One of the most beloved and iconic cities in the USA is New Orleans. It’s populated by the descendants of French and Spanish explorers, African slaves and other ethnic populations drawn to its location on the Gulf of Mexico. Because of its low elevation, it is vulnerable to flooding due to hurricanes and other strong storms, but its population refuses to admit defeat, and consistently overcomes challenges with a vibrant, fun-loving spirit that is truly awe-inspiring. The jazz music scene around Jackson Square and Bourbon Street, the jubilant celebrations during Mardi Gras, and its legendary restaurants and bars draw almost 20 million visitors a year from all over the world. If it’s your first visit, take one of the many tours available. Depending on your interests, you can find overview tours of the city or tours of the surrounding magnificently restored plantations and gardens. Ghost and cemetery tours are popular, and culinary tours will acquaint you with many of NOLA’s specialty dishes. On the “must do” list is a visit to the Cafe du Monde for their signature chicory coffee and mouthwatering beignets – and it’s open 24/7 for a late night treat after the jazz club experience! Visit Brennan’s for brunch (they claim to have invented eggs Benedict), Cast Net Seafood for lunch (po-boys and gumbo, oh yeah!), and Arnaud’s for traditional southern fine dining served up with live jazz. You won’t go hungry in New Orleans!
Signature Drink of Suva – The GPH G and Tea (in homage to Suva’s Grand Pacific Hotel)
Ingredients:
- 2 oz high quality gin
- 2 oz strong Earl Grey Tea
- ½ oz simple syrup
- ½ oz fresh lime juice
- Dried orange slice for garnish
- Ice
Instructions:
- Prepare ahead 1 teabag of Earl Grey Tea steeped in ½ c boiling water for 5-10 minutes, then cooled and refrigerated.
- In a cocktail mixer, add all ingredients except garnish and stir gently until chilled.
- Pour into a glass over fresh ice, add orange slice and serve with a side of chili lime peanuts.
Signature dish of New Orleans – Cajun Gumbo
Ingredients:
- 1 medium green bell pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 3 stalks celery
- 6 cloves garlic
- ½ bunch fresh parsley
- 2-3 T Cajun seasoning
- 2 t dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ t cayenne
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ½ -1 t kosher salt or to taste
- 1 ½ t fresh ground pepper
- 14 oz andouille sausage
- ¼ – ½ c vegetable oil
- 6 c low sodium chicken broth
- 4T unsalted butter
- ½ c all purpose flour
Instructions:
- Dice green pepper, onion and celery stalks into equal ¼ inch dice
- Mince garlic cloves and coarsely chop parsley leaves and add to other vegetables in a large bowl
- Stir in Cajun seasoning and other spices, reserving about ½ T Cajun seasoning for the chicken
- Dice chicken thighs into 1 inch pieces and season lightly with Kosher salt and remaining Cajun seasoning
- Cut the andouille sausage into 1 inch rounds and brown over medium heat with enough oil to keep the sausage from sticking to the pan, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate.
- Add the chicken dice to the same pot with additional oil and saute over medium heat until well browned – 8-10 minutes. Add to browned sausage on the plate.
- Make the roux by adding butter and ¼ c oil to the same pan, scraping up browned bits of the sausage and chicken. Add flour and stir continuously until smooth and the roux develops a deep brown color 8-10 minutes (keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn!)
- Increase the heat to medium high and add the diced vegetables, stirring until coated with the roux. Then add the sausage and chicken and accumulated juices, cooking until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
- Increase the heat, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer 30-45 minutes stirring occasionally until the gumbo is slightly thickened and the flavors have combined.
