Trout amandine

Milk	1 cup
Flour	1 cup
Celery seeds	2 tablespoons
Paprika	1 tablespoon
Coarse sea salt	1 tablespoon
Black pepper, freshly ground	1 tablespoon
Garlic powder	1 tablespoon
Onion powder	1 tablespoon
Cayenne	2 teaspoons
Allspice, ground	½ teaspoon
Trout filets, skinless	6
Salt
Black pepper, freshly ground
Butter	8 tablespoons
Almonds, sliced	½ cup
Lemon, juiced	1
Parsley, fresh, minced	2 tablespoons

1. Place the milk in a wide dish.
2. Place flour and Creole spices (celery salt, paprika, sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and allspice) into another wide dish, and stir to combine.
3. Season the filets with salt and pepper, dip them into milk, and dredge into the seasoned flour.
4. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Add the filets, and cook on each side until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
6. Transfer the fish to a serving platter.
7. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter to the same skillet over medium-high heat.
8. Swirl the skillet over the heat so that the butter melts evenly, and cook until the butter brownish, 5 to 7 minutes.
9. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the almonds, and cook, stirring gently, until the nuts are toasty brown, about 3 minutes.
10. Add the lemon juice, parsley, and a dash of salt.
11. Spoon the browned butter and almonds over the fish, and serve.

Recipe from My New Orleans The Cookbook by John Besh.

Jalapeño cheese grits

Water	4 cups
Grits, stone ground	1 cup
Jalapeño	1
Butter	3 tablespoons
Mascarpone	3 tablespoons
Edam cheese, grated	¼ cup
Salt

1. Heat water in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat until it comes to a boil.
2. Slowly pour in the grits while whisking constantly.
3. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 20 minutes.
4. While the grits are cooking, pan-roast the jalapeño in a small skillet over high heat until the skin is brown and blistered.
5. Cut the pepper in half lengthwise, and remove and discard the skin and seeds.
6. Mince the pepper, and add it to the pot of grits.
7. Remove the pot from heat, and fold in butter, mascarpone, and Edam cheese; season with salt.

Recipe from My New Orleans The Cookbook by John Besh.

Double-crusted blackberry pie

Blackberries	4 cups
Sugar	¾ cup
Powdered pectin	2 tablespoons
Water, cold	½ cup
Vanilla bean	1
Butter, softened	2 tablespoons
Flour	¼ cup
Pie dough	1
Egg	1
Milk	2 tablespoons

1. Place the blackberries, sugar, pectin, and water into a medium saucepan.
2. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, and scrape the seeds into the saucepan; add the pod to the pan.
3. Bring the berries to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.
4. Reduce the heat to moderate, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the juices thicken enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 30 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from the heat, and let the mixture rest for 30 minutes or so.
6. Preheat oven to 375°F.
7. Grease a 9-inch ceramic or glass pie pan with the butter, and dust it with some of the flour.
8. Roll two-thirds of the pie dough out on a lightly floured surface to a ¼-inch thickness.
9. Fit the dough into the prepared pan, and trim off any excess dough from the edges.
10. Remove the vanilla bean pod from the cooled filling, and discard; pour the filling into the prepared pie shell.
11. Roll the remaining third of pie dough out on a lightly floured surface to a ¼-inch thickness, and lay it over the berry filling.
12. Crimp the edges of the dough together, and make a few slits through the top crust to allow steam to escape while baking.
13. Bake the pie for 30 minutes.
14. Beat the egg and milk together in a small bowl, then brush the top crust of the continue to bake it until the crust is a deep golden brown, about 15 minutes more.
15. Transfer the pie to a wire rack to let cool until it is just warm or room temperature; serve with ice cream.

Recipe from My New Orleans The Cookbook by John Besh.

Baking a better life

Check out our other blog, Zayante Zeal, which chronicles our adventures in combining our lives (at last!) in our new kitchen (and house on a few acres in the Santa Cruz Mountains):

Red wine-braised beef shanks with mushrooms

Vegetable oil	3 tablespoons
Beef shanks, 1-inch thick	4 (3 pounds)
Paprika	2 ½ tablespoons
Salt	2 tablespoons
Garlic powder	1 tablespoon
Black pepper, freshly ground	1 tablespoon
Onion powder	1 tablespoon
Cayenne	1 tablespoon
Oregano, dried	1 tablespoon
Thyme, dried	1 tablespoon
Onions, large, finely chopped	2
Celery ribs, finely chopped	2
Carrots, large, finely chopped	2
Mushrooms, button, stems trimmed	½ pound
Garlic cloves, minced	8
Bay leaves	3
Thyme sprigs	8
Rosemary sprigs	2
Wine, red, dry	2 ½ cups
Tomato paste	3 tablespoons
Tomatoes, crushed	15 ounces
Beef stock	2 cups
Basil, fresh, chopped	¼ cup
Parsley, fresh, chopped	¼ cup
Red pepper, crushed	¼ teaspoon
Salt	1 ½ teaspoons
Black pepper, freshly ground	¼ teaspoon

1. Combine paprika, salt, garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, cayenne, oregano, and thyme.
2. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over high heat until very hot.
3. Season shanks on both sides with the seasoning mixture; transfer to Dutch oven, and cook until browned on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
4. Transfer shanks to a plate, and set aside.
5. Add onion, celery, carrots, and mushrooms to the Dutch oven, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and are beginning to caramelize, about 7 minutes.
6. Add garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary, and cook for 2 minutes.
7. Add wine, and stir well with a wooden spoon, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any bits.
8. Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, beef stock, basil, parsley, red pepper, salt, and black pepper, and stir well to combine.
9. Return shanks to the Dutch oven, and bring sauce to a boil.
10. Cover Dutch oven, lower heat to a simmer, and cook for 5 hours, stirring occasionally, or until shanks are tender.
11. Taste, and adjust with seasonings, if necessary.

Recipe by Emeril Lagasse.