Recreating RESTAURANT MASTERPIECES!
- Jonathan Sindler
- Feb 19, 2022
- 2 min read
I'm on the verge of tears of joy! Anyone who knows me knows that my favorite dish of any restaurant on the planet is the Red Beans and Rice from Pier 424 Seafood Market on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. And here's the ironic part - I HATE red beans!
Back in November, 2017 we traveled with dear friends to New Orleans for a long weekend. Our flight arrived late yet we were told we HAD to visit this restaurant regardless of what time we arrived. We got to the restaurant after 10:00pm and despite nearly falling asleep at the table, they set this plate of Red Beans and Rice in front of me and it was love at first bite. I literally could not shovel it into my mouth fast enough. Since then, I have never had a dish at any restaurant that I have loved more.
Sadly, I have not been able to get back to New Orleans so I decided that the theme for today's lunch and dinner would be: Recreating some of my favorite restaurant dishes at home - starting with lunch - my version of Pier 424's Red Beans and Rice.
I soaked the beans overnight, and then rinsed and drained them this morning before adding fresh water, sautéed "holy trinity" (onion, green pepper, celery) garlic, bay leaf and tons of fresh spices. I simmered it for 3 hours and the house smelled like New Orleans.
Pier 424 serves theirs with a hunk of grilled andouille sausage and for a few dollar more, you can add a crispy chicken thigh coated with a honey Tobasco glaze - YES PLEASE! So of course I had to do the same today. To add even more flavor to the beans, I added the sausage to the pot of beans for the last 15 minutes and then I removed it so that I could grill it while making the chicken. I soaked the thighs in buttermilk overnight and then double coated in seasoned flour before frying. The glaze is simply honey, Tobasco, butter, paprika, and touch of cayenne and salt.
The finished product.
And if you want to compare, here is a picture of Pier 424's Red Beans and Rice.
Up later, I'm making Bonefish Grill's Bang Bang Shrimp, everyone's favorite Orange Chicken, and Johnny's (Roland Park) Fried Rice. We'll see if they turn out as yummy as today's lunch!
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