New Orleans- Gumbo

Gumbo – New Orleans

As the train pulled up in New Orleans we felt like we had arrived in a different country. The area didn’t feel like America it had more character and more history it was less handmade. We got off the train and arrived at are hostel are hostel was cheap but had so much character it was 3 houses joined together and on the sides of the house you could see the lines were the water had risen to during hurricane Katrina. It was easy to tell this hostel was New Orleans in a nutshell.  There was Mardi gras beads covering the stairs and photos all over the walls and yes my photo is now on the wall.

So before we had even explored the city centre we had a feel for the area just from the hostel. So we headed on the tram into town we got off the tram near bourbon street and we were greeted by are very first voodoo shop. New Orleans has a thing for voodoo and vampires its weird but then again only in New Orleans. We swiftly made are way up the infamous Bourbon street were drinking and partying were a 24 hour occasion and the street smelled of it. We turned up a side street and we were in the French quarter it was amazing you would think you were back in Europe in a nice French town.

We walked the streets for a while listening to the live bands flowing through the streets looking at all the culture and people. Then we found it the famous French market and it was better than imagined. At the start of the French market there is a row of food bars were you sit at the bar and eat typical New Olean’s cuisine. The choice was minimal but affective and of courses I had the gumbo unfortunately I am not a huge fish fan so I had the sausage and chicken Gumbo. I know you’re wondering what Gumbo is well it’s like a British stew it has a stock lots of fresh Vegetables and typically has different types of fish in it. Well I ate mine so quickly it was amazing the flavour of New Olean’s hot sauces and spices excited my senses and took a typical stew and made it exotic.

Of courses we didn’t just have the Gumbo we had to try something else on the menu. So we had the alligator sausage I know what you are thinking horrible but it was amazing the meat was tender and juicy and went very well with the hot sauce.

So after a very successful stay in New Orleans full of hot sauce and music we left for Washington. I can honestly say I have found my new favourite place in the world and hopefully one day I will go back for a lot longer.

Sausage and chicken Gumbo

Ingredients

Serves: 2

• 50ml vegetable oil
• 20g plain flour
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1  green pepper, chopped
• 1 sticks celery, chopped
• 200g smoked sausage,
• 1 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons  Creole blend seasoning to taste
• 200ml chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 chicken breast (150grams)  

Prep: 45 mins | Cook: 40 mins

1

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, whisk in flour. Continue whisking until the roux has cooked to the colour of chocolate milk, 8 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn the roux. If you see black specks in the mixture, start over.

2.

Stir onion, pepper, celery and sausage and chicken into the roux; cook 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook another 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning; blend thoroughly. Pour in the chicken stock and add the bay leaf. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Simmer the mixture 30 minutes  . remove any foam

Memphis - Missississipi Mud pie

Blog 2

Missississpi  Mud Pie- Traveling down the Missississpi river !

So the time came to travel down a really long river with a really long name you guessed it the Missississpi River. We were traveling from Memphis to the home of Mardi Gras New Orleans and we were so excited the party capital of America was in are sight.  So as we settled down into are wonderful chair beds we relaxed for the first time in a few days something about this train journey was special. It was a 6 in the morning train and we were still sleepy so the journey began with a nap of courses I am a student I can’t function without my daily nap.

 After a short 4 hour nap we woke up awake and ready to investigate. The Amtrak’s trains which were the trains we were traveling on were huge. They make Scotrail look like toy trains. In fact they are so big they all have a restaurant on board which was great cause I am always hungry.  So my first instinct was what’s on the menu now the food on Amtrak’s is exactly what you would expect microwavable everything anything that can go in a microwave they have it. Now to say that the food is questionable would be an understatement but at least they seem to practise good health and safety.

So of course I avoid the microwaveable hot dog and burger and head straight for the basic pizza. Of courses you guessed it was horrible and I can’t say I was surprised it wasn’t nice the other 10 times I had it either. However when you’re hungry you will eat whatever is available even if it’s served on cardboard.

So we are just chilling out in the trains restaurant and an older lady approaches us and says she needs help writing a letter to her daughter could we help. So as we wrote a letter for her in the best American type lingo we could she gave us a cake it was so good with a thick gooey chocolaty middle and a nice thick crunchy biscuit base it tasted like heaven. I asked the women what the cake was and when she said Missississpi Mud Pie I could help but look outside at the one and only Missississipi river and realises how lucky I was to be experiencing the world and how hard I had worked to get there.

So here is my version of an American classic the Missississipe mud pie which I have adapted. I have taken the biscuit base and turned it into a soft crispy pastry shell which changes the appearance of the dish. However I have kept the gooey chocolate middle with one adaption of extra chocolate. Hope you enjoy your little slice of one and only Missississpi.

Mississippi mud pie with a pastry twist

Ingredients (Pastry)

·         190g plain flour, sifted

·         2 tablespoons caster sugar

·         ½ teaspoon salt

·         100g chilled unsalted butter, chopped into small pieces

·         1 egg yolk

·         2 tablespoons chilled water

·         First of all preheat the oven to 180 degrees

The pastry is made first so that it can be chilled in the fridge for 30 minutes. First of all swift the flour salt and sugar into a bowl then weigh the butter and cut into small pieces. Then place the butter into the flour mixture and rub the mixture between your fingers lifting it right out the bowl to make sure lots of air gets into the mixture. When the mixture looks like breadcrumbs it is ready. Mix the egg yolk and water in a small bowl and add to the breadcrumbs slowly using a round bladed knife to gently bring the mixture together. You may not need all off the liquid. When the mixture begins to clump bring it together using your hands into a firm ball then chill.

When you are ready to prepare the pastry case, roll it out and line your flan tin, keeping chilled till you are ready to fill and bake.

For the filling:

·         30g plain chocolate, chopped

·         6 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted

·         2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder

·         3 eggs

·         250g caster sugar

·         2 tablespoons soured cream

·         3 tablespoons golden syrup

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract or essence

For the filling, gently melt the butter in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate, cocoa powder and coffee, stirring until all the chocolate has melted. Set aside.

Beat the eggs and the sugar together until the mixture is creamy and blended, then add the soured cream, golden syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir that mixture into the chocolate and coffee mixture.

Pour the filling into the pastry shell. Bake on the hot baking sheet in the lower third of the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the filling puffs up and forms a crust on top.

Remove from the oven and place pie on a wire rack to cool.

The filling will sink a little and crack a little as it cools.

When you are ready to serve, decorate the pie with chocolate curls; any colour chocolate will do very nicely, and vanilla ice cream also goes down a treat with this Mississippi mud pie recipe.

Keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator. Makes 8 to 10 slices.

Southern Fried chicken- Memphis Tennessee

Memphis Tennessee is one of the hottest places on earth or at least that’s what it felt like when we arrived after 12 hours on an air contioned train.  We had just taken the overnight sleeper train from Chicago which isn’t much fun when you can’t afford a nice wee room with a bed in it and instead spend the night hugging the arm of a chair. It was 7 in the morning and we were tired and confused as we arrived into what appeared to be Elvis land or you might call it the city centre in Memphis. As we arrived at are hostel which of courses as all the hostels we stayed in was extremely questionable we attempted to check in then broke down when we were told there was no check in till 2 this happened a lot while traveling extreme lack of research on my part.  

After ditching are back packers bags at the hostel and hoping that they don’t disappear by the time we get back we went out into Memphis to discover what was going on.  After discovering Beale Street we began to feel at home with the live music playing from every shop restaurant and street corner we felt like we had arrived. Of courses like every real foodie it wasn’t long before I was starving and couldn’t resist the smell from a certain small dinner type restaurant. The smell from the fryer wasn’t like are usual Scottish chip shop smell it smelt fresh and I could smell the herbs and spices as soon as I walked through the door.

 After being greeted by a southern American man with the most amazing accent he didn’t have to do much persuading we had already sat down with a menu. The menu covered all bases of typical mid-south American food with wings, ribs, chicken and catfish the stability of the entire menu. I had to have the southern fried chicken which of course came in a hearty portion fit for about 10 of me but that didn’t stop me the honey mustard sauce complemented the crispy chicken which had been cooked to perfection. The typical American thin fries had been replaced by chunky fresh cooked chips which were all potato. This small taste of home completed the dish perfectly and after being away for almost three months it was a welcomed addition.

This dish really summed up are time in Memphis very fun a bit messy nothing posh and lots of Elvis. Everyday in Memphis was a treat for the ears and the mouth a trip that I will never forget all I can say is bring on the wonderful train journey down the Mississippi we have a pillow this time.

Here is my recipe for southern fried chicken with mash and my own take on honey mustard sauce. I played around with different spices until I found the perfect variation of a great dish.

This is a delicious basic southern fried chicken recipe.

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds chicken pieces
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 3 cups vegetable oil
• Salt

·         3 tbsp  Mixed herbs

·         2 tbsp Garlic powder

Honey mustard sauce

·         100grams mayonaise

·         10 grams mustard

·         20grams honey

Preparation:

Rinse chicken; pat dry and then set aside.

Combine milk and eggs in a bowl; whisk to blend well.

In a large heavy-duty resealable plastic food storage bag, combine the flour, salt, and pepper mixed herbs and garlic.

Dip a chicken piece in the milk mixture; let excess drip off into bowl. Put a few chicken pieces in the food storage bag and shake lightly to coat thoroughly. Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken pieces.

Heat oil to 350°. Fry chicken, a few pieces at a time, for about 10 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Chicken breasts will take a little less time than other pieces. Pierce with a fork to see if juices run clear to check for doneness. With a slotted spoon, move to paper towels to drain; sprinkle with salt.

Mashed potato complements this dish well