Louisiana Recipes For Fall

 Kale Jambalaya
Recipe courtesy of Louisiana Kitchen & Culture magazine, grower Jim Core and “The Cresecent City Farmers Market Cookbook.”

2 bunches fresh kale
3 cups chicken stock
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1-1/2 pounds andouille sausage, cut into round slices
1 pound bacon
5 cups water
2 cups brown rice
Creole seasoning
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted

Thoroughly wash kale, then chop coarsely. In a 4-1/2-quart saucepan, combine kale with stock, onion and garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes or until kale is tender. Remove from heat and set aside (do not drain).

Saute andouille in a frying pan until lightly browned. Remove from pan. Fry bacon until crisp, then drain on paper towels and crumble. Combine water and rice in a 4-1/2 quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for approximately 30 minutes or until rice is tender.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine kale (with all of the pot liquor), andouille and rice; season with Creole seasoning. Place mixture in a 9×12-inch baking pan. Mix bread crumbs with crumbled bacon and sprinkle on top of the jambalaya. Drizzle melted butter on top. Bake until bread crumbs are lightly browned. Serves 8-10.

Wild Mushroom Grillades 
Recipe courtesy of Louisiana Kitchen & Culture magazine and “The Crescent City Farmers Market Cookbook.”

2 portobello mushrooms, stemmed, cut in half and sliced (use stems for making stock)
4 Tbsp olive oil
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 Tbsp minced fresh garlic
3 Tbsp flour
2 cups mushroom stock
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup red wine (optional)
1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1/2 pound button mushrooms, sliced
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 8-ounce can tomato paste
1 roasted red bell pepper, peeled, seeded and diced
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper
1/2 Tbsp thyme
salt and pepper
1 package fresh spinach leaves, washed and stemmed
Hot cooked grits or rice

Place mushroom stems in a pot with 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove stems and reduce liquid by half. You now have about 2 cups of mushroom stock. Saute portobello mushrooms in oil for 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to a bowl. Add celery and onion to oil and wilt down for 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Then add flour to make a light roux. Add mushroom stock, vegetable stock and red wine if desired; stir well to eliminate lumps. Add sauteed mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, domestic mushrooms, tomatoes, tomato paste, roasted red bell pepper, cayenne and thyme; stir to mix.

Simmer over medium heat for 35 to 40 minutes. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, sautee spinach  in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil until withered; drain if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, spoon grits or rice onto individual serving plates, top with sauteed spinach, spoon grillades atop spinach. Garnish with green onions. Serves 6-8.

Thanks to Louisiana Kitchen & Culture magazine for letting us share their recipes. Click here for more Louisiana recipes.