Easy

A simple smear of Creole mustard (which gets added heat from horseradish) and a little extra seasoning gives a chicken breast new sass. Here, the chicken is paired with a speedy version of maque choux, a Louisiana sauté of beans and corn. You’d be hard-pressed to find a simpler, more satisfying weekday supper. For this dish the chicken breasts can be broiled, grilled, or pan-seared.

This dish’s vibrant, savory sauce is my version of muhamarra, a mildly spicy and slightly fruity Turkish red pepper condiment. It is easy to prepare and goes great with just about any grilled meat or fish (or with thick slices of grilled eggplant). Pole-caught yellowfin tuna is a good sustainable choice; its meaty texture and flavor stand up well to the thick pesto-like puree. Swordfish would be a good alternative, cooked the same way as the tuna. A green vegetable, baked or grilled eggplant, or rice pilaf would make a great side dish.

One of the great things about living in Louisiana is the plethora of sunny citrus fruits available during winter. When my grapefruit tree started producing more than I could use at home, I developed this recipe to serve at Bayona. Fresh basil is commonly partnered with lemon or orange, but I love how the faint anise flavor of the herb plays off the bright, tart-sweet punch of grapefruit (and since it rarely freezes in New Orleans, we can typically grow basil all year round as well). Citrus and fish is such a great match—this sauce is delicious with pompano, amberjack, or just about any fish.

This is a dish I make often, especially for informal parties. It is delicious, easy, and pretty, and makes a great buffet item, especially when paired with all those other Mediterranean dishes I love to cook and eat, such as Eggplant Caviar and Black Olive Tapenade (p. 191), Artichoke Dolmades with Lemon Sauce (p. 20), and Simple Orzo Salad with Black Olives and Feta (p. 115). The tomato sauce is also a good base for moussaka or baked stuffed eggplant, or just tossed with noodles and some sharp Greek cheese, such as kasseri. The dish can be completed up to the final baking point and kept refrigerated for several hours or even overnight. Bring it to room temperature before baking, or it will overcook.

One day while cooking a pot of red beans, I noticed that the juice had a beautiful, silky sheen. It occurred to me that the beans might make a good sauce if pureed really smoothly with their cooking liquid. An idea was born—really: that’s all it takes! I played around with seasonings and decided I liked the warm hint of cinnamon married with the spicy flavors of poblano and chipotle. Adding fresh lime juice at the end of the process brightens up the earthiness of the puree. The light coating of cornmeal gives the fish a nice crunch to contrast with the creamy sauce (which, incidentally, is wonderful with grilled fish of any kind—trout, redfish, or snapper are particularly good). A side of Green Rice (p. 309) is a perfect accompaniment.

“Fumet” is the French term for an aromatic broth (typically fish or vegetable, though it can also refer to a meat stock) that is simmered down to concentrate the flavors. Making your own fish stock is easier than you think and adds irreplaceable flavor to recipes, such as Gulf Coast Bouillabaisse (p. 220) and Southern Shrimp Stew (p. 228). Whatever you don’t use can be frozen in small plastic containers (for up to 2 months), so you can pull it out for quick seafood pasta, risotto, or poaching liquid for a fresh fillet.

What a great way to use up some of those veggies that are beginning to look a little tired in the fridge. Start with a few fresh ingredients and be creative with your trimmings. Use this stock for a bit more flavor when making soups, moistening bread stuffing, deglazing a roasting or sauté pan, or stirring up a risotto.

These are great on quesadillas, black beans, and in Cornmeal-crusted Oyster and Black-eyed Pea Salad with Jalapeño Dressing (p. 123).

Pungent and concentrated in flavor, preserved lemons are popular in Moroccan and Middle Eastern cooking. To use them, pull the lemon flesh away from the rind and discard. Give the rind a brief rinse in cold water, then dice or chop and add to a dish at the end of cooking. I use preserved lemons in my Artichoke Dolmades with Lemon Sauce (p. 20). They also add a distinct flavor to couscous and cracked wheat salads. You’ll want to use them sparingly (a tablespoon or two is typically enough) so they don’t overpower other flavors. This recipe doubles or triples easily.

I call this recipe “confit” because, like the French method for preserving meat, it involves slow-cooking the garlic cloves in oil and other liquids. Poaching garlic on the stovetop is an alternative to roasting garlic in the oven. I actually prefer poaching because there is less waste—when the cooking process is complete, you are left with the whole cloves as opposed to squeezing sticky partial cloves out of a softened bulb. As with roasting, this method replaces the sharp heat of raw garlic with a flavor that’s deep and sweet. I usually poach at least two bulbs so I have plenty on hand for antipasto platters, White Bean Hummus (p. 172), pastas, vinaigrettes, or even for slathering on a piece of toast for a snack.

I serve this unexpected puree (cauliflower as sauce, who knew?) with seared or grilled scallops, beef, or salmon. Simply place the warm fish or meat atop a pool of the cream.

This puree is delicious with Mediterranean Roasted Shrimp with Crispy Risotto Cakes (p. 215), venison, or any other grilled or roasted meat or fish.

This pretty, rich-tasting pesto enhances simple grilled fish or meats (try it with grilled chicken thighs). You might also consider serving it on an antipasto platter rolled up in strips of grilled eggplant, or tossed with small balls of fresh mozzarella called bocconcini, or “little mouthfuls.”

This is a good way to make the most of a small amount of peas (or favas). Serve alongside some wild mushrooms sautéed with a little dice of bacon for an easy springtime starter. By the way, if, in a following life, I could come back as any vegetable, I think I would be a fava bean, so I could slumber inside that velvety soft pod. Just a thought.

This unique southwestern-inspired pesto is made with pepitas, which are the green pumpkin seeds that have been shelled from their white hulls. This pesto is particularly great with grilled shrimp, butternut squash ravioli, or pork chops; blended with avocado as a dip for tortilla chips; smeared on a black bean quesadilla; or tossed with penne, chorizo, and roasted red peppers. That should keep you busy for a while!

This spicy mayo, a variation on the classic condiment from the south of France (traditionally flavored with saffron), is the perfect garnish for my Gulf Coast Bouillabaisse (p. 220). But it’s also delicious on just about any grilled fish or bowl of steamed mussels, or a crab omelet. When you serve it with a soup or stew, be sure to include plenty of toasted bread rounds to sop it up.

At Bayona, we like to jazz up tartar sauce with all kinds of extra goodies, such as preserved lemon and pepperoncini, in addition to the usual ingredients (capers, pickles, etc.). It’s just the thing with sautéed cornmeal-crusted trout or fried oysters and some vinegary slaw.

This unusual aïoli is good on any kind of grilled meat, especially lamb, and the tasty little chickens known as poussins. You might also serve it with roasted artichoke quarters. For this recipe you can steep your own lavender honey, as described below, or simply buy a good-quality lavender honey from Provence.

Green and pungent, this is my favorite version of the famed Argentinean sauce. For a more traditional version, substitute fresh oregano for the cilantro, and red wine vinegar for the lime juice. Serve it with fat, juicy rib eyes, grilled chicken breasts, or tuna steaks.