Book Information: My New Orleans

cover sm Book Information: My New OrleansMy New Orleans

The Cookbook

by John Besh
Price: $45.00
ISBN-13: 978-0-7407-8413-2
ISBN-10: 0-7407-8413-7
Format: Hardcover
On Sale: October 2009
Size: 9 1/4 X 11 in.
Page Count: 384 pages

IACP 2010 Cookbook Award Winner
James Beard Cookbook Award Nominee

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My New Orleans: The Cookbook Reviews

cover sm My New Orleans: The Cookbook ReviewsMy New Orleans, coined Besh’s “love letter to New Orleans” by one reviewer, is the cookbook of the year to have. With chapters such as Gumbo Weather, Crab Season, and Preserving Summer, and 200 glorious recipes (including hundreds of photos), the book is everything a great New Orleans cookbook should be.” ––Todays Triangle Woman http://bit.ly/e7X6oG

“[My New Orleans] is a tome; it’s a bible, with a bit of food porn thrown in for good measure. The recipes run from the required (Mom’s Redfish Cu-boo-yon!), to the expected (Shrimp Creole), to the I’ve gotta try that (Chanterelles, Chicken, and Dumplings)! I love this book. It’s a keeper and I look forward to working my way through the various chapters that group recipes (for oysters, for example) together for easy reference.  Laissez les bon temps roulez! ––Snooth http://www.snooth.com/articles/wine-and-food/recipes-from-my-new-orleans/

“Bite by bite John Besh brings us New Orleans cooking like we’ve never tasted before. It’s the perfect blend of contemporary French techniques with indigenous Southern Louisiana products and know-how. ” ––Eat Smart Age Smart http://www.eatsmartagesmart.com/my-new-orleans-the-cookbook/

“Even without cooking, this book feels like the next best thing to being in Louisiana in good times. It’s lavishly illustrated with both historic photos and shots of food so gorgeous you can almost smell it if not taste it. What’s most amazing, considering how sumptuous it is, is the price: Good for a cookbook, but a steal for a virtual trip.” –Epicurious http://bit.ly/c6IT5E

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My New Orleans by John Besh wins IACP Cookbook Award

cover sm My New Orleans by John Besh wins IACP Cookbook AwardAndrews McMeel Publishing’s My New Orleans by John Besh was awarded an International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Cookbook Award in the American category at the 32nd IACP Annual Conference April 22. The IACP honors the world’s top gastronomic talents at the awards gala presentation, recognizing the top culinary professionals for their extraordinary contributions to the industry. This year, the IACP Cookbook Awards program celebrated its 25th year of applauding excellence and setting standards in cookbook publishing; 500 entries were submitted for consideration, making this year’s program one of the most competitive ever.

This marks the second year in a row an AMP title has won an IACP Cookbook Award. Last year, The Art and Soul of Baking by Sur la Table and Cindy Mushet won in the Baking category.

http://www.iacp.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=911

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Video: John Besh Makes Shrimp Creole on WKRG, Mobile

Get the recipe

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CNN Video: John Besh Talks About My New Orleans

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Video: John Besh, My New Orleans on The Today Show

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Video: John Besh, My New Orleans: The Cookbook

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Praise for My New Orleans

“In his definitive tome, My New Orleans, John Besh captures the true, sweet, and honest voice of a clarinet playing the jazzy song of one of our most deliciously exclusive regional American kitchens.” — Mario Batali, Iron Chef, restaurateur, author

“This book is an act of soul. Maestro Besh lives the life he cooks; he doesn’t just tell us how to prepare Louisiana favorites, he teaches us what these dishes mean, with an emphasis on how hospitality can enrich civilization.” —Wynton Marsalis, musician

“John Besh is one of the best American chefs of his generation. His extensive knowledge of true Louisiana dishes and traditions adds tremendous credibility to his writing.” —Paul Prudhomme, chef and owner of K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen Magic Seasoning Blends

“John will take you into the heartland of the South, rich with traditions, stories, and of course, its amazing cuisine!” —Daniel Boulud, chef, restaurateur, and author

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Momma Rochelle’s Stuffed Quail Gumbo

1347 120 8v2 Momma Rochelles Stuffed Quail GumboFrom My New Orleans: The Cookbook, by John Besh

Serves 8

Here’s how recipes evolve: Momma Rochelle was the Cajun mother-in-law of my mentor, chef Chris, who brought his French finesse to her beloved quail gumbo. Both the gumbo base and the stuffed quail may be made a day or so ahead, just as long as you don’t cook the quail until moments before you serve it. Without a very rich duck stock or Chicken Stock, this gumbo will not have the depth that it needs.

FOR THE GUMBO
½ cup canola oil
½ cup flour
1 medium onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 green bell peppers, seeded and diced Read More…

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Drew’s Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo

1149 132 3 Drews Chicken and Smoked Sausage GumboFrom My New Orleans: The Cookbook, by John Besh

Serves 10–12

Throughout this book, I’ve had a great deal to say about making the roux that’s the base of our gumbo—and the other steps as well—but I’ll recap it here so that it can be useful every time you start to make our signature dish. Yes, there are other thickeners besides flour that folks use for making their roux, but to my palate, only a flour-based roux yields that traditional flavor. As for the fats in a roux, just about anything works. I love rendered duck fat, chicken fat, or lard, but canola oil works nearly as well.

I always heat the oil first and whisk the flour into the hot oil. Not only does this speed up the process; it yields that deep, dark chocolate colored gumbo I love. I always add the onions first to the dark roux, holding back the rest of the vegetables until the onion caramelizes. Otherwise, the water in the vegetables will keep the onion from browning and releasing its sweet juices. I like to add filé powder to the gumbo, then pass it at the table, too. Serve the gumbo hot with Louisiana rice; serve potato salad on the side, if you like.

1 cup rendered chicken fat or canola oil
1 cup flour
2 large onions, diced
1 large chicken, cut into 12 pieces
2 tablespoons Basic Creole Spices (page 23)
2 pounds spicy smoked sausage, sliced ½ inch thick Read More…

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