Maybe the name Paul Prudhomme rings a bell, maybe it doesn`t. But what about blackened redfish? It seems as though everyone has heard of that, probably even tasted it at one time or another.
Prudhomme is the man who invented the technique of searing foods in a red hot cast iron skillet thereby bringing us blackened fish, a sea of it. And this simple culinary feat catapulted Prudhomme to gastronomic stardom and made him a culinary demi-god.
Prudhomme introduced America not just to blackened food but to Creole and Cajun cooking and got us started on a trend which added fire both literally and figuratively to the culinary scene of the `80s. His first cookbook ”Paul Prudhomme`s Louisiana Kitchen” (Morrow, $19.95) has sold more than 800,000 copies in hardcover, a number that borders on phenomenal in a field where sales of 30,000 is considered a success. He has two restaurants, one in New Orleans and a recent outpost in New York. He has a line of Magic Seasoning blends that are sold in practically every grocery store. And he has written a second successful book ”The Prudhomme Family Cookbook” (Morrow, $19.95).
So what`s he up to now?
The man who made spicy New Orleans cooking a staple now has moved on to American home cooking-as in macaroni and cheese, meatloaf, baked beans-the stuff that, for many, has degenerated to the level of bad jokes.
In town recently for the annual National Restaurant Association show, Prudhomme spent some time talking about his current projects and gave a teasing look at his next book, tentatively titled ”Seasoned American” which is scheduled for release by Morrow in the fall of 1991.
”I`ve always been interested in American food,” Prudhomme says, a point which is clear when you consider that the style of cooking he popularized is, in fact, regional American cooking.
But American cooking a la Prudhomme won`t be a rehash of community cookbooks nor more of the current trendiness which marks so much of what is called American cuisine. It will be an honest look at classic American dishes, a salute to their heritage.
”I`m taking the old standards and adding technique to them so that each ingredient has an identity and a great relationship to the whole dish. People are telling me they don`t cook American food with technique. They apply what they have learned in terms of flavoring and technique to other cuisines like Mexican, Italian, Cajun,” explains Prudhomme, ”but not to American home cooking.” Thus, according to Prudhomme, many American dishes are made without distinction or imagination.
”Many great dishes developed because of one single ingredient. Gumbo most likely came about from an old hen, macaroni and cheese from a really good tasting cheese that a family loved and wanted to highlight. That`s what made these foods so good,” according to Prudhomme. Trouble is, along the way, many of these dishes lost their character and turned into bland, watered down versions that lacked any resemblance to their progenitor.
”Take shrimp Creole. I saw it all over when I was a kid. It was universally bright red and awful. And I thought, `No dish that tastes this bad could have gotten so popular.` It had to be good at one time. So I talked to old professional cooks and grandmas and discovered that it was originally made with a variety of tomatoes known as Creole tomatoes which were very low in acid. And people always used fresh shrimp, with the heads on, he explained. The heads of shrimp have a little pocket of fat which adds a tremendous amount of flavor. That, coupled with the regionally grown tomatoes and what Prudhomme calls ”a finesse of seasoning,” creates a dish quite unlike the mass produced versions of shrimp Creole which infiltrate the country.
”So I finally found out that originally, shrimp Creole was not even red but rather a burnished copper color, the color of deep red hair, quite different than it is usually seen today. Made that way, it is just
fantastic.”
It`s pretty hard to separate the man from the legend. After all, for the better part of a decade, he has made his mark as a champion of Louisiana cooking. Can he make the switch from raging hot Cajun and Creole food to all- American? ”People come up to me and tell me their favorite recipe from Louisiana Kitchen is an etouffe or a jambalaya. I feel so bad. One of the best recipes in the book is for meatloaf. I just wish they`d try that,” he says, lending credence to the assertion that he is just a regular guy.
In addition to the new book, Prudhomme has something else on his mind, a more weighty issue, so to speak. It is practically impossible to talk to chef Paul (as he likes to be called) and not notice his size. He`s large. Indeed, very large. So large that simple mobility is a problem. He no longer walks but transports himself in a motorized cart. Proper etiquette precludes a forthright question regarding his weight, but he brings it up without any prompting.
”The only challenge in my life that I haven`t been able to do anything about is my weight. I can`t lose weight,” he explains without a hint of self- consciousness or apology. He admits to a recent heavy-weight high of 380 pounds but, of late, the scales have been witness to a downward trend. Prudhomme now tickles the scales at 345 pounds. Not exactly svelte but a start.
So what`s his secret? Surely he`s not on one of the liquid diets? No, his tactic is the public humiliation route.
”I really like food, like to eat, but I thought maybe if I went public I could lose some weight,” Prudhomme says. Thus, the rationale behind his regular weigh-in`s on ”House Party,” a syndicated television show on WMAQ-Ch. 5, Monday through Friday at 1:30 a.m. Yes, that is a.m., as in way-past-bedtime for most folks.
”Hopefully, people love me enough that if I fail, it`ll be okay.” But this time, he`s not expecting to fail.
”Have you ever heard of cheap calories?” he asks. ”What I do on House Party is to take regular recipes for food, say from the Joy of Cooking or James Beard, or Julia Child. Then, I cook them so they have less fat and calories. So far, I haven`t been able to come up with one recipe that doesn`t have less than 50 percent the normal calories and still taste great. You really can cook without oil.”
Prudhomme wants to lose weight and tell America all about American cooking. But what does he really want? Blackened redfish on every menu? Jars of Magic Seasoning in every cupboard? Or is he interested in a larger picture of life?
”Family meals where everyone talked and ate together were so important in my life. I hope to get people to cook for their family again. That`s my greatest desire. It makes for a strong family and a better adjusted child,”
he explains.
And with his forthcoming versions of macaroni and cheese and meatloaf a la Prudhomme, he just might get the kids back around the table.
MEATLOAF WITH AND TOMATO SAUCE
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
This is a lower fat version of one of chef Paul Prudhomme`s favorite recipes.
Meatloaf:
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup each: chopped celery, chopped green pepper
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Chef Paul Prudhomme`s Meat Magic
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup evaporated skim milk
1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup each: minced zucchini, minced yellow squash
Tomato sauce:
1 cup chopped onions
1 teaspoon Chef Paul Prudhomme`s Meat Magic
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
2 1/2 cups peeled and chopped tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced green onions
1 1/2 cups defatted chicken stock or broth
Drippings from meatloaf
1. For meatloaf, heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with vegetable cooking spray.
2. Place a small skillet over high heat. Add 1/2 cup of onions, 1/4 cup celery and 1/2 cup green pepper. Using a circular motion, spray the vegetables for no more than 2 seconds. Cook and stir for 4 minutes. Lower the heat and continue to cook until the vegetables begin to brown, 3 minutes. Add the remaining onion, celery and green pepper. Sprahe bottom of the pan. Add Meat Magic, Worcestershire sauce and another 1/4 cup water. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add evaporated skim milk, cook 1 minute, then remove from heat. Let cool slightly.
3. Combine both meats, the zucchini and yellow squash in a bowl. Add the contents of the skillet and mix well. Transfer to loaf pan and make a compact loaf. Bake 50 minutes. Pour off and reserve drippings. There should be about 1/2 cup.
4. Start sauce while meatloaf is cooking. Place onions in a 10-inch skillet over high heat. Spray, using a circular motion, with vegetable oil cooking spray for 1 1/2 seconds. Cook over high heat until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon Meat Magic, the thyme and basil and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes and garlic and cook 1 1/2 minutes. Add green onions and cook 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup stock, cook 2 minutes then add another 1/2 cup stock and cook 3 minutes longer. Turn heat to medium and cook 7 minutes. Add remaining stock, rest of Meat Magic and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in meat drippings. –
