Celebrating Christmas season with a feast

Now that December is here, many restaurants have special menus to celebrate Réveillon. This celebration goes back to the early 19th century. Réveillon celebrates the start of the Christmas season with grand feast. Usually a three to five course meal, it’s a great way to experience what these restaurants have to offer.

The recipes that I have chosen for today are from some of New Orleans most well known restaurants. The first one, New Potato and Oyster Chowder, is from a New England chef who is known for his New Orleans cuisine. The second, Crabmeat Crepes, is from a restaurant mostly known for brunch than dinner. The last one, Chocolate Devastation, is from one of the old French Quarter restaurants. To recreate this feast, Let’s head to the kitchen!

New Potato and Oyster Chowder

Here’s a recipe from none other than Emeril Lagasse. It’s a great way to start a grand dinner. Oysters are especially good in the winter time.

1 pound raw oysters, roughly chopped

2 cups skin on small diced red potatoes

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 teaspoon minced shallots

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup (2 ounces) chopped bacon

3 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cup oyster liquid

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil

In a soup pot, cook the bacon until crisp, remove and reserve. To the bacon fat, add the shallots, garlic, onions and celery. Cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the oyster liquid, cream and potatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the chopped oysters, and cook for 2 minutes, Add the bacon, chervil and season with salt and pepper.

Crabmeat Crepes

This recipe was a mainstay on the Brennan’s menu before there was a change in ownership. The best thing about this dish is that it can either be an appetizer or entree. It’s all in the number of crepes per serving.

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup finely chopped green onions

1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup seafood stock

1/4 cup white wine (sub vegetable stock with a splash of lemon)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Dash cayenne

1 egg yolk, beaten

1 cup lump crabmeat

Crepe Batter

3/4 cup sifted flour

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 eggs

Milk

Mix eggs with flour, sugar and salt. Add milk until batter is consistency of condensed milk. Beat until smooth. Heat a 6-inch skillet oiled with pastry brush dipped in vegetable oil. Pour batter (2 tablespoons) into pan, tilting quickly to distribute batter evenly. Cook 1 minute or so, until brown then turn and brown on the other side. Oil pan with brush, and repeat. Keep cooked crepes warm in a towel.

For the Crepes

In a 9-inch skillet over medium heat, melt butter and sauté onions until tender. Blend in the flour thoroughly. Cook slowly about five minutes, stirring constantly. Do not brown. Remove from heat. Blend in the stock, wine, salt and pepper until smooth. Blend in egg yolk thoroughly. Stir in crabmeat and return to pan to heat.Gently cook over low heat, stirring constantly about 15 minutes. Sauce will be thick. Roll each crepe with 3 tablespoons of crabmeat mixture. Pour remaining mixture on either side of the cakes. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Chocolate Devastation

This recipe from Arnaud’s has many names. Also known as a flourless cake, this dessert is a chocoholic’s dream.

1 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 sticks (8 ounces, 1 cup) plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, chopped

6 large eggs

Place chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler with hot water in the bottom pan. Melt over low heat, stirring occasionally. Pour into a large bowl and set aside. Wash the top pan for the next step.

Break the eggs into the top pan of the double boiler and whisk. Over low heat, with hot water in the bottom pan just below but not touching the base of the top pan, whisk eggs constantly until they are warm. Don’t let the eggs get to hot or they will scramble.

With the mixer at medium speed, whip the warm eggs until tripled in volume with firm peaks. carefully fold the whipped eggs into the chocolate just until mixed, to prevent losing volume.

Fill a clean, dry 4×12-inch terrine about 3/4 full, wrap the top in plastic and refrigerate until set. It may be made in smaller loaf pans or terrines (filled to 3-inch depth.)

Next time, we will concentrate on one of my favorite breakfast meals, Pancakes.