Vietnamese Caramelized Pork & Eggs

Ingredients

• 2 lb (907.2 g) pork I like 50% belly 50% shoulder
• tap water for first boil
• 6 fl oz Rico coconut soda Coke or 7-Up works in a pinch
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp salt
• filtered water
• 4 tbsp caramel color (nuoc mau) Depending on how dark your caramel sauce gets, you may not need to use all of it.
• 8 large hard-boiled eggs
• 1 yellow onion split into 8 large chunks

Directions

1. Cut the pork into 1.5" cubes. I like this size for ease of eating, and it cooks faster than 1 huge chunk of pork.
2. Bring 2-3 quarts of tap water boiling on high, or enough to fully submerge the pork. When the water's boiling, add the pork for 1-2 minutes just to clean it. Drain then rinse the pork under running water until the water is clear.
3. Add the coconut soda, fish sauce and salt to the pot, then add filtered water so it just about covers the pork.
4. Turn the heat to high. When boiling, lower heat to about 25% heat or until you still see a low boil. Simmer for about 1.5 to 2 hours total, leaving covered for the first 40 minutes. Check and stir the pot every 20 minutes. The longer you cook it, the softer the pork gets. After 40 minutes, remove the cover to let the liquid reduce so you get a more concentrated sauce later.
5. Make the caramel color (nuoc mau) in a separate pot and add it to the pot of thit kho.
6. Make the hard-boiled eggs: add the eggs to a pot and cover the eggs with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Remove from heat and let it sit for 8 minutes. Cool under running water and peel the shells.
7. During the last ~30-40 minutes of cooking add the peeled eggs and onions.
8. The final goal is to reduce the liquid about 1/3 of the starting amount, but you can do it based your own taste of the sauce and pork softness. When the pork hits a doneness you like, re-season with salt or fish sauce, or add water to thin out to your taste. Remember you want it a bit saltier since it will dilute when eating with rice.

Source — Hungry Huy
Prepared by Mai Nguyen
Louisiana Anthology
September 22, 2022

The Way to Make Good Coffee and Tea

Ingredients

• coffee grounds or loose leaf tea
  
• water
  

Directions

1. For making coffee or tea, never boil the water more than three or four minutes as most of its natural properties escape by evaporation, leaving very insipid liquid when boiled very long, which spoils the coffee or tea. Never use the water left in the tea-kettle over night, but have fresh boiled water always if you want good coffee or tea.
2. For tea, have an earthen or china pot, scald it out well and set on the stove, where it will dry and keep hot, when dry put in two teaspoonfuls of tea, let heat a minute or two and ten minutes before serving, pour in a pint of fresh boiling water.

Source — New Orleans Cook Book.
Prepared by Mai Nguyen
Louisiana Anthology
September 22, 2022

Filling for Lemon Pies

Ingredients

• 
  juice from 2 lemons
• 2 cups flour, plus 4 tablespoonsful flour
• 3 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoonful of Dixie lemon extract

Directions

1. Grate the yellow covering and squeeze out the juice of 2 lemons into a granite pan.
2. Add 2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, the yolks of 4 eggs, reserving the whites in a separate dish, add 4 tablespoonsful flour, 2 cups water added slowly while stirring.
3. When smooth, cook until thich enough to pour into the crust, which should be already baked.
4. Beat the 4 whites of eggs into a froth, add 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoonful of Dixie lemon extract.
5. Pour over the pies, return to oven until the white top becomes a light brown.

Source — New Orleans Cook Book.
Prepared by Mai Nguyen
Louisiana Anthology
September 22, 2022

Sponge Cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
  
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon Dixie baking powder
• 3 eggs

Directions

1. Sift 1 cup flour, 1 sup sugar and 1 teaspoon Dixie baking powder together.
2. Then break 3 eggs into it.
3. And only beat enough to get a smooth batter.

Source — New Orleans Cook Book
Prepared by Mai Nguyen
Louisiana Anthology
September 22, 2022

Bruce's Chili

Ingredients

• 6 pounds lean ground beef. Rough ground if you can find it.
• 2 14.5 oz. cans Hunts Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes. Regular diced tomatoes will also work.
• 1 29 oz can Tomato Sauce
• 1 28 oz can Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 12 oz can Tomato Paste
• 2 10 oz cans Rotel Tomatoes Original
• 1 qt Beef Stock
• 4 onions
  
• 4 bell peppers
• 1 bunch of celery
• 3 Tbs minced garlic
• 1 7 oz. of chopped chipotle in adobo sauce
• 1 Tbs Fancy Light Chili Powder
• 1 Tbs Chipotle Chili Powder
• 1 Tbs Fiesta Chili Powder
• 3 Tbs smoked paprika
• 2 Tbs Oregano
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 2 Tbs Creole seasoning
  

Creole seasoning 

• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp onion powder
• 1½ tsp black pepper
• 1½ tsp white pepper
• 1½ tsp red pepper (cayenne)

Directions

1. Combing the stock, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and tomato sauce in a large stock pot. Simmer on low.
2. Dice the vegetables.
3. Sauté the vegetables. Add them to the stock.
4. Brown the ground meat. Drain. 
5. Add the meat to the stock.
6. Add the spices. Add Creole seasoning to taste.
7. Simmer 30 minutes to a couple of hours to all the flavors to blend.

Source — Bruce R. Magee
Prepared by Bruce R. Magee
Louisiana Anthology
September 21, 2022

Chicken Alfredo

Ingredients

• Chicken breast: 1 per person 
• Pasta 
• Salted butter
• Garlic
• milk
• Salt 
• peper
• Parmesan cheese
• Flour
• olive oil

Directions

1. Remove any bones from the Chicken Breast and flatten.
2. Salt and pepper on both sides.
3. Lightly oil pan with olive oil and cook chicken breast. 
4. Break up garlic and saute for 30 seconds. 
5. Add flour and whisk until golden.
6.  Add milk and whisk. Add small amounts until smooth and to taste.
7. Boil water and cook pasta. 
8. Plate with pasta and sauce and add parmesan cheese.
9. Chicken breast is separate but can be cut up and mixed together.

Source — Lisa Tucker
Prepared by Matthew Tucker
Louisiana Anthology
October 19, 2022

German Potato Salad

Ingredients

• Seven Russet potatoes
• Ten eggs
• One bunch of green onions
• Two celery stalks
• One tablespoon of canola oil
• Five tablespoons of distilled white vinegar
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Boil seven Russet potatoes until soft, drain, peel, and cut into bite-size chunks. 
2. Boil ten eggs, peel when they are room temperature, and cut the whites and yolks into small pieces.
3. Dice one bunch of green onions.
4. Dice two celery stalks.
5. Combine above ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
6. Pour in one tablespoon of canola oil.
7. Pour in five tablespoons of distilled white vinegar.
8. Mix all together and taste.
9. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Prepared by Jonathan Frazier

   Louisiana Anthology

   September 21, 2022