John Besh describes the unique touches in his 10 signature dishes

We have a special soft spot in our culinary hearts for New Orleans cuisine – and we’ve found John Besh to be a worthy successor to such illustrious forces as Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse. So his essay from In First We Feast, The 10 Dishes That Made My Career, struck us as a worthy read. After all, there aren’t many cooks who combine being a Marine, graduating from the CIA, and cooking in Germany with Louisiana roots.

And the dishes? Here they are  – some are obvious and some aren’t – the article explains his approach to each in greater detail:

• Shrimp Creole – he adds  fresh lemongrass and allspice
• Redfish – baked whole, not blackened or fried
• Oyster and Duck Gumbo – with Andouille is a “weird, delicious” combination
• Trout Meuniére: Respect the fish by forgetting the seasoning (just a little bit of salt, pepper, and lemon)
• Potato Gnocchi: Not many New Orleans chefs regard this as a go-to dish to use as a base for almost anything
• Ragout of Lamb Shoulder with Cavatelli: Add a bit of umami with anchovy and a touch of citrus with orange peel
• Alain’s Soupe de Poissons: Blue crab instead of rockfish
• Slow-cooked Tender Tripe: Five-minute cherry tomato sauce is key
• Clafoutis: We love these as well – especially for breakfast
• Walter’s Cheesecake:  This is what Besh likes for breakfast

As they say in New Orleans, “ Laissez les bons temps rouler” (let the good times roll).

Recipe and Image of Cherry Clafouti from Tartalette