Mardi Gras Recipe Sampler by Mitchell Rosenthal, Author of Cooking My Way Back Home

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Recipes included in this excerpt: Smoky Chicken Hock Gumbo with Andouille Sausage and Green Onion, Chicken and Smoked Andouille Jambalaya, The Peacemaker, Warm Beignets with Powdered Sugar, King Cake, Sazerac's Sazerac, and Uptown Hurricane. In Cooking My Way Back Home, Mitchell Rosenthal delivers the same warmth, personality, and infectious enthusiasm for sharing food as can be found at his wildly popular San Francisco restaurants, Town Hall, Anchor and Hope, and Salt House. With his trademark exuberance and good humor, Mitchell blends Southern-inspired comfort food with urban sophistication and innovation, for exciting results. Reflecting on the classics (Shrimp Étouffée), updating regional specialties (Poutine), elevating family favorites (Chopped Liver), and reveling in no-holds-barred, all-out indulgences (Butterscotch Chocolate Pot de Crème) are what’s on order in this collection of 100 imaginative and irresistible recipes. Like a good friend offering up a platter of freshly fried Oysters Rémoulade, these robust, full-flavored recipes are impossible to refuse. For more information, visit crownpublishing.com.

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Content

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Cooking

��MY WAY��

back
home
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Mardi
Gras
recipe sampler
MITCHELL ROSENTHAL
with Jon Pult
Photography by PAIGE GREEN

TEN SPEED PRESS
www.tenspeed.com

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MARDI GRAS AT HOME
While

POPULAR IMAGES OF MARDI GRAS in New Orleans suggest colorful floats

rumbling down St. Charles Avenue, their masked riders tossing out beads and baubles, or a groping throng on
Bourbon Street fueled by liquid hurricanes and hand grenades (the potable kind), and cheap beer in ridiculously large vessels, it’s much more than that. Certainly those images represent parts of the Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans, but they are hardly the whole of it. The mid-century New Orleans writer Robert Tallant
begins his 1947 book Mardi Gras, by remarking that the celebration is “a spirit, an immortal one. At least as
immortal as Man’s ability to make believe . . . to have fun, to laugh and to play.” He’s right. That’s why just as
important as the parades and the excess are the smaller gatherings, the camaraderie of the folks assembled at
the corner bar, and, of course, the house party, Mardi Gras’ most basic unit.

THE MARDI GRAS PARTY can take many forms. Sometimes it’s merely a few drinks before heading out for a
parade, or a house near the parade route with an open door policy, people coming and going throughout the
day with the promise of fried chicken, a keg of beer and a clean bathroom. Other times it is merely a celebration of the season, unconnected to any larger parade or event. It can take the form of a sprawling fete on
Esplanade with a Dixieland band roaring away on the porch, or just a few friends and an ipod on a small street
Uptown. But whether high or low, whether drinking Dom Perignon or Dixie Beer, these house parties are all of
a piece: a celebration of New Orleans’ unique spirit of, well, celebration.

THE MENU
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Smoky Chicken Hock Gumbo with
Andouille Sausage and Green Onion
Chicken and Smoked Andouille Jambalaya
The Peacemaker
Warm Beignets with Powdered Sugar
King Cake

u
Sazerac's Sazerac
Uptown Hurricane

BUT YOU NEED NOT be in that particular bend in the Mississippi River to join in the festivities. You can catch

Beer

that spirit anywhere, and feed it with, say, a po-boy of fried oysters and shrimp.

WHAT I MEAN TO SAY is that a Mardi Gras party can be as simple as a pot of gumbo and a Professor Longhair

More Beer

record playing in the background. That doesn’t mean you can’t opt for excess and offer a bounty of classic
New Orleans food—jambalaya, po-boys, oysters on the half-shell—festoon every surface with purple, gold

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and green, make masking de-riguer and carefully curate a playlist of carnival classics. As long as you have the
“spirit,” there is no wrong way.

HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS for bringing a little bit of the spirit of Mardi Gras to your house this Carnival

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season.

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Smoky

CHICKEN-HOCK STOCK

About 3 cups cooked white rice

2 / pounds chicken bones (such as wings, necks, and backs )

2 green onions, green part only, thinly sliced on the diagonal

1 2

ChickenHock Gumbo
with

1 ham hock
4 quarts water
1 carrot, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 bay leaf

ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE

1 teaspoon peppercorns

and GREEN ONION

CHICKEN

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1 whole chicken, or 6 pieces, such as 3 thighs and
3 breast halves, totaling 31/2 to 4 pounds

Down in New Orleans, everyone claims to have a gumbo

Oil, for frying

recipe that’s “the best ever.” Well, I’ve got mine, too. Here
it is. I learned the technique for making this gumbo

Salt

twenty-five years ago, while working at K-Paul’s in the

1 cup all-purpose flour

French Quarter. The addition of the ham hock is something I came up with when we opened Town Hall. It adds

2 tablespoons Town Hall Spice Mixture (page 19)

ROUX

body, richness, and a slightly smoky flavor. (If you can’t

/ cup oil reserved from frying chicken
(or fresh canola oil, if you prefer)

3 4

find a ham hock, just double the amount of andouille
sausage.) Making gumbo is an example of what I call a

/ cup all-purpose flour

3 4

long-term relationship recipe. Not only do you have to
find your way with it over time, but, let’s face it, making

/ cup diced yellow onion

1 2

/ cup diced celery

1 4

gumbo takes a while. So think of this dish as an opportu-

/ cup diced green bell pepper

1 4

nity to cook for a group of your friends and get everyone

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

involved. Simply put, gumbo is the perfect party dish. If

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

you are on your own, gumbo, like most soups and stews,

1 teaspoon Town Hall Spice Mixture (page 19)

matures with time, so preparing it early in the morning
or even a day in advance will only make it better.

2 tablespoons oil reserved from frying chicken
(or fresh canola oil, if you prefer)

A good gumbo demands a good roux, and making a
good roux is an art. First, it helps to have the right tools.

4 cups diced yellow onion

For the amount of roux this recipe requires, you need a
cast-iron pan 8 to 10 inches in diameter. That’s the perfect

3 tablespoons Town Hall Spice Mixture (page 19)

size for the amount of flour and oil you are going to use.

21/2 cups diced green bell pepper

Also, let’s be honest here: When you make a roux, you

11/2 cups diced celery

/ pound andouille sausage, diced

1 4

need to be careful. If it gets on your skin, it is going to

1 heaping teaspoon chopped garlic

burn. They don’t call it Cajun napalm for nothing.

1 heaping teaspoon diced jalapeño chile

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1 teaspoon salt

� Serves 6 �

2 quarts Chicken Stock (page 19)
Freshly ground pepper

to make the roux, have a sheet pan ready for cooling it. Heat the oil in a cast-iron pan over a high flame until
the surface of the oil just starts to ripple. Add the flour and
whisk continuously. When it starts to brown lightly, turn
down the heat to medium-low and continue whisking for
about 5 minutes, or until the roux becomes a deep reddish
brown. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the onion, celery,
and bell pepper, and continue to stir for 1 minute. Transfer
the mixture to the sheet pan, spread it out, and let it cool for
2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle the Worcestershire sauce evenly over
the top, then scatter the garlic and spice mixture evenly over
the top. Stir to combine and set aside.
to finish the gumbo, in a large pot, heat the oil
over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring
occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until they start to brown.
Lower the heat to medium, add the sausage and 1 tablespoon
of the spice mixture, and stir and scrape for about 1 minute,
or until the spice mixture is lightly toasted and fragrant.
Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 2 more minutes,
continuing to stir and scrape and doing your best to prevent
anything from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Add the bell pepper and celery and stir well. Add the
garlic, jalapeño, the remaining 2 tablespoons of the spice
mixture, and the salt and cook, stirring and scraping occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
Skim off and discard any fat from the surface of the
2 quarts stock, then add the stock to the pot and stir well,
making sure you scrape the bottom and sides of the pot.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to a simmer and skim off any fat from the surface. Begin adding
the roux, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring to incorporate each
addition completely before adding the next tablespoon.
When all of the roux has been incorporated, stir well and
simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Finally, fold in the reserved chicken and ham hock meat
and heat through. Season with the pepper, then taste and
adjust the seasoning.
to serve, place a heaping spoonful of rice into each
individual bowl and ladle the gumbo over the top. Garnish
with the green onions and serve right away.

T

o make the stock, preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the
chicken bones and ham hock on a sheet pan and roast,
turning once, for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
Transfer the browned bones and hock to a large stockpot. With a spatula, scrape up any browned bits stuck to
the sheet pan and add to the pot, then pour in the 4 quarts
water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to
a simmer and skim off any fat and foam that has accumulated on the surface. Add the carrot, celery, onion, bay leaf,
and peppercorns and stir well. Simmer uncovered, stirring
occasionally, for 1 hour.
Remove the pot from the heat. Lift out the ham hock,
let cool, pull off the meat, and set aside. Strain the stock
through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids. Measure
out 2 quarts of the stock for the gumbo, cover, and refrigerate. Reserve the remaining stock for another use. It will keep
in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for
up to 2 months.
to cook the chicken, pour the oil to a depth of
1
1 /2 inches into a large, deep frying pan and heat to 375°F.
Meanwhile, season the chicken with a little salt. In a large
zippered plastic bag, combine the flour and spice mixture,
seal closed, and shake to mix. Then, add the chicken pieces
to the flour mixture one at a time and shake to coat evenly.
Shake off the excess flour from each chicken piece,
place in the hot oil skin side down, and fry, turning once,
for about 7 minutes on each side, or until the pieces are a
deep golden brown and cooked through. (If the pan is not
large enough to fry the chicken without crowding, cook the
pieces in batches, always allowing the oil to return to 375°F
before adding a new batch.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer
the pieces to a plate.
When the chicken pieces are cool enough to handle,
pull the meat off the bones, discard the bones, and set the
meat aside. Let the oil cool to room temperature, then strain
through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container and
set aside.

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6

7

Chicken
and

1 tablespoon minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground pepper
One 15-ounce can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes

SMOKED ANDOUILLE

1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups long-grain white rice

Jambalaya

3 cups Chicken Stock (page 19)
2 bay leaves

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Thinly sliced green onions, for garnish

When we make jambalaya at Town Hall, we make it in

P

very large portions. In other words, we start the pot with
a twenty-five-pound sack of onions. Just to caramelize

reheat the oven to 375°F.
In a heavy-bottomed ovenproof pot, heat the oil
over high heat. Working in batches, add the chicken pieces,
skin side down, and cook for 2 minutes, or until browned.
Transfer to a plate and set aside. When all of the chicken
has been browned, drain the oil from the pot into a measuring cup and return 1/4 cup of the oil to the pot (discard the
remainder). Add the butter and heat over high heat until
the butter melts. Add the onions and stir vigorously with a
wooden spoon, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen up
any little browned bits that might be sticking. Cook, stirring
occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until the onions just
begin to brown. Add the andouille, tasso, and 1 tablespoon
of the spice mixture and cook, continually scraping the bottom of the pot, for about 10 minutes, or until the meat and
onions are caramelized. Add the green peppers, celery, chile,
garlic, the remaining 1 tablespoon seasoning mixture, and
1 teaspoon salt and cook for 10 more minutes, scraping the
pot bottom every so often to loosen any browned bits that
might be sticking.
Stir in the tomato sauce and the tomato paste and
return the chicken to the pot. Let cook for a few minutes over
medium heat. Add the rice, stock, and bay leaves and bring to
a boil. Cover, transfer to the oven, and cook for 30 minutes,
or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before
serving. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Spoon onto
individual plates or shallow bowls, garnish with the green
onions, and serve.

those onions takes the better part of an hour, and by the
time we have finished adding the other base ingredients,
the cook charged with minding the pot has been stirring and scraping for more than an hour. Restaurants
necessarily work in these outsized portions, but the process, though not the size, is the same at home. So here is
another instance in which you have a long-term relationship with your dish. Although you’re starting with just a
couple of large onions and not a sack, the scraping and
stirring step, as well as every other step, is just as important, because following those steps is the only way to get
the flavor you want.

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� Serves 6 as a main course or
12 as a side dish �
/ cup canola oil

1 3

1 whole chicken, 31/2 to 4 pounds, boned and cut into
3-inch pieces, or about 21/2 pounds boneless, skinless
chicken (thighs and breasts)
1 tablespoon butter
2 large yellow onions, diced
2 cups (about 3/4 of a pound) andouille sausage cut into
1/2-inch pieces
1 cup (about 1/4 pound) tasso, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons Town Hall Spice Mixture (page 19)
2 large green bell peppers, seeded and diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 jalapeño chile, seeded and finely diced

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Peacemaker
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The

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n a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and hot
sauce, mixing well. Set aside.
Pour the oil to a depth of about 3 inches into a deep
fryer or deep cast-iron frying pan and heat to 375°F. While
the oil is heating, line a sheet pan with waxed paper. In a
large bowl, stir together both flours, the cayenne pepper, the
salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Pour the buttermilk into a
second bowl, add the shrimp, toss to coat, and let soak for a
minute or two. Then, working in batches, scoop the shrimp
out of the buttermilk, allowing the excess liquid to drip back
into the bowl, and add to the flour mixture. Toss to coat
evenly, then shake off the excess and place on the prepared
sheet pan. When all of the shrimp are coated, repeat the
process with the oysters. (It is important that you soak the
shrimp in the buttermilk first, as the oysters tend to, for lack
of a better term, and because this is a New Orleans specialty,
make the buttermilk funky).
Again working in batches to avoid crowding, add the
shrimp to the hot oil and fry for about 11/2 minutes, or until
golden brown. Using a wire skimmer or slotted spoon,
transfer to paper towels to drain. Keep warm. Repeat with
the oysters, frying each batch for about 2 minutes, or until
golden brown, then drain on paper towels.
Smear a liberal amount of the mayonnaise–hot sauce
mixture on the bottom of each bread piece, then place 3 or
4 each of the hot fried shrimp and oysters on top. (If you
want a little more spice, hit the shrimp and oysters with a few
dashes of hot sauce, straight from the bottle.) Top with the
lettuce and tomato slices and then the bread tops and serve.

Food in New Orleans causes lots of arguments. Like when
you are on line at the neighborhood po’boy shop and arguing whether to go with the fried oyster loaf or the fried
shrimp. This argument is internal, and results in a series
of interior negotiations and deliberations until compromise is reached: half oyster, half shrimp. One sandwich,
both cravings assuaged. That’s why this is called The
Peacemaker: it helps you make peace with yourself.
Use medium-sized oysters and large shrimp for
the best result. The key here is to make sure the crispy
coating on the shrimp and oysters is neither coarse nor
mealy. Corn flour does the trick beautifully. Finally, I like
to use Crystal hot sauce, but as this sandwich is called
The Peacemaker, I’d rather not argue. Use any hot sauce
you’d like.

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� Makes 6 sandwiches �
1 cup Mayonnaise (page 251)
2 tablespoons Crystal hot sauce
Canola oil, for deep-frying
2 cups corn flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups buttermilk
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 pound freshly shucked medium-sized oysters
(sold in a jar or tub)
1 head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced crosswise
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 loaves French bread, each cut crosswise into thirds
(about 6 inches long), then each third
split horizontally

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Warm Beignets
with

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lace the warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted
with the dough hook attachment, sprinkle the yeast on
top, and whisk to dissolve. Add a pinch of the granulated
sugar and let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy.
Add the flour, the remaining sugar, the egg yolks, milk,
nutmeg, salt, and baking powder. Mix on low speed for about
30 seconds, or just until the dough comes together. Add the
butter and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes, or until
the butter is completely incorporated. Increase the speed
to high and mix for about 2 minutes, or until the dough is
smooth and shiny, stopping to scrape down the sides of the
bowl as needed.
Butter a large bowl. Gather up the dough and form it
into a loose ball (it will be sticky). Place it in the buttered
bowl, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and place in
a warm spot until the dough rises to 11/2 times its original
size, about 11/2 hours.
Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly
floured work surface. Roll it out into a 8 by 2-inch rectangle
about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into twenty-four 2-inch squares and
let rest for 10 minutes before frying.
Pour the oil to a depth of 3 to 31/2 inches into a deep
fryer or deep, heavy-bottomed pot, and heat to 370°F.
Working in batches, add the dough squares and fry, turning once, for about a minute on each side, or until golden.
Using a wire skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer the beignets
to paper towels to drain briefly.
Dust the beignets generously with powdered sugar.
Serve immediately.

Powdered Sugar

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It’s no surprise that the Town Hall menu, with its many
nods south to New Orleans, includes that Café du Monde
classic, beignets. Serve them with a strong cup of coffee
and pretend you’re on Decatur Street.

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� Makes 24 beignets; serves 6 �
/ cup plus 1 tablespoon warm water (110°F)

1 2

1 packet active dry yeast
/ cup sugar

1 3

23/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 large egg yolks
/ cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk

1 3

13/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
11/4 teaspoons salt
/ teaspoon baking powder

1 8

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus
more for bowl
Canola oil, for deep-frying
Powdered sugar, for dusting

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King

CAKE
3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

Cake
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/ cup potato starch

1 2

1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon dry yeast
11/2 teaspoons salt
/ cup sugar

1 3

On the evening of January 6th, also known as the “12th

/ teaspoon baking powder

3 4

Night,” when the “Phunny Phorty Phellows” don their
masks, pile into a St. Charles Avenue streetcar and make

4 tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter,
melted and cooled

their way downtown, the Carnival season in New Orleans

2 eggs at room temperature

officially begins. It also heralds the start of “King Cake”

1 egg yolk at room temperature (white reserved)

season, whereby piles of simple, boxed coffee cakes fes-

/ cups buttermilk

3 4

tively iced in purple, gold ,and green, appear everywhere,
from grocery stores to gas stations, and make their way

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon Orange Blossom water

to office break rooms, school common areas and small
house parties. A small plastic baby is hidden in the cake.

FILLING

Tradition holds that whoever gets the baby in their slice

1 cup Mascarpone cheese mixed with 2 tablespoons
Confectioners' Sugar

has to bring the next cake to work, or host the next "King
Cake" party. And whoever gets the baby at that party has

/ cup strawberry jam

1 2

to host the next . . . and on and on, forever, or at least until
ICING

Mardi Gras. We don’t have occasion to make King Cake

1 cup Confectioners' sugar

in San Francisco, so we looked to the Crescent City for

/ cup whole milk

1 4

this recipe, a lighter, more elegant version filled with mascarpone cheese and strawberry jam. It comes to us from

(whisked together)

our friends at La Divina Gelateria on Magazine Street,
a lovely spot we recommend you visit on your next trip
to New Orleans.

Purple, gold, and green colored sugar

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Small plastic baby or dried fava bean

� Serves 6 to 8 �

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irst, sift together all the dry ingredients in the bowl of a
electric mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. In
a large bowl, mix together the butter, buttermilk, oil, and
Orange Blossom water. Gently stir in the eggs and egg yolk.
Pour the wet ingredients into the mixer with the dry
and mix on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until the dough
has come together. Increase the speed to medium high and
beat for 5 to 8 minutes. The dough should form a long cylindrical mass and easily detach from the hook.

Remove the dough from the mixer and place in a
well-oiled bowl. Cover with a dish towel and put the bowl
somewhere warm to rise for 11/2 to 2 hours, or until it has
doubled in size.
Gently punch the dough down and then remove it from
the bowl and form into a long cylinder. On a clean work
surface lightly dusted with flour, use a rolling pin to roll the
dough out into a long, thin rectangle, approximately 2 feet
long by 6 inches wide and about ¼ inch thick.
Next, spread the marscapone evenly down the middle
of the dough (it should be in a strip a little less than a third
as wide as the dough), and then spread the strawberry jam
evenly across the top of the cheese. Place plastic baby or dried
fava bean somewhere within the filling.
Starting at one end, twist the dough so that it folds over
on top of itself. Continue doing this, gently forming a spiral,
like a rope, guiding the dough with your hands to make sure
no filling escapes. When the dough is in one long spiraled
tube, take the ends and fold them into each other, making a
oval shape. Pinch the dough ends together.
Place the cake on a greased or parchment covered cookie
sheet and cover with a damp tea towel. Put it in a warm place
and let it rise for another 45 minutes, or until it feels soft and
plump. Brush the dough with the reserved egg white.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake until golden
brown, about 20 to 25 minutes, rotating half way through
the cooking time.
Remove from oven, let cool. Decorate with icing and
colored sugar—purple, gold, and green!
Happy Mardi Gras!

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16

17

Sazerac’s

Sazerac
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Uptown

Town Hall

HURRICANE

SPICE MIXTURE

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Ask a New Orleans bartender how to make a Hurricane
and they’ll reply “Make it tall. Make it strong. Make it

Many chefs have a signature spice mix, a blend that is a
kind of trademark. Paul Prudhomme had his spice mix-

red.” This ubiquitous New Orleans cocktail, seen slosh-

ture (now on grocery shelves across the country); and at

ing over the hands of Bourbon Street revelers 365 days

the Four Seasons, Seppi Renggli’s featured many aromat-

hello . . . he’ll be the clown with the ukulele talking a little

a year, was originally concocted at the French Quarter

too loudly). Anyway, let’s be honest a Sazerac is pretty
much and Old Fashioned, sans ice, and with a little Pastis.

ics like mace and star anise, nice complements to fish.
This is a mixture I’ve come up with. You’ll note that the

an extra-large rum delivery. Pat O’s, as it is known among

My brother-in-law has lived in New Orleans for more
than twenty years. This is his favorite drink. He likes it
so much, in fact, he invented a character called “Sazerac
the Clown”(If you’re in New Orleans on Mardi Gras, say

institution, Pat Obrien’s, as a sweet, fruity way to unload

“Sazerac the Clown” thinks that in barrooms this drink is
served too cold. That said, you want the whiskey mixture
just slightly chilled, so don’t stir too vigorously. That’s
how Sazerac likes a Sazerac. Who am I to argue?

the local folk, now uses a dry mix as the basis for its sig-

main ingredient is cayenne, giving dishes an added jolt of
heat, and reflecting what I like to do at Town Hall. But

nature drink. Our more refined version, using a combination of light and dark rum and fresh fruit juices, is tall,

don’t feel bound by this mixture, play with the proportions. Consider this Town Hall Spice Mixture a starting

strong and reddish. If too strong, just cut down on the

point for your own.

rum. And if you can’t get your hands on passion fruit

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� Serves 1�

In the kitchen, good stock is one of the most important
ingredients at your disposal. If you have to use a commercial broth or stock, first make sure it’s low sodium,
and second be mindful of the amount of salt a recipe calls
for directly and act accordingly, adjusting the amounts to
compensate for the salt you’re putting in with the storebought stock (like I said, taste your food). The best way
to avoid this possible pitfall is to make your own. Take
a free day, buy a gang of vegetables and chicken bones,
cook up some stock and tuck it away in your freezer. It
will keep for months.

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� 4 quarts �

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� Makes a scant / cup �

juice, just substitute some orange, fresh squeezed.

41/2 pounds chicken bones (including wings and backs)

1 3

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� serves 4 �

1 sugar cube,

Chicken
Stock
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8 quarts water
1 leek, sliced

2 tablespoons cayenne pepper

1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped

11/2 teaspoons paprika

3 dashes Peychaud bitters
4 ounces light rum

1 teaspoon salt

4 ounces dark rum

1 teaspoon white pepper

2 ounces fresh squeezed lime juice

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 ounces fresh passion fruit juice (or substitute
fresh squeezed orange juice)

1 teaspoon onion powder

Herbsaint, to rinse the glass
2 ounces Rye whiskey
Ice

F

irst, pack an old fashioned glass with ice. Next, place the
sugar cube in a cocktail shaker with a couple of drops
of water and the Peychaud bitters. Muddle and set aside.
Toss the ice out of the old fashioned glass and add a bit of
Herbsaint, turning to coat the inside, and then pour out any
excess. Add the Rye to the shaker, along with some ice, stir
and strain into the prepared glass. Garnish with a lemon
peel. Cheers!

2 celery stalks, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
6 to 8 parsley stems

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 ounces fresh pineapple juice

A few sprigs of thyme

/ teaspoon dried thyme

1 2

1 ounce of Grenadine

P

/ teaspoon dried oregano

1 2

Plenty of ice

lace the bones in a large stock pot, cover with the 8
quarts of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Then
lower to a simmer and skim off any fat and foam that has
accumulated on the surface. Add the remaining ingredients
and simmer, uncovered for 2 hours, skimming scum off of
the surface as necessary. Pour the stock through a fine mesh
strainer to remove all solids. The stock will keep refrigerated
for a week, or freeze for up to 3 months.

/ teaspoon ground cumin

1 2

I

n a pitcher, combine the rum, fresh juices and Grenadine.
Stir well. Pour into 4 highball glasses filled with ice.
Garnish with a slice of lime or orange (or both) and a straw.

2 carrots, sliced

/ teaspoon ground coriander

1 4

/ teaspoon dry mustard

1 4

/ teaspoon celery salt

1 8

M

ix together all the ingredients until well combined.
Store in an airtight container in a cool cupboard. The
mixture will keep for up to 6 months.

s

u

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IKO IKO | The Dixie Cups: New Orleans’ favorite girl group’s stripped down version of Sugarboy’s “Jockamo.”
They All Asked for You | The Meters: Nobody knows how or why this seeming children’s song, oddly punctuated
with culinary references and exhortations to “Laissez les bon temps roulez,” became associated with Mardi
Gras, but who cares. Feel the funk and let the good times roll.

s

THE MUSIC

22

T

he music of new orleans, in its many variations, is integral to the season and equally important to
a good MardiGras party. That unmistakable and indescribable beat is the perfect way to get your guests
into the Carnival mood. While each of the city’s musical genres—be it traditional jazz, rhythm and blues, or
greasy New Orleans funk, has its own clutch of tunes associated with “Carnival Time,” as we said, Mardi Gras
is a spirit, and that spirit is deeply embedded in just about any tune recorded by a New Orleans artist. Some
of your best bets would include masters of New Orleans funk, The Meters, a Doctor John disc, any classic
New Orleans Rhythm and Blues from the 50s and 60s (you know, Fats Domino, Lee Dorsey, Ernie K-Doe),
something by the new crop of brass bands, or just some good old traditional jazz. But if you have the time, or
the inclination, you might go for more specificity and search out the classic music of Mardi Gras. There are
a number of compilations you can download, but pay special attention that they include at least some of the
following Carnival classics. They’re infectious, and are sure to get the folks in the right frame of mind, you
know, infuse them with the spirit and get them moving.

The Second Line | Stop Inc.: Ubiquitous this time of year, and with good reason. This one might start a parade
in your living room.
Handa Wanda | The Wild Magnolias: The Mardi Gras Indian tradition serves as the basis for many a carnival
classic (Big Chief, Jockamo). Here, Bo Dollis and the Wild Magnolias (one of the city’s most well known “tribes”)
offer a funk take on a traditional Indian chant. Very greasy.
Meet de Boys on de Battlefront | the Wild Tchoupitoulas: Before there were the Neville Brothers, there were the
Wild Tchoupitoulas . . . the Neville Brothers backing their uncle, George Landry (Big Chief of that particular
tribe) on a series of funkified Mardi Gras Indian numbers.
Do Watcha Wanna | The Re-Birth Brass Band: A classic of more recent vintage, it’s repetitive lyric serves as a
kind of instruction manual for the season. Do watcha wanna, indeed.
King of the Zulus | Louis Armstrong: This instrumental commemorates the great Satchmo’s life-long dream,
to reign as King of the Zulu Social Aide and Pleasure Club on Mardi Gras day. He fulfilled that dream in
1949, becoming carnival’s first “Celebrity Monarch.” Download the 1957 version with the spoken introduction.

Go to the Mardi Gras | Professor Longhair: Here, the legendary piano man suggests “If you’re going to New
Orleans, you oughta go see the Mardi Gras.” He’s right, but if you’re not going, this recording, with its rollicking piano, insistent shuffle beat and whistling(!) makes a pretty fair sonic substitute.

Tootie Ma is a Big Fine Thing | Tom Waits and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band: It’s a bohemian Mardi Gras
as Tom Waits and the Preservation Hall band cover the legendary Danny Barker’s jazzy take on the Mardi
Gras Indian Tradition.

Big Chief | Professor Longhair: Another must for the season from the “Bach of Rock” and Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame inductee.

If Ever I Cease to Love | various versions: The unofficial anthem of Mardi Gras and the official anthem of the
Rex Organization. A tale of the world turned upside down. Perfect.

Carnival Time | Al “Carnival Time” Johnson: You know it’s a classic when the song’s title becomes the singer’s
de facto middle name.

The Day After Mardi Gra | Lakefront Loungers: This very rare recording is a post celebratory lament that begins
“My poor head is aching, my two hands are shaking, the day after Mardi Gras.” It ends on a more upbeat note
proving the present condition worth it—“I’m almost dead here, but I’ll be back next year . . . ” If you do your
party right, so will your guests.

Mardi Gras Mambo | The Hawkettes: The honking saxophone intro to this 1954 hit serves as a Carnival
clarion call, the end of which causes entire barrooms of folk to turn from their drinks and offer a guttural
“ungh” in unison.
Jockamo | James “Sugarboy” Crawford: “Hey now!” A Mardi Gras Indian Chant reimagined as an R & B burner.

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Krewe of Carrollton | Uptown 12:00 p.m. | Theme: Celebrate Louisiana
Krewe of King Arthur | Uptown 1:15 p.m. | Theme: Louisiana Statehood Bicentennial
Mystic Krewe of Barkus (Dog Parade!) | French Quarter 2:00 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, February 15th

u

THE ATMOSPHERE

24

Mystic Krewe of Druids | Uptown 6:30 p.m. | Theme: Secret
Mystic Krewe of Nyx | Uptown 7:00 p.m. | Theme: Secret
THURSDAY, February 16th
Knights of Babylon | Uptown 5:45 p.m. | Theme: Secret
Knights of Chaos | Uptown 6:30 p.m. | Theme: Secret

Y

ou’ve got the menu planned, the playlist is set, now you have to decide how far you want to go in
terms of atmosphere. As we said, you can just put a record on and feast on some tasty New Orleans food.
However, you might want to take your Mardi Gras fête a little further. A simple internet search will reveal scores
of outfits offering supplies for a Mardi Gras Party. You can load up on beads, plastic cups, some simple masks,
maybe even crepe paper streamers or plastic bunting in purple, green and gold (the colors of Mardi Gras),
and transform your house into a visual slice of New Orleans. Or, you might pretend its Mardi Gras day and
opt for a full-on costume party and require everyone to dress up (remember part of the celebration’s spirit is
make-believe). You can even take a cue from the city’s many carnival organizations (known as “Krewes”), who’s
parades and masked balls are always based on a theme. Go ahead, give your party a theme and require your
guests to dress appropriately. A Mardi Gras party can be as sophisticated or as simple as you want.
We understand that, as you might hear someone on a French Quarter balcony remark while gazing out
at the throbbing street below, “Everywhere else, it’s just Tuesday.” Perhaps a Tuesday in late February isn’t the
best day to host a party. But remember, the Carnival season starts, officially, on January 6th, Twelfth Night, and
the parades start a little over two weeks prior to “Fat Tuesday.” Below, you’ll find the schedule of those parades
threading through the streets of New Orleans this Carnival season, as well as each krewe's theme for 2012. So
go ahead, pick a krewe and build your party around its big day.

Krewe of Muses | Uptown 6:30 p.m. | Theme: Secret
FRIDAY, February 17th
Knights of Hermes | Uptown 6:00 p.m. | Theme: Secret
Le Krewe d’Etat | Uptown 6:30 p.m. | Theme: Secret
Krewe of Morpheus | Uptown 7:00 p.m. | Theme: Louisiana Treasures
SATURDAY, February 18th
Krewe of Iris | Uptown 11:00 a.m. | Theme: Messenger of the Gods
Krewe of Tucks | Uptown 12:00 p.m. | Theme: Tucks Get Culture
Krewe of Endymion | Mid-City 4:15 p.m. | Theme: Happily Ever After
SUNDAY, February 19th
Krewe of Okeanos | Uptown 11:00 a.m. | Theme: Gone but not Forgotten
Krewe of Mid-City | Uptown 11:45 a.m. | Theme: Apocolypso: Party at the end of the World
Krewe of Thoth | Uptown 12:00 p.m. | Theme: Streets of New Orleans
Krewe of Bacchus | Uptown 5:15 p.m. | Theme: Louisiana Bicentennial
MONDAY, February 20th

SATURDAY, February 4th
Krewe du Vieux | French Quarter 6:30 p.m. | Theme: Crimes Against Nature
FRIDAY, February 10th
Krewe of Oshun | Uptown 6:00 p.m. | Theme: Child’s Play

Krewe of Proteus | Uptown 5:15 p.m. | Theme: Mythologica Aquatica
Krewe of Orpheus | Uptown 6:00 p.m. | Theme: Nonsense and Tomfoolery
MARDI GRAS DAY, February 21st
Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club | Uptown 8:00 a.m. | Theme: From Zulu With Love
Krewe of Rex | Uptown 10:00 a.m. | Theme: Lore of the Ancient Americas

SATURDAY, February 11th
Krewe of Pontchartrain | Uptown 2:00 p.m. | Theme: Where is What Louisiana Festival?
Knights of Sparta | Uptown 6:00 p.m. | Theme: Le Carnaval De Animaux
Krewe of Pygmalion | Uptown 6:45 p.m. | Theme: The Name of the Game is . . .
SUNDAY, February 12th

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��
����
Copyright © 2011 and 2012 by Mitchell Rosenthal with Jon Pult
Photography copyright © 2011 by Paige Green
Foreword copyright © 2011 by Wolfgang Puck
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Ten Speed Press,
an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.tenspeed.com
Ten Speed Press and the Ten Speed Press colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Rosenthal, Mitchell, 1960Cooking my way back home : recipes from San Francisco’s
Town Hall, Anchor & Hope, and Salt House / by Mitchell Rosenthal with Jon Pult;
photography by Paige Green.

COOKING MY WAY BACK HOME
Recipes from San Francisco’s Town Hall,

Order your copy today:

p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-1-58008-592-2

Anchor & Hope, and Salt House

Amazon

1. Cooking, American—California style. 2. Cooking, American—Southern style.

Barnes & Noble

4. Anchor & Hope (Restaurant) 5. Salt House (Restaurant)

by Mitchell Rosenthal with Jon Pult
8 x 10 inches, 272 pages, full color
$35.00 hardcover (Can $40.00)

IndieBound

6. Cookbooks. I. Pult, Jon, 1966- II. Title.

iBookstore

641.59794—dc22

ISBN: 977-1-58008-592-2
eBook ISBN: 978-1-6074-078-0

3. Town Hall (Restaurant : San Francisco, Calif.)

TX715.2.C34R67 2011
2011011631

AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE BOOKS ARE SOLD

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Design by Toni Tajima
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Berkeley
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