• 2 pounds meaty oxtails or other beefy meat with bones
• 3 to 4 pounds beef chuck roast
• salt and pepper
• flour for dredging
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, more if needed
• 1 large onion
• 1 large carrot
• 2 small celery stalks with leaves
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup chicken or veal stock
• 1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• Gremolata (recipe follows)
• 2 quarts top-quality marinara sauce, or as needed
• half & half, Parmesan cheese, to finish

Gremolata

• ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 2½ teaspoons crushed garlic
• 2½ teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• Combine, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour before using.

Makes a scant half cup.

Slow-Braised Bolognese

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• oil for frying
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (or corn flour if you have it)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin, toasted if time permits
• cayenne pepper to taste
• 1 pound firm white fish fillets, cut into strips
• 1 cup dark beer
• corn or flour tortillas, warmed

Crunchy Coleslaw Topping

• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 1 bunch green onions, tops sliced, bottoms minced
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• minced hot pepper to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

Salsa Fresca

• 2 cups finely chopped ripe tomato
• 1 cup finely chopped white onion
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• minced hot pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• salt and black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and set aside for 10 minutes; taste and adjust seasoning.

Simple Guacamole: mash ripe avocados with a bit of minced cilantro, lime juice, and hot sauce, salt, and pepper to taste. 

For an Americanized version, mash avocados with the Salsa Fresca

Fish Tacos

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• 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes 
• 2 large yellow onions
• 1 bunch green onions
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 stalk celery
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes 
• 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped 
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon anchovy paste
• 1 roasted red pepper, finely chopped
• 1½ cups dry red wine
• 1 cup seafood stock or bottled clam juice
• 1 cup chicken broth
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 Louisiana blue crabs, cleaned and halved 
• 18 clams
• 18 mussels
• 1 pound skinless mild Louisiana fin fish
• 18 large Louisiana shrimp (U16-20), shelled and deveined, tails left intact
• 12 scallops
• 1/2 pound cooked Louisiana crawfish tails
• finely chopped flat-leaf parsley and basil, for garnish
• garlic croutons, for serving 

Rouille, for serving (recipe follows)

Rouille

• 4 large cloves garlic
• 1 slice firm white bread, crusts removed
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ cup diced roasted red pepper
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• pinch saffron threads, bloomed in 1 tablespoon broth from cioppino base
• pinch cayenne pepper
• ¾ to1 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Louisiana-Style Cioppino

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Marinade:

• 3 green onions, chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 to 5 fresh hot peppers, stemmed, seeds removed if desired
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1½ tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• ¾ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 

Chicken:

• 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves, halved crosswise
• 2½ to 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and legs

Papaya Salsa:

• 2 pounds papaya, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 1½  cups fresh pineapple
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Fiery Jerk Chicken

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• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (reserve tenders for another use)
• salt, finely ground black pepper, and granulated onion, to taste
• olive oil
• 1 pound dried fettuccine
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1½ to 2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• minced parsley for garnish

Fettuccine Alfredo

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• 2 gallons water
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1 cup liquid shrimp boil
• 4 lemons, halved
• 4 large onions, peeled and quartered
• 4 heads garlic
• 2 pounds small red potatoes
• 2 pounds smoked sausage cut into 1-inch   pieces
• 2 pints whole mushrooms
• 4 ears corn, shucked and quartered
• 8 pounds unpeeled, head on shrimp, rinsed
• 2 to 3 pounds ice

Shrimp Boil

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• 12- to 15-pound bone-in ham
• whole cloves, as needed (optional)
• 1 cup fig preserves
• 2 cups apple cider, or more as needed
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 tablespoon Creole mustard

Glazed Easter Ham

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• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 2½ cups milk
• 8 ounces elbow macaroni
• ½ pound mild cheddar cheese, cut into half-inch pieces
• ½ pound sharp cheddar cheese, cut into half-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• ¼ teaspoon paprika

Macaroni and Cheese

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• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 jalapeño chiles, seeded and minced
• 1 medium tomato, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 (15--ounce) cans white· beans, drained
• and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 to 6 tablespoons sour cream
• 3 green onions, white and tender green parts, thinly sliced

White Bean Chili

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• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for pan
• 2 to 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 24 grape tomatoes, halved
• 24 young green beans, trimmed
• 2 small yellow squash or zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon, zest and juice reserved separately
• Creole seasoning, as needed
• 1 pound baby spinach, washed
• salt and pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless flounder, redfish, drum, snapper, or other mild white fish fillets, 4 to 6 ounces each
• minced parsley, lemon and lime slices, for garnish

Pan-Seared Gulf Fish over Vegetables

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