Indholdsfortegnelse for November/December 2025 i Louisiana Cookin'

Mini Popcorn Shrimp Po’ Boys MAKES 12 Vegetable oil, for frying¼ cup whole milk1 large egg, lightly beaten1 teaspoon Creole mustard1 cup all-purpose flour½ cup yellow cornmeal2 teaspoons Creole seasoning½ teaspoon baking powder½ teaspoon garlic powder¼ teaspoon kosher salt1 pound peeled and deveined small fresh shrimpRémoulade (recipe follows)12 Hawaiian rolls, halved horizontally, buttered, and toasted1 cup shredded iceberg lettucePotato chips and hot sauce, to serve 1. Fill a medium Dutch oven halfway with oil, and heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350°. 2. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, egg, and mustard. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, Creole seasoning, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt. Place flour mixture in a resealable plastic bag. Dip shrimp in milk mixture, letting excess drip off. Transfer…

Ice Skating Baton Rouge raisingcanesrivercenter.com From mid-December to early January, Raising Cane’s River Center turns into a winter wonderland ready to fulfill your ice skating dreams of becoming the next Michelle Kwan. Grab tickets and lace up your skates for a fun evening spent gliding your way into the holiday season. Old Time Winter Traditions Lafayette December 13–29 bayouvermiliondistrict.org Throughout December, this event brings to life Acadiana arts and crafts of the past. Candle- and soap-making, pomander-decorating, and writing letters to Papa Noël are just the start; the fun continues with classic Cajun and Creole foods and a stocked gift shop with locally made goods. Natchitoches Christmas Festival Natchitoches November 22–January 6 natchitocheschristmas.com At 99 years old, the Natchitoches Christmas Festival is one of the longest-running community Christmas festivals in…

First, you take something delicious and then stuff it into another delicious thing. Do that a few more times, and you have yourself a turducken. I’m neither deranged nor deluded enough to think that most Louisianians spend their afternoons lovingly stuffing together all those bits of poultry around a savory center (usually a boudin or rice dressing), but from my perch here at Louisiana Cookin’, I want to make sure that you—dear, sweet reader—have the tools you need to make a showstopping turducken if you so choose. Our recipe for Homemade Turducken (page 44) isn’t stuffed so much as layered, rolled, trussed, draped in crispy skin, and roasted to perfection. You could very easily go out to your neighborhood butcher for a premade turducken (or, easier yet, visit one of…

Smashed Sweet Potatoes MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS 3 large sweet potatoes, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices½ cup unsalted butter3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar½ teaspoon ground cinnamon¼ teaspoon kosher salt2 cups mini marshmallowsGarnish: flaked sea salt 1. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add sweet potatoes, and cook until fork-tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sweet potatoes to paper towels, and pat dry. Arrange sweet potatoes on prepared pans. Using the bottom of a glass or dry measuring cup, lightly smash sweet potatoes. 3. Preheat oven to 425°. 4. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until butter solids sink to bottom of pan…

Homemade Turducken MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and divided½ cup finely chopped red onion½ cup finely chopped red bell pepper1 pound boudin, casings removed2 cloves garlic, minced2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning1 (3- to 4-pound) whole skin-on bone-in turkey breast, deboned1 (6-ounce) duck breast, skin discarded, butterflied1 (6-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast, butterflied2½ teaspoons kosher salt2 teaspoons garlic powder1 teaspoon ground black pepper1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1. In a 10-inch stainless steel skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in boudin, garlic, thyme, and Cajun seasoning. Remove from heat, and let cool completely. 2. Carefully remove skin from turkey, and reserve. 3. Place turkey between…

For me, the holiday season celebrating Christmas and the New Year begins on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Stowed Christmas gifts are ready for wrapping. My stash of ingredients to make pralines and Christmas cookies is on hand for making gifts. And I always take a few minutes to remember Christmases past. I think of the aroma of Mama’s baked ham, the scent of the Christmas tree, and listening to Christmas carols ad nauseam. But a memory that always comes to mind is one of an early Christmas Day visitor. Charles Fuselier, who was our parish sheriff for many years and a dear friend of the family, always arrived with a carton of Camel cigarettes and a bottle of good bourbon for Papa and a pretty Christmas tin containing his wife’s…

In the heart of southern Louisiana, where sugarcane fields stretch under the sun and heritage runs deep, a quiet revival is taking place. For Charles Poirier, owner of Poirier’s Cane Syrup, this sweet delicacy is equal parts a labor of love, a tribute to family, and a way of preserving the past for generations to come. Poirier’s Cane Syrup isn’t made in a factory or mass-produced like some syrups on the market. It’s slow-cooked the old-fashioned way, just as Charles’ great-great-grandfather once did in the small community of Cypress Island. “When my father passed, I thought it would be a nice way to pay homage to him,” Charles explains. His voice carries the warmth of memory and the weight of a commitment that began generations before him. Raised just south…

RECIPE INDEX APPETIZERS Butter Board 54 Cheesy Andouille Balls 57 Deviled Eggs with Pecans 69 Garlic Butter Steak Bites with Garlic Herbs and Cheese 54 Mini Popcorn Shrimp Po’ Boys 57 Oyster and Artichoke Casserole in Pastry Cups 72 Shrimp and Crab Ravigote 54 BEVERAGES Banana Bread Sour 93 Celebration Eggnog 69 Christmas Cookie Milk Punch 62 Spiced Cranberry French 75 54 BREADS, DESSERTS & DOUGHS All-Butter Piecrust 20 Alligator Cookies 62 Bonfire Cupcakes 62 Cane Syrup Gingerbread Cake 89 Coconut Cake 74 Cracklin’ Crawfish Cornbread 44 Cushaw Pie 19 Festive Fruit Cups 51 Salted Caramel Pecan Tart 47 Sweet Pie Dough 47 Sweet Potato Biscuits 27 Sweet Potato Bread Pudding 25 Sweet Potato Pound Cake 29 MAIN DISHES Glazed Ham 68 Loin of Venison with Blackberries over Mixed Greens…

I come from a long and storied line of outdoorsmen. My dad always taught me and my siblings that whatever we harvested from the swamps was to be food for the table. Every bit of the animal—who gave its life for our sustenance—was meant to feed the family. While my brothers were (and are) great marksmen, my preference has been cooking wild game. The complexity of game meat complemented with the nuanced flavors of wild fruits makes incredible eating. As my repertoire of wild game recipes grew over the years, so did my faith. But it was not until I was working on my wild game cookbook, After the Hunt, that I discovered St. Hubert, patron saint of hunters and hunting. Hubert, born about AD 658, served in the court…

Festive Fruit Cups MAKES 4 SERVINGS ¼ cup sugar¼ cup water1 tablespoon lime zest3 medium red or green pears, peeled, cored, and diced1 tablespoon fresh lime juice2 cups orange segments (about 8 oranges)3 medium kiwis, peeled and chopped1 cup pomegranate arilsGarnish: fresh mint leaves 1. In a small saucepan, stir together sugar and ¼ cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, over medium heat. Remove from heat, and stir in lime zest. Let cool completely. 2. In a large bowl, toss together pears and lime juice. 3. In desired serving cups, layer orange segments, kiwis, pears, and pomegranate arils. Spoon simple syrup onto fruit mixture, and garnish with mint leaves, if desired. Serve immediately. Butter Board MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS 3 cups water1 tablespoon kosher salt3 cups halved…

Not unlike many families, we have a tradition for the holidays in our house, started by my mother. It usually begins with a handwritten piece of paper with the day’s prep list listed line by line, similar to what you would see in a professional kitchen. By the time I had rolled out of bed, having worked late the night before, the list would be lying on our kitchen counter with many items already crossed off. The kitchen would already be filled with the smells of things roasting in the oven, and a few pots would be simmering on the stovetop for the feast later in the evening. At this point, my parents would both be outside, enjoying, no doubt, their second or third cup of coffee of the day.…