John Besh Crawfish Cornbread Dressing

John Besh Crawfish Cornbread Dressing – New Orleans lost two big men this fall. One of the cornerstones of our unique culture – legendary music producer and singer/songwriter, Allen Toussaint from the world of music and American chef, Paul Prudhomme from the world of food.

Many people here love music or food as an important part of our culture. Some wrote that music brought the city back after Katrina,  others wrote that it was chefs and restaurants. I won’t take sides on that – they’re both important, but I’m more connected to the culinary world. So, although I don’t talk much about Mr. Toussaint, I will say this. The day New Orleans sent Allen Toussaint at his most unlikely (he’s a perfect example), I wrote that despite the many sad things about life in this city, you have to love the very unique way things work here. . . Trombone Shorty, a leading member of the city’s new generation of musicians, Mayor Mitch Landrieu and members of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, along with the city’s other top musicians, began the funeral procession and the “second line” headed a procession outside the theater celebrating Toussaint’s life. You can watch the video at the bottom of this post. Sometimes I cry watching it because despite all the painful moments,  I couldn’t stop being proud and awestruck by those special works.

John Besh Crawfish Cornbread Dressing

More importantly for my purposes, I wrote the following memorial for Paul Prudhomme on October 12th, the day he died:

How To Make Cornbread Dressing Like A Real Southerner

The first thing I do when I go to someone’s house is check their bookshelf. Since I spent many years running a food company, I had many opportunities to visit other people’s kitchens. Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Cookbook (I hear it’s the bible of Louisiana cooking) is one of those cookbooks I see on almost every bookshelf. As I sit down to write this today, St. Louis’ Cathedral in New Orleans Jackson Square and a lively event followed the service at his K-Pal’s restaurant in the French Quarter.

Ella Brennan, owner of Commander’s Palace, often called the Queen of New Orleans cuisine, says that of the many chefs she has worked for, Chef Paul is the best. While culinary school students (not to mention others) today proudly claim to be chefs, Paul Prudhomme did not go to culinary school, but first learned to cook in his mother’s kitchen, then worked his way up in all directions. Various restaurants from low-end to high-end.

A few years ago, the chef/owner of an Oakland restaurant asked me (in my opinion, somewhat arrogantly) if Chef Paul was still revered in New Orleans. I have thought about that question many times. I can best answer by asking if Alice Waters is still revered in the Bay Area. Like Waters in California, Paul Prudhomme started a culinary revolution in Louisiana, based on local and seasonal produce and ingredients, and then influenced, trained, mentored and helped, sometimes financially, a whole generation of young chefs to set up their own restaurants. . And all the chefs in town said they were at his funeral today.

Best Chef John Recipes

Chef Paul is the epitome of a real man, if you know what I mean. I have a little experience with it as I attended the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco when I was a student there. I, of course, introduced myself to him and informed him that I too had roots in Louisiana. One day not long after, he was wheeling around the school cafeteria on his little cart (which he carried to support his weight – he said he weighed 480 pounds), scolding me for eating so much. It was on my lunch tray as I exited the line. I was a little put off by its size. A little confused I explained that all my friends and classmates filled my tray with their recipes and their routines, insisting that I try what they made.

I don’t know if it was a wise decision on his part, but the popular cookbook Paul Prudhomme’s aptly titled Louisiana Kitchen steers clear of all the Creole/Cajun cuisine that seems to be an ongoing debate in some circles. Prudhomme did not grow up in New Orleans, but in the city of Opelousas, known as “Cajun country.” When her cookbook became a hit in the 1980s, it contained recipes for dishes like mac-choux and made heavy use of tasso and andouille. My father was skeptical and asked, “What are mac-choux?” I remember asking and being told we didn’t use andouille. Crawfish is also featured in his recipes. At that time, the Creole people of New Orleans did not eat much, or if they did, they hid the fact. And as for the blackened redfish, btw, as beloved as it is, it’s just Chef Paul’s recipe. But the book also includes New Orleans specialties like red beans and rice and crossover dishes like jambalaya. In those days, the difference between Creole and Cajun foods was easier said than done — for some of us. Now all these divisions are crazy – but that’s a topic for another post.

While I often refer to Chef Paul’s book on Louisiana cooking (a great instructional cookbook), I don’t follow his recipes to the letter. I like to say that I leave half the butter out of her recipes and it still turns out great. Today, I’m sharing one of her recipes – with whole butter, I changed a few things – but only a little.

New Orleans Magazine June 2019 By Renaissance Publishing

Chef Paul recommends it as a stir-fry for chicken or other birds, but it should be refrigerated if you’re stuffing the bird. Thanksgiving turkey isn’t complete without a moist, delicious corn dressing. It took me years to get it right, so I’ll share my experience with you.

First, my wonderful mother, Betty — who loved Thanksgiving and spent weeks cooking to entertain crowds that day — died on Halloween 1999, leaving me, the oldest child, to make our first holiday dinner without him. I didn’t know what to do. Thankfully he left the recipes, which took a few years to get right. (You know how cooks work for secrets.)

This is her cornbread dressing, which I like to top with turkey stuffing (recommended). It’s thinly sliced ​​on leftover turkey sandwiches with homemade mayonnaise (spread) and cranberry sauce (easy recipe). Goodness, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Satisfy Your Crawfish Cravings!

Cornbread Cornbread Dressing (Photo by Patsy R. Brumfield/Southfossin Cook) Equipment Mixing bowl Measuring cup Wooden spoon Large cast iron pan Ingredients 2 cups yellow corn (ground, if you can) 1 1/4 cups 3/4 cups teaspoon baking soda 1 egg 2 tablespoons cooking oil, shortening, or bacon fat (this has no salt because you add salt to the dressing mixture.) Preheat oven to 400 before using. Place your cast iron pan in the oven. Mix butter with egg. Dissolve the baking soda into the buttermilk mixture. Stir and mix in wheat flour. Add 1 tablespoon of melted butter/curacao/bacon fat. How to Make Cornbread Dressing (Photo by Patsy R. Brumfield/SouthFassin Cook) Pour 1 tablespoon of cooking oil into your hot pan, then pour in the corn mixture. Smooth evenly with a wooden spoon. How to Make the Cornbread Dressing (Photo by Patsy R. Brumfield/SouthFassin Cook) Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool. (You can make the cornbread ahead of time, freeze it, and bring it in when you’re ready to make the dressing.) How to Make Cornbread (Photo by Patsy R. Brumfield/SouthFassin Cook) Back image Note: When I make the dressing, I make a lot – this recipe probably makes 2 -Makes 3 servings, so I adjust the ingredients. I reserve it in my 4-gallon gumbo pot with a long-handled wooden spoon. Alton Brown loves this versatility. Cornbread Dressing Instructions (Patsy R. Brumfield/Southfassin Cook Photo) Large sauce bowl Large sauce pan or Dutch oven Wooden chopping board Wooden spoon Measuring utensil Ingredients 1 loaf pan (for top) 2 cups chopped celery (4-6 cups) 1

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