New Orleans Creole cooking, refined and city-bred, distinct from rural Cajun. French, Spanish, African and Caribbean strands fold together; tomato is welcome (where it isn't in Cajun), butter and cream do heavy work, and seafood (shrimp, crab, oyster) carries the table. Holy trinity (onion, celery, pepper), Creole seasoning, hot sauce and slow simmers define dishes like shrimp creole, jambalaya, étouffée and bananas Foster.
Chicken pieces brown in oil and butter; finished in the oven 20 minutes. Tiny diced potatoes shallow-fry separately until gold; cremini mushrooms sauté; peas warm through. Everything tosses with chopped garlic, butter, lemon, parsley and a splash of dry sherry, then heaps onto the resting chicken. Eaten with crusty French bread.
Beef chuck cubes brown hard; the trinity (onion, celery, pepper) soften deep in the rendered fat; tomato puree and tinned tomato build a rich base; red wine, stock, herbs and the beef simmer for 3 hours covered. Uncovered for the last 30 minutes to reduce. Serve over rice with chopped parsley.
Onion and pepper soften in butter; corn kernels (cut from the cob, with the milky pulp scraped after) join in; tomato adds for body. The lot stews for 25 minutes until the corn is tender and the mixture is thick. A splash of cream finishes; spring onion and hot sauce on top.
The trinity (onion, celery, green pepper) softens in butter; garlic, Creole seasoning and herbs join. Tomato paste deepens; chopped tomatoes and stock loosen; the lot simmers for 20 minutes into a thick sauce. Prawns drop in at the end and cook for 3 minutes, pink and just-set. Hot sauce, lemon and parsley to finish.
Pork chops dust with seasoned flour. Sear hard; lift out. A blonde roux builds from the seasoned drippings and 3 tablespoons flour; onion cooks down deep; stock, Worcestershire and thyme join into a thick gravy. The chops return to braise covered 45 minutes on the lowest heat until fork-tender. Served over rice.
