appetizers Piquant Crabmeat Ramekins Cream of Tomato Soup

main courses Chicken Florentine Paneéd Veal and Fettucini

dessert Sweetie Custard Recipe

Dear StarChef Readers, Thank you for your interest in Louisiana Cooking. I am very proud of my cultural heritage and have made it my life's work to share the joy of this unique style of cooking. I hope to take what makes our cooking so special and teach cooks all across the country to make every meal special. I grew up the youngest of thirteen kids in the bayous near Opelousas. My father was a sharecropper who farmed cotton and sweet potatoes. We also had a vegetable garden and raised to make dinner interesting, even for a familiy of fifteen. It wasn't until I left Louisiana and started my career cooking in other parts of the country that I began to appreciate the special gifts we have in Louisiana. Our natural harvest of wildlife and bountiful fresh seafood, as well as our subtropical climate that produces incredible fruits and vegetables, creates abundant resources for my cooking. I returned to Louisiana many years ago because it was important for me to keep our Louisiana heritage alive and to foster a love for our style of eating. I opened K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen restaurant in the French Quarter of New Orleans in 1979, and this remains my only restaurant. We change the menu every day, using only the freshest, locally available ingredients and no microwaves or freezers. My Magic Seasoning Blends spice line originated from recipes served at K-Paul's, and the seasonings are still used exclusively in every dish. Lately, in the past six years, my cookbooks have explored tastes and flavors of the world (Fiery Foods That I Love) as well as cooking techniques with substitute ingredients for fats, oils, and butters (Fork In The Road). The diversity of recipes between my six cookbooks allows you, your friends and family to create something special and memorable with food. As I have often said, the measure of a good dish is that it makes you want to take another bite. Good Cooking! Good Eating! Good Loving! Paul Prudhomme