With Thanksgiving behind (I have to admit, I was not on my A-game for the Thanksgiving meal, but the company was the best), I'll be looking ahead to holiday feasts. We always spend Christmas with family on the West Coast, and Christmas Eve is the big get-together; I'm in my sister-in-law's kitchen as sous chef. We've not talked about the menu yet, so this week I'm putting out some ideas for casual get-togethers.

First, an easy but delicious cream of oyster soup, my husband's favorite. Delicious in its simplicity. Next, a crawfish stew that can be made ahead and warmed up for an easy, casual dinner party (scale up as needed). And finally, a fancy oyster and mushroom tart. As written, it's for eight individual servings, but you could easily modify for hors d'oeuvres by using mini puff pastry tartlets instead of the larger ones--I'd guess you'd aim for 32-40 bite-sized tarts. 

Enjoy the recipes, stay safe and healthy, and, as always, let me know what's on your mind. 

Best regards,

Susan Ford, Publisher and Editorial Director

Louisiana Kitchen & Culture

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Cream of Oyster Soup

This recipe appeared in the premiere issue of Louisiana Kitchen & Culture. It is a very simple, classic oyster soup, full of the flavor of the ocean. Serve with plenty of hot French bread for dunking.

Crawfish Stew

This is a great recipe for a cold winter night. Look for authentic Louisiana crawfish tails, ensuring that they're actually grown and processed here, not just packaged here using crawfish from China. 

Oyster and Mushroom Tart

This versatile recipe is written for individual servings, but can easily be divvied into hors d'oeuvre portions using mini puff pastry shells.