Butcher's Red Beans

1 1/2 lb red beans, dried
3 cups Onion, chopped
2 Bell Pepper, chopped
7 ribs Celery, chopped
4 tablespoons Jalapeno, seeded, minced
7 tablespoons Garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Onion powder
2 teaspoons Garlic powder
2 teaspoons Oregano leaves
1 teaspoon Thyme leaved
1 teaspoon Black pepper
1 teaspoon White pepper
1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
5 teaspoons sweet Paprika
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Ham hock, smoked
1 1/2 lb Andouille, cut in 1/4 moons
3 quarts Chicken stock or water (more or less)

Method:
Soak the beans overnight

Saute the Trinity (=onions, celery, bell pepper) with EVOO until the onions turn translucent.
Add jalapeno, spice + garlic and saute for 2 more minutes.
Add beans with hock, andouille + stock.
Simmer covered for 3 hours until very tender.

Serve with Louisiana rice.

'Cathead' Biscuits + Butcher Sausage Gravy

Cathead* Biscuits

4 cups all purpose flour (White Lilly preferred)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup lard, cold
1 cup buttermilk

Method:
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda + salt.
Cut in cold lard until cornmeal consistency.
Add buttermilk + gently work it until soft dough forms.
Roll dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness; cut with a large biscuit cutter (about 3 inch diameter) or to desired width.
Intent the middle of each biscuit with thumb.
Place biscuits in baking sheet, 1/4 inch apart.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve hot.

*Chef Warren's grandmother called these biscuits 'catheads', because of their 'meal size'.


Butcher Sausage Gravy

1/2 pound Butcher fresh or fennel sausage, uncased
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cream
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Crystal hot sauce to taste

Method:
In a large cast iron skillet or a heavy gauge pot brown sausage until well rendered.
Add flour + stir for about 3 minutes until a light roux forms.
Slowly add milk + cream, continue stirring.
Bring to a simmer.
Add salt + pepper.
Season with hot sauce.
Serve over biscuits.

Pork + Black Eyed Pea Gumbo with Collards

This one's from Chef Warren Stephen's collection - bon appetit!

Gumbo Seasoning
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper
2 teaspoons file powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon rosemary, dried
1 teaspoon thyme, dried
4 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoons chili flake
6 garlic cloves, minced

Vegetables
2 cups onion, small dice
1 cup celery, small dice
1 cup bell pepper, small dice
2 jalapenos, seeded + chopped

Roux
1 cup canola oil
1.5 cups flour

Pork Butt
2 pounds pork butt, 3/4 inch cubes
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1.2 teaspoon thyme, dried

1 cup black eyed peas, soaked in water overnight
4 cups collard greens, julienned

Pork Stock
1 medium onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
4 garlic gloves, smashed
1 cup red wine
3/4 gallon water
12 ounces smocked ham hock
8 each bay leaves
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons canola oil

Method
1) Pork Butt: Combine cubed pork with salt, black pepper + thyme. Roast in 375F oven for 15 minutes or until well browned. Remove + reserve pork + drippings for final gumbo.

2) Pork Stock: Heat canola oil in a large stock pot until smoking, then add ham hocks. Cook for 5 minutes. Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, bay leaves, tomato paste, paprika, wine + water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 hour. Strain stock + hock; reserve.

3) Roux: Add oil to a heavy gauge pot over medium heat. Add flour + whisk frequently. The desired color of the roux is dark brown sugar - it will take about 30 minutes to reach this stage. Be careful not to burn the flour; it makes the roux taste bitter.

Add vegetables (holding on to the collards) + spices to the roux, reduce heat + cook for 5 minutes. Then add stock, roasted pork, pork drippings + black eyed peas . Simmer for 1 hour 40 minutes.
Skim fat as needed as it rises to the top. Add collards + cook for 20 minutes.
Serve + enjoy.

Red wine braised beef shank

1.6 pounds beef osso bucco (2 pieces)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup Red wine

Method:
Season the osso bucco with salt, pepper + thyme.
Sear meat in a hot pan with 2 tablespoons of oil to golden brown + set aside.
Sauté the vegetables in the same pan for about 5 minutes, then add tomato paste + wine.
Reduce the wine to ¼ its volume + add chicken stock.
Add this + the meat to a small dutch oven + bake at 300 degrees for about 2 and a half hours or until fork tender.

Pork Picnic Shoulder

3.2 lb picnic shoulder
lots of salt + pepper
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, each about 4 inches long
3 + 3 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 medium onions, sliced
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 quart of stock

Method:
Make one inch deep + one inch wide cuts into the shoulder ever two inches.
Put one slice of garlic with a small pinch of rosemary into each whole.
Season generously with salt + pepper (lots of salt).
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat + sear the pork on all sides to a nice golden brown, about fifteen minutes.
Remove pork from the dutch oven, add the oil + flour to make a medium dark roux.
Add onions with the extra salt, rosemary + garlic.
Add the stock +stir to combine.
Add the pork back in + cover.
Bake in a 300 degree oven for 3 to 4 hours, basting + turning every 30 to 45 minutes.
Serve when 'falling apart' tender over some good Louisiana rice.

Chef Donald Link's Oyster, Bacon + Eggplant Gratin

Yield: 3 appetizer portions

4 ounces Butcher bacon, cut into a 1/4 inch dice
1/2 cup eggplant, cut into large dice
15 Oysters
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 lemon, zest + juice
1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
3 tablespoons parmesan
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt + pepper

Method:
- Render bacon in a small amount of oil until cooked through. Reserve bacon fat.
- Saute eggplant in reserved bacon fat until cooked through. Season with salt + pepper.
- Combine softened butter, garlic, lemon zest + juice + half of the parsley. Season with a pinch of salt + pepper. Mash together with a fork until fully incorporated.
- combine bread crumbs, remaining parsley + olive oil. Season with salt + pepper.
- warm an 8 inch iron skillet or equivalent size serving dish. Arrange bacon, eggplant + oysters in the bottom of the pan. Dot with the butter mixture. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture over top of oysters
- Bake at a 475 degree oven for about 5 minutes or until bread crumbs are lightly browned.

Pork Rump Roast

4 lb pound rump roast

2 cups crimini mushrooms

1 cup carrots

1 cup onions

1 cup par cooked potatoes

2 cups red wine

1 cup stock or water


Chop all vegetables in 1/2 inch pieces.
Place roast in a roasting pan or rack and cook at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes to form a nice brown crust.
Add the chopped veggies and the wine, reduce heat to 300 degrees. Cook for about one hour and 15 minutes for medium rare.
Remove meat from pan and place the roasting pan over a medium high burner.
Add stock or water and cook vigorously for 3 to 5 minutes to slightly intensify the broth.