The story below is a preview from our January/February 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
Jazz up your winter dinner menus with these New Orleans-inspired recipes.
Ashley Cuoco
Sheet Pan Jambalaya
It’s easy to fall in love with recipes from New Orleans. Creole and Cajun spices with fabulous French and soul food influences. Turn on some jazz music while you are cooking and enjoy making these flavorful dishes reminiscent of the Big Easy.
Sheet Pan Jambalaya
4 servings
- 1 orange bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 10 oz. Andouille sausage, thinly sliced
- ½ medium yellow onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons Olivelle Sicilian lemon infused olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Tony Chachere’s seasoning
- 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
- 16 oz. frozen peeled and deveined raw shrimp, tails removed, thawed
- 10 oz. can fire-roasted Rotel tomatoes and green chilies, drained
- 2 (8.5 oz.) packages Ben’s Ready Rice
- 2 tablespoons Olivelle Sicilian lemon infused olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Olivelle sweet cream butter infused olive oil
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Core bell peppers and slice into strips, then cut the strips in half.
Toss together sausage, bell pepper strips, onion, thyme, lemon slices, onion, 3 tablespoons lemon olive oil and 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s seasoning on a 13” x 18” rimmed baking sheet. Spread mixture in an even layer. Bake until mixture is almost tender crisp, 15–17 minutes, stirring mixture once halfway through cooking time.
Meanwhile, thinly slice dark green parts of green onions and set aside. Thinly slice white part of green onions and place in a large bowl. Add shrimp, drained tomatoes and green chilies and remaining 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s seasoning to the green onions. Using your hands, crumble rice into shrimp mixture to separate any clumps. Add two tablespoons lemon olive oil and 2 tablespoons sweet cream butter infused olive oil. Stir to combine. Set aside until ready to use.
Remove baking sheet from oven. Using the back of a spoon, squeeze lemon juice from the pulp of the lemons and discard lemon rinds. Stir shrimp mixture into bell pepper mixture on baking sheet. Return to oven and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit until shrimp are pink and opaque throughout and rice is warm and tender, about 9 minutes. Sprinkle with dark green parts of green onions. Serve warm.
Country Cajun Green Beans
4 – 6 servings
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 6 oz. country ham, center and end slices, any visible fat removed, chopped fine
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- 14.5 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes, including juice from the can
- 1 tablespoon Olivelle Sicilian Lemon Infused Olive Oil
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1¼ pounds fresh green beans, ends trimmed and cut in half
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add the country ham and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add shallot and cook stirring until soft, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and juice from can and lemon olive oil. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, mashing tomatoes with a fork as they cook. Add 2 cups of water, creole seasoning, pepper and green beans. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the beans begin to soften, about 20 minutes. Continue to cook the beans over medium low heat, covered, for 10 minutes until very tender. Serve hot with a large slotted spoon.
PECAN PRALINE SUNDAE WITH FRANGELICO CARAMEL SAUCE
Ashley Cuoco
Pecan Praline Sundae with Frangelico Caramel Sauce
Makes 6 to 8 servings
These are “adult sundaes” because they are made with Frangelico. You can omit the Frangelico to make sundaes for the kiddos or those abstaining from alcohol. This recipe is inspired by the Praline Sundae recipe on louisianacookin.com.
Place parfait glasses or ice cream dishes and spoons in freezer to chill for service.
- 2 cups whipping cream, divided
- 2 vanilla bean pods
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups roughly chopped pecan pralines (recipe follows)
To make ice cream:
Place a 9 x 5 inch metal loaf pan in freezer.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat 2 cups cold heavy cream, vanilla bean paste (scraped from 2 vanilla bean pods), and ¼ teaspoon salt at medium speed until stiff peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Fold in condensed milk until completely combined. Fold in roughly chopped pecan pralines until evenly distributed. Spoon mixture into cold pan. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
Frangelico Caramel Sauce
- ¹⁄³ cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- ¾ cup whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons Frangelico
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
To make Frangelico Caramel Sauce:
Place the water and sugar in a medium saucepan, stir to combine and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Using a candy thermometer, cook the water and sugar mixture until it reaches 380 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the caramel sauce from the heat and carefully add two tablespoons of the whipping cream. Stir to combine. Slowly add the rest of the whipping cream and stir. Once the cream dissolves into the caramel sauce, carefully swirl the pan but try not to stir it. Remove caramel sauce from heat and add Frangelico, vanilla and salt. Stir gently to combine. Allow to cool. Place sauce in a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Pecan Pralines
- 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup whipping cream
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2½ cups pecan halves, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter, cubed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a 4-quart enamel-coated cast-iron Dutch oven, bring brown sugar, 1/2 cup heavy cream and baking soda to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer registers 240 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from heat, quickly stir in pecans, butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Working quickly, drop mixture by tablespoonfuls onto parchment lined pans. Let stand until firm, about 30 minutes. Store in airtight container for up to three days.
Garnish: Maraschino cherry with stem
To assemble sundaes:
Scoop pecan praline ice cream into chilled parfait glasses or ice cream bowls. Drizzle Frangelico caramel sauce over ice cream. Garnish with maraschino cherry with stem.
NEW ORLEANS FRENCH 75
The traditional French 75 cocktail is made with gin. The New Orleans version is made with French brandy or cognac.
Makes one cocktail
- 1½ oz. French brandy
- ¾ oz. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ¾ oz. simple syrup
- 2 oz. Champagne, chilled
- Lemon twist garnish
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine cognac, simple syrup and lemon juice. Shake vigorously until well chilled, about 20 seconds. Strain in a champagne flute and top with Champagne. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Olivelle Lemon Infused Olive Oil and balsamic vinegar are available at Wine Gourmet.
Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning is available at local grocery stores.
The story above is from our January/February 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!