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The new cold carrot (ginger, cucumber, pistachio) soup at Alias is possibly the best soup I've ever had.
is that really wylie getting a little prickly on lockhart steeles site? can anyone confirm that email address? if so, i would like a gooseberry tart too.
At
Gabrielle, a small quiet spot in Mid-City NOLA, had smoked chicken gumbo, specifically to compare it with my own creation, which is not bad.
However it's clear I didn't know the meaning of smoked chicken. I tried making do with some wood chips in a propane grill at low heat. Theirs carried a strong, smokey, woody flavor that permeated the gumbo. Perhaps I should bring a proper smoker back to CA from LA on my next trip.
They also schooled me on roux. I've made roux only a few times, and go medium dark, being somewhat timid about ruining it. The deep, toasty flavor of their gumbo was the sign of a steady hand on the whisk.
Keeping with the local theme, I had redfish with a crawfish etouffe. The fish was fresh and cooked over a very hot grill after being coated with an excellent mixture of spices. It wasn't overly hot, just intense. The etouffe was light and flavorful. Perhaps the best I've had.
D had eggplant, lightly battered, fried, and served with a roasted red pepper sauce. It was inventive veggie fare with a French touch to the balance of flavors in the sauce.
Next time, I'm trying the rabbit. But the duck with wild mushrooms looked interesting too.