I was delighted to win the new Galatoire's Cookbook from the "Potter Recipe Club," in a Random House promotional contest. It arrived recently, gratis, in the mail.
In addition to the emotional overlay of the recent New Orleans disaster, Galatoire's has some personal resonance for me. In the spring of 1988, after the long illness and recent death of my husband Bill, I decided my 12 year old daughter and I needed something different in the way of a spring vacation. I thought we'd go somewhere we'd never been before, and have a look around. Though we were not exactly flush with funds, that part of our insurance payment which went for a week long trip to New Orleans was money well spent.
We stayed at the mildly shabby and comfortable Richelieu Hotel on Chartres- it was warm enough to swim in the little pool there, and we were altogether charmed. We wandered around, went shopping, listened to music, browsed bookstores, and ate pretty well on the cheap. We had picnics with provisions from interesting markets, covered ourselves with powdered sugar beignet dust, and stopped for po' boys and gumbo. Our big splurge meal was a dinner at Galatoire's, and we were not disappointed. It just looked so great inside, celing fans, tiles and all.
I don't remember everything we ate- an oyster panroast, brabant potatoes, and soft-shelled crab, among other things. It was was delicious, and our elderly waiter was stupendously gentlemanly and nice to us; he acted as if we were favorite relatives who had surprised and pleased him by showing up. His tactful advice on what to order was sweet and helpful.
So I am kindly disposed towards a collection of traditional recipes from this archetype of a restaurant, and I enjoyed looking at the glossy pictures of the place over the years. I do realize though that it has been a long time since I was there (I've been in New Orleans a few times since then, but not back to Galatoire's) and that the book was written by a general manager of the restaurant, together with its publicist. A pretty picture book is not the same thing as a good or interesting cookbook. So, looking my gift horse in its choppers, I thought I'd try three different recipes, and see how they worked out.
The three I tried were crab au gratin, brabant potatoes, and shrimp remoulade. All three were easy to make for a home cook. Though I usually avoid deep frying, as it is both a last minute and a messy procedure, I might be tempted to do it again for these potatoes, which I adored as much as I remembered. The shrimp remoulade will be back- I've made it from other recipes before, and think this a particularly good version. I've always thought this a good starter for company, as you can do everything ahead, except for mixing the shrimp in the sauce at the last minute.
As to the crab, it depends entirely on the goodness of the crabmeat, and tending to it carefully, so as not to mess up a good thing. Each of the recipes I tried is intended to be but a part of a meal. But unless you are a huge stickler for a balanced diet at every individual meal, probaly each would be fine for supper, with a green salad alongside.
Like the other recipes in this book, these dishes are neither elaborate or especially imaginative - they are french and creole classics and mostly very good ones. Though they are quite easily within the abilities of most home cooks, many are still, to my mind, better suited to a restaurant than a home setting. The prodigious quantities of butter and/or cream used in professional kitchens are one of the biggest differences between good restaurant food and good home food. I think, on the whole, that it is probably a good thing that this is so. No wonder these potatoes taste terrific-butter on fried potatoes...
While it is nice to eat fabulous and rich food out for special occasions, I am generally hesitant to serve this sort of thing where it could get to be a habit. Though far from a lean-only, healthy-on-principle kind of cook, I try to get at least some of my flavors from less rich sources. But how I do love to go out and get spoiled with this kind of thing.
I am enjoying the book for the interesting ,nostalgic pictures, and there's nothing wrong with the recipes either; as far as I can tell, they "work". I don't think I would have bought it for my already over-the-top library on my own-though I own quite a few cookbooks that turned out to be less worthy. I'm glad to have it, and it's been fun to read. There are definitely a few keepers, recipe wise.
This is how you make the brabant potatoes. I have not included quantites, as you may wish to make more, or less, than the number of servings estimated, and because it is pretty easy to see how much of each thing you need:
Peel some nice Idaho potatos, and cut them into 3/4" cubes. Heat enough oil to fry them in, without crowding, in a heavy bottomed saucepan with a candy thermometer tucked inside. When the oil hits 350F, lower the potato cubes in slowly, and fry til done- probably 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, melt some butter, and put it in a bowl with chopped fresh parsley, chopped garlic, salt, and freshly ground pepper. When the potatoes are done, lift them out of the oil with a slotted spoon, and drain them on a platter lined with paper towels. Toss with the seasoned butter, and replate. The sooner you eat them, the better they will be.
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