Southern Po' Boy Cookbook offers history you can eat

My mama sure will forgive Todd-Michael St. Pierre for being verbose in defending the perfect soft-inside, crisp-outside bread for a po’ boy sandwich. She does the same thing. He asks for such forgiveness in his Ulysses Press release, “The Southern Po’ Boy Cookbook: Mouthwatering Sandwich Recipes from The Heart of New Orleans. You just want to start crying a few pages in when reading about “history you can eat,” and how the sandwich makers Bennie and Clovis Martin offered free ones to those “poor boys” on strike from conducting street cars. They said they’d feed them ‘til hell froze over, then they’d offer blankets. Before that an oyster loaf was called a peace maker, when men brought them home to wives to stop complaining about their coming home late. Now the author loves a classic dressed or scantily  clad, and also shares some twists like the Who Dat barbecued shrimp variations of muffuletta and debris and The Algiers Boy with fried scallop and chipotle. The Italians, Vietnamese and Mexican cultures want in on this po’ boy thing, too. You can pull open a bag of Zapp’s chips with just about any of them.

The Lafayette is made with boudain and the Plaquemines edition features turkey and stuffing. Now here’s where I insert my weekly pumpkin trending update. Have a slice of P pie after your sandwich.

New Stubb’s stuff

Sticky Sweet Stubb’s All Natural Bar-B-Q Sauce. Sound good to you? My daughter is marrying a Stubb’s-lovin man, so she was more excited than I was to try it. When my mother asked if she could prepare us all a meal on her recent visit, we suggested she do any old thing with this bottle of new Sticky Sweet I got, featuring brown sugar and molasses. She showed us up by saying she already had a jar. So we all slept tight waiting for barbecue on Sunday. Imagine our surprise when we opened the door and smelled . . . Mexican food. It’s the other Texas comfort food. A misunderstanding, but still delicious.

So the next time we all got together, I understood she was picking up a box of Chinese food to go with a pot of rice I made. She showed up with a roasted chicken. Another misunderstanding, but our family can get on board with a food switch pretty quickly. Jasmine and I took the opportunity to slather our chicken with the long-awaited Sticky Sweet and can say, old Stubb’s has done himself proud. If you didn’t know, Stubb’s is an Austin thing.

Downton Abbey Red and White

There were literal gasps as I announced the guest at this party: two wines with the donton Abbey label. Fans devoured information on Mr. Carson bringing wine on a silver platter and info on the notes of wild berries. It was a hit all the way around, with samplers commenting that these flavors may not be what  they would normally reach for, but they enjoyed this step up into another world. My favorite is the red, which poured a lovely purple in my glass. No wonder, as it features black and blue berries, red currents and aromas of spices and violets in the notes. The white Bordeaux features apricot notes. Grapes used to create the new Downton Abbey Wine Collection were grown in the same Bordeaux region as was imported by the British aristocracy in the 1900s, Is that a conversation starter, or what. This is fun stuff.

Chinese are buying American

Here’s the story as makers tell it. “NYC based entrepreneur Sol Wahba says that the several of the colorful and tasty products in the NuvoSport Smart Meal-SNX line are striking a chord with people in China.

“We’re seeing significant and growing interest in two of our high density nutritional drinks,” he said. “We’re shipping more and more orders on a regular basis.”

Donut is here

For years I’ve passed a little sign in a field announcing “donut, coming soon.” It’s here. The Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce helped Paul and Judy cut the ribbon on Donut Hole, at 7217 Ninth Avenue. Paul told me the boudain kolaches are best sellers and with that huge fresh bun around the link, I can taste why. They also did a great job on a crispy apple fritter, a personal favorite of mine. Bavarian cream? Yes. There are plenty of other flavors as well as big breakfast sandwiches. The couple is from Cambodia and the extended family also runs Donut Hole bakeries in Groves and Orange.

Times are tofu

I’ve heard lots of stories about vegetarians and turkey lovers not getting along during the holidays, but Nasoya can help bring unity to the table. Tofu is nothing to laugh about and our younger generation is favoring it as a healthy option. Packages of Nasoya brand extra firm tucked away in the back of the fridge are a handy option for when you can’t think of anything else, as well as when you want to create. A serving has 80 calories, and you can flavor it into just about any culture’s tastes. I usually opt for Asian, but just got up from an Indian curry with some Nasoya bulking up the spinach and onion concoction. Here’s an idea straight from the makers that can use meat, or not:

Turkey Harvest Popper


Ingredients: 

1 package Nasoya Won Ton Wraps

8 ounces ground turkey

8 ounces whole cranberry sauce

1 fourth cup finely chopped walnuts

1 fourth cup finely chopped sweet yellow onion

1 fourth cup finely chopped celery

1 teaspoon sage

1 teaspoon celery salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

half teaspoon  salt

gravy for dipping

Preparation Method: 

        Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together all ingredients in medium mixing bowl. Brush edges of Won Ton Wrap with egg wash (1 egg and one fourth  cup water mixed). Place 1 teaspoon of turkey mixture on wrap then pinch corners together. Place filled wraps on non-stick baking sheet. Brush top of wraps with remaining egg wash or lightly spray with vegetable oil. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes until wraps are golden brown. Serve with gravy for dipping.


        Hint: Cover unused wraps with a warm, moist cloth in between batches to keep from drying out.


·        Vegetarian Version: 1 package of Nasoya Extra-Firm tofu instead of ground turkey Crumble tofu into a large skillet and lightly brown with olive oil and a dash of celery salt. Let it cool. Mix together the remaining ingredients and follow the directions above.

Spray Thin

Have that New Year’s Resolution ready? I’ve been playing with Spray Thin, taseless, scented crystals that you spray on food and your nasal sense receptors trigger your brain to make you believe you are full faster. Some of the same people who made Sensa and Sprinkle Thin have created Spray Thin. Read up on the studies before you try the sweet or savory sprays. Savory is designed to give off a Parmesan cheese aroma. Makers offered to send a sample and I sure wanted to try it. It’s a very interesting to read about the product and I can say it doesn’t have a flavor. As a Weight Watcher I portion my food in a different system, so It’s difficult to say how the product worked on me. Portion control is what Spray Thin is about, so those who have issues, especially at tempting holiday time, may want to view www.spraythin.com.

Culinary explorers, slow down for tea

Numi Organic Tea

Of course I love the Jasmine Green from China, with “hints of moonlight,” because that’s my daughter’s name. But Chamomile Lemon from Egypt gives it a run for the money.

Opening the black bamboo box of Numi Organic Tea’s World of Tea Collection is a surprise and a treat each time, though I’ve come to memorize which section holds Gunpowder Green from Taiwan and Breakfast Blend from England. Numi says it’s a great gift for the culinary explorer, hey’ that’s us! But I’d consider it a gift for my own, private self. Might share if it brought the promise of good company. Makers invite you to travel the world sip by sip through organic, non-GMO and fair trade certified teas. Fall is perfect for a warm cup of Golden Chai for India with cinnamon, cardamom and ginger. There’s more of the globe to travel through these flavors that smell and taste so enticing. This is a box of both quantity and quality.

Numi has plenty more to offer. Here’s a beverage you can make with another Numi product.

ORANGE SPICED CIDER

Created by James Labe

1 Numi Orange Spice Tea Bag

8 ounces Apple Cider

2 ounces dark rum

Heat Cider until very hot. Steep 1 Tea Bag directly in Cider for 5 minutes, covered. Uncover, add Rum and stir. Garnish with Cinnamon Stick.

Salba’s chia is smart

Salba’s Chia Seeds packets call you names. “Hey Smarty Pants!” the back label begins, and describes how the ground and whole seeds “respect your brain and your body.” Salbasmart.com will tell you more about Omega-3 and such. Smarty Pants also need to know what to do with these seeds. I like the slight crunch they make topping a slice of apple and peanut butter. Of course, you can mix them into smoothies. They can get “hidden” in lots of foods, but hey, I respect these tiny guys like they respect me, so bring on the chia. Go ahead, make chia pet jokes. These grains can take it. I want more.

Look who went ranch

StarKist Tuna Creations has a new 80-calorie ranch flavored single serve that brings a little summer into your  meal routine. Rip open a bag and sprinkle it over a lettuce salad or make it the focal point of your plate with fresh veggie sides. This is a cut above the same-old tuna and mayo deal. It’s light and different and the pouch makes eating healthy very convenient. I ate one for lunch and couldn’t wait for lunch the next day.

Pumpkin trending update:

The Almond Board of California is in on the pumpkin trend. Their website includes a recipe for Almond Crusted Pumpkin Cheese Pie. Go to info@almondboard.com.

ddoiron@panews.com

My sister's chips

My sister has been on a chip quest while visiting relatives across the country. After searching in Alabama, Rhode Island and Massachusetts for Lay’s Wavy Roasted Garlic & Sea Salt chips, she finally found them in our neck of the woods in Texas. She and my husband loved her chip find, but, ironically, my mom and I liked the garlic kettle chips she was using to fill in better. Takes all kinds.

There are new wavy chocolate potato chips on the market. I wish someone would let me know if they are as good as they sound.

Crock season

Fall puts me in slow cooker mode. Crock-Pot® Seasoning Mixes has new flavors including a good-smelling Original Chili. While I ripped open the packet for a spicy whiff I decided on Savory Herb Chicken, which I cooked up with carrots and onion and served over brown rice. NEW Beef Stroganoff, Hearty Beef Stew, Savory Pot Roast and BBQ Pulled Pork are also in this line. Makers suggest them for crowd-pleasing tailgating fare. Keeping these on the pantry shelf are as easy as firing up the slow cooker. I always feel free to add my own spices to “make it my own.”

Turnip Souffle

A reader, Peg, is seeking the recipe for a turnip soufflé from a Port Arthur club. Here’s what she recalls:

“My husband said it had carrot in it making it orange but was more of the turnip flavor with the consistency of mashed potatoes. “

Contact me at the e-mail below if you know about it.

Pumpkin Update

I’m very much in love with Siggi’s healthy yogurt after just one bite. I had it while actually writing this part of my column on a laptop from the Lover’s Lane Central Market in Dallas. A thick, creamy serving of coconut has 200 calories and is extremely satisfying. I made the yummy sound, for sure.

The company sent me a coupon to taste it and talk up how a serving of this yogurt has way fewer calories than pumpkin pie, but this store didn’t have the pumpkin and spice flavor. I figure shoppers bought it up like they are buying every other pumpkin blend this season. I   enjoyed every other thick and fruity blend I tried.

ddoiron@panews.com

Prawn plans & pumpkin news

 

Prawn plans

I love exploring the Vietnamese Markets in Port Arthur. I checked out at one with a can of minced prawn in spices, for about $1.15 and the woman at the counter asked my plans for it. I told her I planned to warm it and serve it over steamed rice with a slow-cooked egg in the center.

She approved, and I felt like an insider. It was colorful and delicious with a few green onions from my garden sprinkled on top.

This particular brand of minced prawn, and there are many, included spices like peanut, chile, lemongrass, sugar, garlic, onion and (too bad) MSG. I plan to keep one in the pantry because it is a super-quick way to jazz up noodles and rice to make you feel like you’re in a restaurant.

Fresh 20

Stock up on 20 fresh ingredients and plan your next several meals for a happy, healthy family. Melissa Lanz profiles her own and other families are doing fine enjoying seasonal fresh foods like a cultural fusion of red beans and quinoa. I love what fall menus bring in “The Fresh 20” cookbook, but I can look forward to winter with mushroom polenta and cabbage pork stew.

Lanz even makes her own ketchup (that tastes like tomatoes) and tortillas. She shares how in this beautiful book. The photos convince you that you can do this, too.

Here’s another twist: Strawberry Gazpacho with Feta Cheese Crostini and spring rolls in a bowl so you can cut out that pesky rice paper step.

For this week’s “Pumpkin trending” update, try her pumpkin hash, pumpkin shepherd’s pie or roasted pumpkin. Here’s one with another vegetable you may not think of:

Radish Butter ( to serve with flatbread and steamed artichokes)

12 to 16 red radishes

2 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 fourth teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add all but 2 radishes and boil for 10 minutes. Thinly slice remaining two radishes.

Drain the radishes and place into a food processor or blender. Pulse to puree, then add the butter and salt and pulse to blend.

What’s the buzz?

Bottle tops look like bee hives and a beekeeper-hive-bear scene plays out in the bottle of a new liquor that is sweet on fall nights. Bärenjäger, the original honey liqueur, introduces Bärenjäger Honey & Tea, a blend of premium honey and tea liqueur; and Bärenjäger Honey & Pear, a delightful combination of premium honey liqueur and Williams pear brandy. With an old world feel and taste, sippers will realize they’ve hit a serious blend that’s not like the colorful nightclub fluff. Don’t play with this stuff.

Of the two, my favorite is Bärenjäger Honey & Tea, made from all natural ingredients and no artificial flavors. The new spirit offers an herbaceous nose, a sweet black tea and honey taste and a long finish of lingering black tea notes, makers say. I served it in a tall shot glass with an oversized blackberry soaking up the golden fluid.

Bärenjäger Honey & Pear is made with generous amounts of pure, real honey and high quality pear brandy sourced from Germany. The brandy is distilled exclusively from Williams pears, which are highly aromatic and flavorful. It put my tasters in mind of a high-end cough drop, and we all know people who like that sort of thing. It’s soothing and comforting.

Look up this brand and learn all about bears, too. In the 15^th century, beekeepers and farmers made a mead-like moonshine to aid hunters attract bears and lure them from their dwellings.

ddoiron@panews.com

Pumpkin is trending

My mom and I have been joking about noticing pumpkin flavored everything this season and I think I “won” when I heard the Car Talk brothers joke about something like pumpkin spice brake fluid on NPR. I think I could mention pumpkin in every column for the rest of the year, so if you see me out, tell me what you have experienced.

Pumpkin crème brulee, in an adorable little canning jar, showed up in the dessert book discussed below:

Vegan Desserts

Unless you routinely have bacon with your pie, vegan desserts sounds on track. But remember, you won’t be cracking eggs or softening butter. Pie is a lifestyle, author Kris Holechek Peters shares in the book “Vegan Desserts in Jars.” Anyone can soften up to a little Mason jar of s’mores, raspberry brownie bombs and lemon blueberrys scone domes. I hear the raw pecan pie is very rich and Peters can make a “meringue”  of wonders.

Many recipes begin with a ganache from non-dairy versions of chocolate chips, coconut oil and milk. Elvis is in a jar, so you better let out this peanut butter and banana heavenly mix.

 A cup of donut

It’s true, knowing a great coffee is in the pantry can motivate you to hop out of bed. Dunkin Donuts ought to get some kind of science and humanity award for getting the flavors of jelly and chocolate glazed donut flavors into a coffee. I’m telling you, Dunkin Donuts new Bakery Series Coffee delivers a tantalizing aroma and the warm flavor of your favorite pastry without caloric guilt. It could be a new habit, though. Blueberry Muffin is one of my favorite flavors in the flour edition. It’s great as a coffee, but I might pick Caramel Coffee Cake as my favorite in a cup. Old Fashioned Donut is another option. Everyone I have served these to can’t seem to believe all that flavor can get into coffee beans.

Bring on the truffles

I’m pretty good at rationing out good things, so I don’t eat a box full at a time. My husband had already tried Organic Velvet “melty silky goodness” dark milk chocolate truffles and black truffles in dark chocolate before me. Before I’d had even one, he asked for more. What the heck, he’d just mowed the lawn. When I finally popped a ball and let the chocolate wall melt, exposing the promised melty stuff inside and all resistance was futile.

Before I finished that one bite, all I could think of was that husband over there was two truffles ahead of me in this one life we live. I laid down the law. Only one of each kind within a 24-hour period. It’s too good.

Alter Eco Foods has infused organic ingredients, adding pure lauric acid-rich coconut oil, instead of palm kernel oil, to fair trade chocolate. Packaging is compostable. When this box is empty, by the end of the day I write this, it can go in my garden compost. Guess what. These flavors are just the launch. More flavors are coming.

Coffee with your rum cake?

Tortuga Caribbean Rum Cakes offer a taste of the islands that often showed up at Port Arthur’s Cayman Fest activities. If you miss those festivals, order up a little coconut cake. Thank goodness for mail-order shopping and not messing with a good thing. News to me, because I’ve never been on a cruise, is that there are coffee beans, too. Tortuga selections have been lauded in “Porthole Cruise” magazine for nine consecutive years as Best Cruise Souvenir and in 2013 was named Greatest Caribbean Gift.

A burlap  sack encases a bag of 100 percent Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee beans. Mornings are made better with a quick grind and a rich brew that will take you back to the islands if you’ve been there. In my case, the fantasy is a projection. I aim to enjoy this coffee on the beach some day. It’s plenty good right here in my Texas kitchen.

doiron@panews.com

Taco tips and Spanish flavors

Taco tips

In Southeast Texas its pretty much always taco time, but others celebrated Oct. 4 as National Taco Day and Ortega hosted a National Taco Day Twitter with ideas. I just tried some Ortega shells and salsa of the mildest nature and used Ortega seasoning to flavor black beans and white cheese for the filling. I didn’t miss the meat on this variation. They suggest a fish taco with cabbage and tangerine slaw, which sounds like a dish easily ordered on the streets of Austin. Here’s one more idea:

SPINACH, CARAMELIZED ONION AND BLACK BEAN TACOS

 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons  Ortega Taco Seasoning Mix (or 40% Less Sodium Taco Seasoning Mix)

1 fourth  cup water

1 can Ortega Black Beans, drained

2 garlic cloves, minced

1  package fresh spinach leaves, washed

1 fourth teaspoon  salt

1 can Ortega Diced Green Chiles

8 Ortega Taco Shells  or Ortega Fiesta Flats (they look like little boats)

Crumbled feta cheese

1 bottle Ortega Taco Sauce

1.         In a large skillet, heat half of the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes, until the onions are a rich brown. While the onions cook, heat the beans in a small saucepan.

2.         Stir the taco seasoning mix and water into the onions, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more to thicken. Spoon the onions into a serving bowl and set aside.

3.         In the same skillet, increase the heat to medium-high and add the remaining oil. Cook the garlic in the hot oil for 10 seconds, just until it’s fragrant, then add the spinach leaves, a handful at a time, stirring and adding more as they wilt. Sprinkle with salt and diced green chiles and continue to cook until the spinach is tender, 3 to 4 more minutes.

4.         To serve, mound beans, spinach and onion in taco shells or Fiesta Flats™ and top with crumbled feta and taco sauce.

Makes 4 servings.

Spanish Olive Oil

I’ve read you should stock the best olive oil you can afford. Carbonell, which I’m told is Spain’s top brand, has a distinctive flavor that sets it apart from Italian “extra virgen” varieties (that I also love). The lovely lady on the label looks like she’s enjoying it as much as I do. I use olive oil for lots of things that I used to use butter for, like cooking eggs, and Carbonell is a flavorful option that is affordable and has some flair. This bottle was so good that I began craving new ways to cut back on every other seasoning so I could taste the oil even more. For recipes like the following, visit carbonellusa.com/classic:

Apple and Mango Marinated Chicken

1/2 cup Carbonell Extra Light Olive Oil

4 cleaned free-range, boneless chicken breasts (cut into 3-inch strips)

2 cups fresh apple cider

2 cups mango juice or your favorite equivalent

(guava, pineapple or blend)

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon kosher salt

additional kosher salt and

black pepper for seasoning after the marinating process

Directions

1. Remove any fat and cartilage from the chicken breast and cut into small 3-inch strips.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together juices, salt, pepper and Carbonell Extra Light Olive Oil.

3. In a glass baking dish, container or resealable plastic bag, lay the strips of chicken in the marinade and let them sit overnight for maximum results.

4. Remove the chicken from marinade and season both sides of the chicken with a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper (50/50 blend).

5. Heat outdoor or indoor grill to high and place strips on it, quickly grilling each side. Do not overcook the chicken as these little strips will cook in about 3-5 minutes total cooking time (remember some of the acids from the juices have broken down the chicken already).

6. Remove cooked chicken from the grill and place in a new clean container.

7. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and let chicken rest (it will continue to cook slightly). Serve over a simple salad or roasted corn salad.

Iberia

New Iberia means Louisiana to me, and until I heard of Iberia, makers of ethnic and Latin cuisine foods, I never made the connection to the Iberian Peninsula of Spain and Portugal. Iberia features basics from rice, beans and olive oils to foodie finds such as aioli, blended oils, paella packets for Spanish, Latin American and Caribbean dishes. Their mission is to brand source authentic, fresh ingredients from the original climates in which they grow, like making oil from olives hand-picked in Spain and seasoned with South American peppers.

Ibera sent a sample of premium select Spanish Queen Olives stuffed with Garlic and I’d like to say “one’s a meal.” I’d also like to say two are even better.

You can see right through the jar that these guys have taste and they just look so beautiful and ripe. Just maybe, on Halloween, I can go savory with these olives instead of wiping out the candy corn.

ddoiron@panews.com