Last night was the premiere of Top Chef New Orleans. I don’t know why it took them 11 seasons to have their competition in New Orleans. New Orleans is the most unique food city in America. Two local chefs were selected to compete, Michael Sichel (Executive Chef of Galatoire’s) and Justin Devillier (Owner and Executive Chef of La Petit Grocery). Here is a recipe from La Petit Grocery’s menu. This recipe is from a friend of mine’s cookbook, New Orleans Chef’s Table by Lorin Gaudin. You can find her book on Amazon.
3 ounces Butter
1 tablespoon Steen’s Cane Syrup or Molasses
1/2 pound Dark Brown Sugar
3 tablespoons Amber or Dark Rum
1/2 teaspoon Salt, or more to taste
4 1/4 cups Cream
1 Vanilla Bean
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
3 sheets Gelatin or 1 tablespoon Gelatin Powder
6 Egg Yolks
Melt butter with cane syrup. Add brown sugar, rum, and salt and cook over medium heat until bubbling and just beginning to smoke. Add 4 cups cream and whisk until caramel is dissolved. Scrape seeds out of vanilla bean and add both seeds and bean to cream mixture. Cover and allow to steep.
Meanwhile, combine granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water in a heavy-bottomed nonreactive pot. Cover and bring to a boil. When steam begins to escape, remove the lid. Allow sugar to carmelize to a deep amber, brushing down the sides of pot frequently to prevent crystalization. Once carmel is ready, immediately take it off the heat and whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup cream. Add this caramel mixture to cream mixture, whisk thoroughly, and gently warm until caramel is totally dissolved.
At this point, begin to bloom gelatin by submerging sheets in ice water ( if using powdered gelatin, follow manufacturer’s instructions). Then temper some of the warm caramel-cream mixture into the yolks, return yolk mix to the pot, and cook until pudding is the texture of thick cream anglaise. Immediately whisk in bloomed gelatin and strain mixture into a bowl set over ice. Allow to cool until moderately thickened before portioning into small, wide mouth mason jars or other decorative containers. Allow to set for al least 4 hours.
Serve with gently whipped cream and cookies.
Enjoy!!!
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