, black pepper, thyme and cayenne pepper. Working with one crab at a time, dredge in the seasoned flour, dip in egg wash then dredge again in seasoned flour. Shake off excess flour and gently lower crab into hot oil. Fry, flipping as necessary, until deep golden brown and crispy, 4-10 minutes per crab depending on the size. Drain on a wire rack or stack of paper towels. To make the poor boys, lightly coat both sides of the French bread with melted garlic butter. Place one fried soft-shell crab onto one side of the bread, drizzle with more garlic butter and garnish with lemon juice and hot sauce. Top with the other half of the bread and serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

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Jalapeno and Citrus Roasted Pork

The inspiration for this succulent pork shoulder comes from two sources. The first is a recipe I came across in Crescent City Cooking, Chef Susan Spicer’s cookbook, that highlighted jalapeno peppers. The second is a citrusy pork dish the hubby’s cousin’s wife prepared for us several years back. The sauce on that pork was mojo-style. Mine borrows ingredients and ideas from both. It marries good old Southern pig parts with bold and bright Caribbean flavors, those same Caribbean flavors that have been influencing New Orleans cooking for decades. We’re talking aromatic spices, fresh fruit juices, plenty of garlic and a lot of peppers. You’ll recognize them all in my spicy and tangy marinade. And I make no apologies about the heat level. This pork has a definitive bite but one that can be easily tamed with a side starch and cool salad. This juicy, melt-in-your-mouth meat would also fit nicely into any Cinco de Mayo celebration served as is or tucked into quesadillas or enchiladas.

Jalapeno and Citrus Roast Pork

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1 6-to 8-pound boneless pork shoulder
Juice and zest of 2 naval oranges
Juice and zest of 2 limes
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
6 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pat pork shoulder dry and place fat side up in a large roasting pan lightly coated with cooking spray. With a sharp knife, make 10-12 deep slits on the top and sides of the roast; set aside. Combine the remaining ingredients in a blender and puree. Pour the citrus mixture over the roast and massage some into the deep slits. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil and roast until pork is very tender, about 5 hours, removing the foil during the last 30 minutes of cooking time to allow top to brown. Remove roast from oven and let rest for 20 minutes. Shred meat and discard excess fat. Serve with the pan juices ladled on top. Makes 8-10 servings.

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Remoulade Sauce

As far as how and when to serve this sauce, let your imagination guide you. This sauce will liven up any dish. For a little inspiration, consider plating it with plump and juicy boiled shrimp, spooning it over blackened fish, using it as a condiment on fried seafood poor boys, serving it as a dipping sauce for steamed artichokes, French fries or onion rings, spreading it on fried green tomatoes or tossing it in a salad.

Remoulade Sauce Recipe

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1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Lea & Perrins (Worcestershire sauce)
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons Zatarain’s Creole Mustard
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Louisiana Hot Sauce (or hot sauce of your choice)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and black pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a large bowl; stir until thoroughly combined.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.  Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

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Bud’s Broiler Burger with Hickory Smoked Sauce

It’s Burger Week over at Eater.com, the popular blog network that covers restaurant, bar and nightlife news across 15 metropolitan areas including New Orleans. And on Monday during my daily visit to the Nola.Eater page, I came across a post on Bud’s Broiler. Reading that piece had me thinking back to 1970-something and left me craving a big, juicy burger with a milkshake and fries.

Bud’s Broiler is a New Orleans institution and anyone who grew up in the City has vivid memories of meals eaten there.  Whether they frequented the old Gentilly location on Pelopidas (with a not-so-memorable view of the cemetery), the original City Park Avenue address or one of several other locations, they can more than likely rattle off their favorite menu item by number too.  That’s because this small, local hamburger chain has been cranking out its “original charcoal broiled” burgers from basically the same menu since 1952. We’re not talking fancy schmancy burgers. No. These are classic old-school burgers made with 100% ground chuck (and probably nothing else), cooked over a charcoal flame and served on toasted buns. Topping options are classified by order number and are limited to the basics plus mayonnaise-relish sauce, hickory smoked sauce and chili. My favorite was always a Number 4 with chili and cheese, which is reflected on their menu board something like this:

4 – MEAT GRATED CHEDDAR CHEESE, CHILI OR OUR OWN HICKORY SMOKED SAUCE      3.75

Coincidentally, my kids had requested regular burgers (as opposed to sliders) for dinner that night. So I decided to create a Bud’s Broiler experience for them at home. Since I knew they wouldn’t care for a burger with chili, I prepared for them a Number 4 with hickory smoked sauce. Let me clarify. I prepared for them Numbers 4s with my best attempt at recreating Bud’s Broiler’s famous hickory smoked sauce. I based my sauce on a list of ingredients I found on the Tiger Droppings (Go LSU!) forum, the link to which was referenced in that Nola.Eater article. Geez, I had no idea this condiment was such a hot topic. Apparently decades have been devoted to nailing down Bud’s secret recipe. Anyway, Tiger Droppings’ list included tomato sauce, ketchup, liquid smoke and chili powder. I dumped those ingredients in the pan, tasting and adjusting the amounts while the sauce cooked down, but I wasn’t getting any good taste memories from that combination. So I started adding this and that until I tasted what I recalled being Bud’s famous sauce, if just a tad thicker and darker. The hubby spooned a generous amount on his burger and thought it was spot on. The kids’ take on it? Well, for the record, they’ve never eaten an original Bud’s Broiler burger (sigh, I know), but they loved it just the same. We’ll definitely have to pay Bud’s Broiler a visit during one of our next trips home.

Bud’s Broiler Burger with Hickory Smoked Sauce Recipe

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2 1/2 pounds ground chuck
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Lea & Perrins (Worcestershire sauce), divided
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups ketchup (I used Heinz, but read that Bud’s uses Hunt’s)
1/4 cup liquid smoke
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon chili powder
Kosher salt and coarse black pepper to taste
6 hamburger buns, lightly toasted
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, for serving

In a large bowl, combine ground chuck, 2 tablespoons Lea & Perrins and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Gently shape meat into 6 patties about 1 1/2-inches thick; make a deep thumb impression in the center of each one. Season outside of patties with additional salt and pepper; cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the sauce by combining the tomato sauce, ketchup, liquid smoke, vinegar, chili powder and reserved 1/4 cup Lea & Perrins in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened, 15-20 minutes. Season to taste with salt; keep warm. Prepare grill (preferable charcoal) for direct cooking over high heat. Remove patties from refrigerator and place in center of grill. Cook until the patties begin to sweat on top, about 4-5 minutes. Flip patties over and cook to desired doneness, another 2-4 minutes for medium-rare. Place burgers on the buns and top with grated cheese and hickory smoked sauce. Makes 6 servings.

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Fried Crab Fingers

Crab fingers are the bottom halves of blue crab claws with the outer shell removed and the pincer tips left in place. They’ve been a popular New Orleans hors d’oeuvre and menu munchie for years and years. And they’re a fun finger food to make at home. You don’t have to boil tens of dozens of crabs to enjoy them either. Because they’re such a big hit, containers (like the one below) of boiled and shelled crab fingers (also marketed as crab claws or cocktail claws) are abundantly available at seafood markets and grocery stores throughout New Orleans and South Louisiana. Some stores outside the area carry them too. Call and check around. For my Atlanta readers, the Cajun Meat Company on Roswell Road stocks them. If you can’t find them in your neck of the woods, you can always order a container or two online from many different places including Fisherman’s Cove and Cajun Grocer. To eat them, simply hold the claw by the pincer tip, place the battered end in your mouth, bite down until you feel the membrane (which is in the center of the meat) and pull between your top and bottom teeth to drag the sweet claw meat and seasoned batter off the membrane. When serving these to a crowd, don’t forget to set out an empty bowl to collect the discarded claw shells.

Of course, nothing goes better with fried food than beer. And just yesterday, I had my first sip of the highly anticipated Abita Spring IPA. This is the Abita Brewing Company’s latest seasonal sud. I like this IPA style much better than their Jockamo. The Spring IPA has more of an in-your-face hoppiness, unlike the Jockamo that’s more subtle and heavier on the malt and yeast. If you’re anti-IPA (something I’ll never understand), the Abita Strawberry Harvest is still available as are all the brewery’s other flagship and big beers.

Until next week …

Fried Crab Fingers Recipe

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Peanut or canola, for frying
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 pound Louisiana blue crab fingers

Place oil in a large skillet or electric fryer and heat to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, place bread crumbs in a shallow dish. In a separate shallow dish, combine flour, salt, black pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Measure out 1/2 cup of the seasoned flour and add to bread crumbs; stir to combine. In a third shallow dish, whisk together the egg and milk. Working in batches, dredge crab fingers in seasoned flour, dip in egg wash then dredge in bread crumb mixture. Shake off excess crumbs and gently lower crab fingers into hot oil. Fry until golden brown, 1-2 minutes per batch. Drain on a wire rack or stack of paper towels. Serve immediately. Makes 4-6 appetizer servings.

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Baked Pork Ribs with Cabbage

We’re enjoying spring weather here in Atlanta. Finally! I was really starting to wonder if it would ever arrive, considering we were in the low-40s just last Thursday. Because it’s been so gloomy and cold, I’ve been digging deep into my recipe files (actually, that would be two large plastic bins) and notebooks for slow cooked, familiar eats. The kind of cooking that filled my childhood home with welcoming aromas that greeted me at the door after school or warmed me from the inside out after playing all afternoon in the damp cold. One such dish that came to mind during this winter that would never end was my Maw Maw’s pork ribs with cabbage. Maw Maw was my dad’s mom and she was a great cook. Unfortunately, I don’t have any of her recipes. I’m not even sure she ever wrote anything down. You see, my dad died when I was 12 and she died a short time after. So I never got to cook alongside her or ask probing questions. But I do recall plenty of delicious holiday meals at her well-appointed dining room table and have been able to pick my mom’s brain for the finer points of several of the dishes she frequently served. For the record, these pork ribs and cabbage were never part of her holiday repertoire. This was a weekday dinner dish whose simplicity and comforting flavors have stuck with me (and my mom). Because it’s so basic, I thought it would be an easy one to recreate.

For this dish, my grandmother took a rack of ribs (I think she used country ribs), nestled it on top a bed of sliced cabbage and onions and baked the trio in a low oven until all the glorious juices of the pork had been coaxed out and allowed to mingle with the veggies. When it was done, the ribs was tender, tender, tender and the cabbage and onions were divinely “porky.” And although I don’t think Maw Maw browned her ribs first or deglazed the pan with chicken broth, the flavors I created with my recipe were spot on with my taste memories.

When I first presented this dish to my family, I must say it was met with some resistance. That’s because my kiddos didn’t recognize ribs without a sticky coating of barbecue sauce slathered on top. So I squirted a pile of the sauce on each of their plates to encourage them to eat. But after that initial bite, they all ventured away from the sauce and ended up really liking the unfussy ribs.

Baked Pork Ribs with Cabbage Recipe

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1 medium head green cabbage, chopped
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
1 3-4 pound rack baby back ribs, cut in half
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking dish with cooking spray. Place cabbage and onions in dish and season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside. Season the ribs on both sides with Creole seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add one-half of the rib rack to the pan and cook, turning as necessary, until browned on both sides. Place browned ribs over cabbage mixture. Repeat with remaining half rack. Add chicken broth to pan and bring to a boil stirring frequently to remove all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour pan juices over ribs. Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake until ribs are tender and cooked through, about 2 hours. Remove foil during last 15 minutes of cooking time to allow ribs to crisp up on top. Serve immediately. Makes 4-6 servings.

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Crawfish Mac and Cheese

Crawfish Mac and Cheese Recipe

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1 16-ounce package of cavatappi or elbow macaroni
1 quart whole milk or half-and-half
1 16-ounce package Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 pound frozen crawfish tails, thawed and drained (but not rinsed)
2 cups finely grated smoked cheddar cheese, at room temperature
1 cup finely grated Gruyere cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a large baking dish; set aside. Cook pasta al dente according to package directions; drain well. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring the milk or half-n-half to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in Velveeta; cook, stirring frequently, until melted. Add crawfish tails, remaining cheeses, Creole seasoning, nutmeg and cayenne pepper. Stir constantly just until cheeses are melted. Immediately remove from heat and stir in cooked pasta. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Pour mixture into prepared dish and bake, uncovered, until golden brown and bubbling, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately. Makes 8-10 servings.

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Carrot Cake

Of all the family recipes that have been handed down to me through the years, there are two I cherish most.  One is The Turtle Soup, which I wrote about last February, and the other is this Carrot Cake.  Both are nostalgic nods to my childhood.  Both flood my thoughts with warm memories of Sunday suppers, birthday dinners and holiday gatherings (especially Easter) shared with my mom’s large and loving family.  Both remind me of Grandma Kirn, my great-grandmother, who started these wonderful food traditions and of Papa, my maternal grandfather, as well as my mom, who have carried them forward.  And both are the best representations of these dishes.  Yes, I’m partial and proud of it.  For it’s that partiality that keeps these sentimental flavors front and center.

I believe that Grandma’s Carrot Cake is the only scratch cake recipe in our family.  To some that may seem unbelievable.  But remember, I was not born into a family of bakers.  Now Mimi, my mom’s mom, did make a mean German Chocolate Cake.  Although I think she combined a box cake mix with homemade frosting.  I need to check on that one and get back with you.  Anyway, Grandma’s Carrot Cake has always been my family’s special occasion confection.  And back in the day, it took several hours to prepare.  That’s because neither my grandparents nor my mom had any electric gadgets to help them along.  The carrots were shredded with a box grater and the pecans were chopped with a “vintage” (my mom’s going to love that word) nut grinder.  Actually, the nut thingamajig was fun to use especially since mom’s was missing the top and random nuts would occasionally fly across the kitchen.  These days, I can whip up one of these cakes in no time thanks to my handy dandy shredder/slicer KitchenAid mixer attachment and my nifty mini-food processor.  What can I say?  I’m living in the day.

As the photo of this deliciously moist and subtely spiced cake shows, I chose to frost only the layers.  Note to family:  I know this is not how Grandma did it.  She frosted (or as she said, “iced”) the entire cake.  But I, on the other hand, prefer this more rustic presentation.  You are free to decorate it either way.  Hope you like it!

Carrot Cake Recipe

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Vegetable shortening, for pans
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups canola oil
4 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for pans
3 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups grated carrots (from a little over a pound of whole carrots)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Pecan and Cream Cheese Frosting, see recipe

Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 325 degrees. Grease 3 9-inch cake pans with vegetable shortening. Dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, combine sugar and oil; beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until just blended. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture; beat until just incorporated. Fold in grated carrots and chopped pecans. Evenly divide batter among prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool completely in pans on wire racks. To assemble, remove one cake from pan and place on serving platter. Spread one-third of frosting on top. Repeat with second and third layers. If you want to frost the entire cake, spread 3 heaping tablespoons of frosting between layers and cover top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers. Makes 10-12 servings.

Pecan and Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

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1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on low speed until just blended. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar; beat until smooth. Add vanilla and chopped pecans and beat until incorporated. Makes about 2 cups.

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Egg Salad Toasts

I have certain simple finger foods I adore. Simple in that they require little to no cooking. Let me tell you about three of them. The first is canned sardines on Triscuits (Garden Herb being my number one choice) with yellow mustard. Not a fan of sardines? Too bad, because these are fast food heaven. And, as far as I’m concerned, the only way to eat canned sardines. This is also a very special finger food. Special because my late maternal grandfather, Papa, introduced me to sardines (on saltines) and special because the only other person that I know of who loves this trio as much as I do is my 10-year-old daughter Blair. Second, avocado slices wrapped in smoked deli turkey. Two words: healthy goodness. The perfect pick-me-up meal. Oh, and my oldest daughter digs those. And finally, egg salad toasts. The underappreciated egg salad perched on an ever-so-small pedestal of garlicky French bread crowned with shredded romaine lettuce and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum! So basic. So enjoyable. These are all minimal meals created for casual consumption from fridge and pantry finds. There was no planning or forethought or recipe involved. Just hunger and a few handy ingredients. I haven’t bothered talking or writing about any of them until now because, well, there’s not much to tell. But since they’ve become a regular part of my family’s picking food and lazy lunch rotation, I thought maybe there was some value in sharing them. And with Easter around the corner, the timing couldn’t be more appropriate for the toasts. What better way to repurpose all those dyed Easter eggs, right?

If you’re familiar with Finger Food Fridays, you know that the last paragraph of most posts is devoted to my unsolicited advice on alcoholic accompaniments. And by now you’re probably thinking, maybe evening hoping, that I won’t attempt to pair anything–especially beer–with egg salad toasts? Well, guess what? I do have something in mind. That’s because there are certain beers that go really, really well with eggs. American Pale Wheat Ales top the list. Lagunitas’ A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ would be my number one choice. But there are plenty of others to choose from including, Sam Adams Summer Ale and Blue Moon Spring Blonde Wheat Ale. Give one a try. I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Until next week …

Egg Salad Toasts Recipe

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6 large eggs
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 loaf French bread, cut into 12 slices
1/2 cup shredded romaine lettuce, for garnish

Place eggs in a medium saucepan. Cover with 2 inches of cold water; add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Immediately remove pan from heat, cover and let sit for 12 minutes. Drain and run under cold water for 2 minutes. Peel and coarsely chop eggs; transfer to a medium size mixing bowl. Stir in celery, green onions, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard and cayenne pepper. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare toasts. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place olive oil and garlic is a small, microwavable dish. Cover and cook on high for 45 seconds. Arrange bread slices on a large baking sheet. Brush garlic oil evenly on tops of bread. Bake until lightly toasted, 7-10 minutes. Spoon egg salad evenly on toasted French bread slices. Garnish each egg salad toast with shredded lettuce and a drizzle of olive oil. Makes 4-6 appetizer servings.

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