Carine Clary, Author at The FrangloSaxon Cooks

Italian Grilled Cheese Sandwich

August 18, 2022 by Carine Clary Leave a Comment

Italian Grilled Cheese Sandwich. What is this exactly? It’s grilled and it’s got cheese but that’s where the similarity to the old diner style grilled cheese ends. Grilled in olive oil and stuffed with your choice of cotto salami, prosciutto, or both with a meltingly soft slab of fontina and you’re ready to bite in so let’s get started:

What you need

Ciabatta
Fontina (or other soft cheese)
Cotto Salami
Prosciutto
Olive Oil (preferably flavored)

About those ingredients

I like ciabatta but if you don’t have it a nice artisan sourdough will be good (if it has rosemary, even better!). The cheese should be a soft meltable variety and I love Fontina for that. The meat filling can be one or several cured Italian iterations of ham. I was able to get these at Target where they sell an assortment in a plastic shrink wrapped tray. If you’re not near a deli it’s an option.

The olive oil I used here is a flavored version called Gremolata. The flavors are garlic, parsley and lemon and using this oil really makes a difference. I get mine at Bella Nonnas, an olive oil store with locations in Natchitoches and Shreveport, Louisiana. Baton Rouge and New Orleans have similar stores or you can order it.

How to make it

It’s really easy. Heat a pan to medium and pour in a little olive oil. Lay the bread down in it, lay on the cheese and meats and top with the remaining piece of bread. Flip when brown and eat as quickly as possible with a side salad or some olive relish. It can be any kind but my sources in San Francisco give great reports about Wanda’s Olive Pepper Chow Chow so I’m linking it here. And a nice glass of white wine or lemonade.

And enjoy!

Italian Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Author: Carine Clary

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Ciabatta Bread
Fontina Cheese
Cotta
Salami
Prosciutto
Olive oil

Instructions

Heat a pan to medium and brush the bottom with a thin layer of olive oil.
Place one slice of bread in the oiled pan and put the cheese and meats on top.
Place the other slice of bread over it and grill each side until brown.
Serve immediately.

Need a side salad? Try:

Try the Sensation Salad featured here or the Orange Arugula Salad. Both great!

Crabmeat St. Francis

July 29, 2022 by Carine Clary Leave a Comment

Crabmeat St. Francis is crab in a cream sauce with wine & thyme and a crispy crunchy topping. Perfect for an appetizer or a hot plate at a cocktail party or game day. Lots of ingredients (that’s why it’s good) but easy to prep so let’s get started:

Crabmeat St. Francis is born

Crabmeat St. Francis originated with Warren Leruth’s West Bank restaurant. LeRuth’s was famous for its imaginative take on French-Creole cooking, like oyster artichoke soup and sautéed soft-shelled crabs with lump crab meat. Leruth was also a food consultant. I love it that he worked with Popeye’s to develop their red bean recipe. Probably why it’s so good. His restaurant closed in 1991 and Leruth died in 2001 but his food lives on.

What makes this version different:

I like the option of making it with jumbo lump crabmeat or claw meat. If you plan to make individual servings for a sit-down dinner lump is a good choice. However, if you’re having a stand-up cocktail party with appetizers you can make it in one dish that guests can dip into and put on toast points or crackers. For that, claw meat is, shall we say, more portable. And tastier.

I also tried to simplify the original recipe and steer it away from 3/8ths a cup of this and 2/10ths of that. I hate to think of somebody having to stop in the middle of prep and look up measurement equivalents. I don’t like to do that and I do recipe testing all the time.

So think simpler but just as good. So let’s get started:

What you need:

1 lb crabmeat (Claw or Jumbo)
Celery heart (that’s the sweeter interior stalks of the celery)
Shallots
Celery Seed
Heavy Cream
Campbell’s Cream of Celery Soup
White Wine (or wine vinegar)
Parsley
Egg Yolks
Seafood Stock
Panko

First things first:

What you’re making here is a highly seasoned and unctuous sauce that you’ll pour over lump crabmeat claw meat. Regardless of the method of presentation, you need to prep the crab first. That means checking for shells carefully and setting them aside. Next, you will get your serving dish buttered and ready.

Then on to the sauce. Chef Leruth’s original recipe calls for seafood stock and that’s a good call. If you have homemade in the freezer, great. If not, buy some canned or at a local store that makes it like Dorignac’s or Langenstein’s. I’ve linked the grocery list above to my recipe for shrimp stock. Check it out because it makes a difference.

Race for the finish!

Once you’ve done the sauce you will toast the crumb topping, grease up the cups, place the crab inside, cover with that tasty sauce and run in the oven for 12 until bubbly and browned. And you’re done!

Try it with another appetizer or two

Accara

Ajvar

Crabmeat St. Francis

Author: Carine Clary

Cuisine: Crabmeat St. Francis

Ingredients

For the roux:
6 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon garlic, grated
½ cup shallots, finely diced
¼ cup celery heart, finely chopped
½ tsp salt
2 Bay Leaves
Pinch of Celery Seed
½ teaspoon thyme (ground or fresh)
¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
⅛ teaspoon White Pepper
For the sauce:
1 can Cream of Celery Soup
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 cup Seafood Stock*
2 tablespoons dry white wine or wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh Parsley chopped
1 Egg Yolk
1 pound Jumbo Lump Crabmeat (or claw meat), picked over for shell pieces
For the topping:
½ cup Panko
4 tablespoons melted Butter
6 individual-sized casserole dishes (or a single one of equal size)

Instructions

For the roux:
In a deep sauté pan, heat the butter and whisk in the flour. Cook for two or three minutes.
Add the garlic, shallots, celery hearts, and seasonings.
Cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
For the sauce:
Mix the condensed soup, cream, seafood stock, and wine.
Add to the roux and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat. When thickened add the parsley.
Take a cup of the sauce out and let it cool, then whisk in the yolk. This will prevent curdling. Mix back into the sauce till combined. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Divide the crabmeat into the casserole dishes. Cover with approximately ½ cup of sauce, the topping & bake until bubbly and browned about 12 minutes.
For the topping:
Warm the butter and put in the Panko. Stir until lightly brown.
Put on top of the crab and serve.
Optional paprika for topping.

Notes

*This recipe is much better if you use homemade shrimp stock. If you use canned throw some shrimp shells in and simmer for half an hour to intensify the flavor.

Scallops Beurre Blanc

July 21, 2022 by Carine Clary Leave a Comment

Scallops Beurre Blanc hits the spot when you crave something luscious that will be fast to prepare and won’t get the kitchen hot. It’s perfect for that special dinner for two or two plus two of your closest friends. If you have an open plan kitchen/dining set up try making it while you enjoy your guests. It’s that fast! Now let’s get started:

What is it?

It’s lightly grilled or sauteed scallops floating atop one of the foundation sauces of French cuisine, Beurre Blanc.

What do you need?

Scallops (or any other fish or shellfish lightly seared)
Dry white wine or wine vinegar
One big lemon
Butter
Olive Oil
Optional Cognac or Bourbon (some for the sauce and some for you)

Pretty simple, eh?

Searing the Scallops

It’s easy but of critical importance to dry off the scallops. If you purchased them frozen they will throw off a lot of liquid, even if fresh they will be juicy. So blot them well on paper towels. This will help form a crust. Then you’ll heat a pan, pour in the oil, and when it gets fairly hot place the scallops in and don’t move them. Let me repeat: Don’t move them. When they have formed a brown crust on the bottom they’ll release and you can flip them.

Once cooked for several minutes on the flip side cover the pan, set aside, and start the sauce.

Making the sauce

The sauce is the star so careful attention to its preparation is key. It’s not difficult but you cannot step away from the stove. However, fear not! It goes so quickly you won’t be bored or impatient.

Get a saucepan and put in the shallots, wine & lemon juice. The traditional prep for the sauce used a dry Loire Valley wine called Muscadet. This works well as does any dry white or white wine vinegar. Cook over medium heat until almost everything has evaporated. I used wine vinegar here and it worked well. You’ll have a tablespoon or two left at most. The shallots should be clear and not browned at all.

Make sure the butter is cold and cut into tablespoons. Now drop in the butter and incorporate each piece fully before adding the next piece. Once that is done season with salt and pepper and cognac or bourbon and add to the scallops.

And note: The sauce should be fully emulsified. That means that no globs of oil are floating around. If they are you have too much butter. So play it by ear when adding the butter and add it gradually. Once the sauce is smooth and creamy you’re done. You may need a little more or less butter than called for but let the consistency of the sauce be your guide.

If you faithfully follow these instructions you’ll have a wonderful tangy but silky sauce in which to place your scallops. And note: this is a great sauce for any sauteed fish so file that away in your brain pan!

What goes with it?

Besides your gaping maw?? Pretty much any starch. It could be pasta, rice, or couscous. If you decide to serve it as an appetizer you may want to skip the starch altogether.

If you go the couscous route try this version of Israeli Couscous. You already have the lemon and parsley for the Scallops so it’s a no-brainer! And good news. The couscous cooks up well in the rice cooker saving you more time and trouble.

Lemon and Herb Infused Israeli Couscous

Prefer exotic rice? Try this Turkish version: Or just reliable rice cooker rice that you made ahead. It will all be delicious!

Turkish Rice Pilaf

And that’s a wrap kids! Enjoy your scallops and your sauce and don’t forget to make it often whenever a nice fish swims into your pond!

Scallops Beurre Blanc

Author: Carine Clary

Cuisine: French

Ingredients

For the scallops:
1 pound sea scallops, blotted with paper towels
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Cognac (or Bourbon)
For the sauce:
1 shallot, diced finely (about 2 tablespoons)
½ cup dry white wine (or wine vinegar)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
1 tablespoon heavy cream
½ teaspoon cornstarch
1 dash freshly ground white pepper
½ teaspoon salt
Parsley or chives for garnish

Instructions

For the scallops:
Heat to medium high a non stick or stainless steel pan. Pour in two tablespoons olive oil. Place scallops in pan and cook for several minutes until they release and browned on the bottom.
Cook opposite side for several minutes until done. Cover and set aside.
At this point you may pour the cognac over the cooked scallops & set it alight or add later to the finished sauce.
For the sauce:
Simmer shallots, white wine, and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until mixture is reduced to about 2 tablespoons.
Then turn the heat down very slightly and add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking constantly. Be sure to allow 1 pat of butter to melt before adding the next.
Once butter is fully incorporated, whisk cornstarch into cream and add to sauce. Season beurre blanc sauce with white pepper and set aside.
Spoon warm beurre blanc sauce over hot scallops and serve.
Garnish with parsley or chives.

Slugburger

June 19, 2022 by Carine Clary 4 Comments

Slugburger! Ok, the first thing to establish is the meaning of ‘slug.’ No relation to slimy members of the phylum Mollusca. This delicious burger was ginned up during the Great Depression when it sold for a slug, aka, a nickel. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way let’s get on with the prep of this little-known treat.

The Origin of the Slugburger

The existence of the Slugburger was brought to my attention by a FaceBook friend who wishes to remain anonymous, so we’ll just call him “Art J” for short. Art J hails from the birthplace of slugdom. That’s Corinth. Not the one in Greece, the one in Mississippi. And people in Corinth love them some slugburgers and after testing the living daylights outta this recipe I understand their devotion to the humble slug.

If you find yourself in Corinth slugburgers are served up at The Slugburger Cafe and White Trolley Cafe along with other venues. There is even an upcoming festival over July 4th weekend.

Themes & Variations

To use a musical expression there are themes and variations. The theme is meat stretched with filler. The variations are the kinds of meat – hamburger or pork; and the filler – bread crumbs or cornmeal, all fried up and served on a bun. I even made my own variation by serving it bunless with a side of hominy cooked with some chopped onion & red bell pepper.

And every single version tasted good so let’s get started:

What you need:

ground chuck or pork
salt, pepper & onion powder
oil for frying (any kind)
buns, pickles, & mustard

The Prep

Get your ingredients together and mix gently with wet hands, roll into balls, then press out into patties as you see below:

Don’t overwork the meat and please note the irregular shapes of the patties. Perfectly round is not where it’s at with the slugburger. Those little craggy edges fry up as crispy as a potato chip so you don’t want to miss that extra flavor. If you do decide to accessorize with actual chips go for the Zapp’s which I’m linking here for totally free since they are the best chips on the planet, especially the Creole Onion & Pickle flavors. Just sayin’….

I was a little short on breadcrumbs so it only made seven burgers but a full cup would yield eight.

Pork v. Chuck

Ok, on this one I come out firmly for pork. They are both delicious but the pork version is utterly delicious so it wins the Carrie prize.

Crumbs v. Cornmeal

This one’s a wash. I think most people will prefer the crumbs but the cornmeal filler was surprisingly good. The graininess rocked a sort of falafel-like vibe. Reminded me of Dror, the little Israeli falafel cart guy that dished out deliciousness down in Greenwich Village back in the day. Try both or try one when you don’t have the other ingredient on hand.

Other uses

You can see the previously mentioned Slugburger with Hominy below. And last night I used the final defrosted slugburger fried up, broken into pieces and tossed into spaghetti sauce. Tasted great too!

Things you can eat with a Slugburger

Besides Zapp’s chips and/or hominy, salads make a great side and Baton Rouge’s own Sensation Salad is good.

Sensation Salad

or a Spinach salad with blue cheese:

Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese and Pear

So that’s a wrap folks! If you miss the festival you can whip this up at home and enjoy.

1.0 from 1 reviews

Slugburger

Author: Carine Clary

Cuisine: Southern

Ingredients

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (or cornmeal)
1 lb. ground pork or hamburger
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon onion (or garlic) powder
½ teaspoon celery salt (optional but good)
vegetable oil for frying
hamburger buns, pickles & mustard

Instructions

Lightly toast about 6 or 7 slices of white bread, crumble and whiz for a second in a food processor. If you are using the cornmeal as a filler add a couple of tablespoons of warm water to soften it up. Just enough to make a paste. You don't want it to be watery.
Wet your hands and work the filler and flavorings into the meat, roll into balls and flatten. Don't overwork the meat. It should just be loosely rolled together.
Fry in about half an inch of oil, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove & drain.
Serve on a toasted bun with mustard and pickles.