• 2 cups russet potato cubes, ⅓- to ½-inch dice
• 4 boneless, skin-on chicken breasts
• granulated garlic, granulated onion, and salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon cooking oil
• 4 tablespoons butter
• vegetable oil, for frying
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup diced onion
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• 1 bunch green onion tops, thinly sliced
• 8 ounces ham, diced
• ¼ cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Béarnaise Sauce (recipe here)

Chicken Pontalba

Click image to enlarge

• 3 lb. unpeeled, large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined 
• 1 to 3 Tbsp. Shrimp Seasoning (recipe follows) 
• 6 Tbsp. butter, softened and divided 
• 2 cups chopped onion 
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper 
• 1 cup chopped celery 
• 3 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• Hot sauce
• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• Garnishes: chopped green onions, chopped fresh parsley

Shrimp Seasoning: combine the following

• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground red pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Shrimp Creole

Click image to enlarge

• 2 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• water

Fresh Pasta

Click image to enlarge

Lasagna:

• 24 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 ball fresh mozzarella, grated
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)
• salt and finely ground pepper to taste
• 3 eggs
• 1 quart Rose’s Marinara Sauce (recipe follows)
• 1 package lasagna noodles, cooked in salted water until barely al dente
• cooking oil
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Rose's Marinara Sauce

• 2 28-ounce cans plum tomatoes, preferably   San Marzano
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, in all
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• 1 whole dried hot red pepper (optional)

Jim's Three-Cheese Lasagna

Click image to enlarge

• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
• 2 pounds Louisiana crab meat
• 6 slices of sandwich bread, crusts removed
• 1/4 cup sliced green onion tops
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley
• salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste
• bread crumbs, for topping

Baked Stuffed Crab

Click image to enlarge

• ½ cup of chopped onions
• ½ cup of chopped celery
• ¼ cup of butter 
• 2 eggplants, diced or sliced
• 1 cup of bread crumbs plus more for topping
• 1 pound of boiled shrimp, peeled and chopped
• ½ pound of crab meat
• 2 eggs, beaten 
• ¼ cup of chopped green onion tops
• ¼ cup of chopped parsley
• salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, to taste

Eggplant and Seafood Casserole

Click image to enlarge

• 1½ cups (3 sticks) butter 
• 3 cups chopped onions 
• 2 cups chopped green bell peppers 
• 1 cup chopped celery 
• ½ cup all-purpose flour 
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley 
• 1½ pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 
• 1½ pounds peeled crawfish tails 
• 2 cups half-and-half 
• 1 pound Velveeta or American cheese, cubed 
• 2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeño peppers 
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic 
• salt 
• cayenne pepper 
• 1 pound fettuccine, cooked according to the package directions and drained 
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

Shrimp and Crawfish Fettuccini

Click image to enlarge

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 8 small bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 2½ pounds (1.25 kg)total 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 
• 40 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole 
• ¼ cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) dry white wine 
• ¾ cup (6 fl oz/180 ml) low-sodium chicken broth 
• 6 red-skinned potatoes, about ¾ pound (375 g) total, scrubbed but not peeled, quartered 
• 6 fresh thyme sprigs

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

Click image to enlarge

THE BACON BREAD CRUMBS

• 8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
• 4 cups bread crumbs
• 5 fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons Creole seasoning or to taste

THE FRIED OYSTERS

• 16 shucked fresh oysters
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons Creole seasoning, divided
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• the reserved bacon bread crumbs
• the reserved bacon fat
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 basil leaves, cut into narrow strips
• 1 cup microgreens
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped preserved lemon*
• 4 tablespoons crumbled chevre cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced chives, for garnish

*Available at specialty stores and some supermarkets.

Bacon-Crusted Oysters

Click image to enlarge

The Mushrooms:

• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped French shallot
• 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms
• 1 pound oyster mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 teaspoons minced parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh chervil
• 1/4 teaspoon finely snipped chives

The Roux:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

The Sauce:

• 40 shucked fresh oysters
• 2 cups oyster juices (liquor)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped French shallots
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons dark roux
• 2 ounces (114 cup) demi-glace 
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh chervil
• 12 teaspoon finely snipped fresh chives

Final Assembly:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• the 40 reserved oysters
• 1 tablespoon minced French shallots
• 1 garlic clove, mashed and minced to produce 1 teaspoon
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 cup coarse French-bread crumbs
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 8 serving-sized puff pastry shells, prepared according to package directions

Oyster and Mushroom Tart

Click image to enlarge