Earlier this week some friends were in town visiting their son, a soon-to-be-graduate from Tulane's school of medicine. I was testing a recipe for Crawfish Queso Monkey Bread for the next issue of the magazine (divine) and invited them over to sample that afternoon; we sat outside around the picnic table, talked, and scarfed down an entire bundt pan of monkey bread. It was a tantalizing glimpse of life getting back to normal as this pandemic is brought under control! Of the 6 people around the table, 5 were fully vaccinated, and I will be by the end of this month. SUCH a treat. (The recipe will be in the upcoming April/May edition of Louisiana Kitchen & Culture.)

Below you'll find a traditional St. Patrick's day meal-- my favorite corned beef and cabbage. The ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender and require at max 10 minutes of hands-on work; they bake, undisturbed, for several hours. The eggplant goes from delicious to divine with a couple of toppings you'll find lots of other uses for--enjoy the recipes below, stay safe and healthy, and, as always, let me know what's on your mind. 

Best regards,

Susan Ford, Publisher and Editorial Director
Louisiana Kitchen & Culture

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In the Mail:

Corned Beef and Cabbage

I love this dish, but for some reason I only make it once a year. It's easy, inexpensive per serving, and *BONUS* leftovers make a fantastic Reuben sandwitch, with a little sauerkraut, Russian dressing, and cheese. This year I intend to put my relatively new baking skills to work and make a loaf of rye bread to go along with it.

Fennel-Brown Sugar Pork Ribs

This easy recipe is from Christopher Kimball's latest cookbook, The New Rules. The rub for the ribs mixes fennel, red pepper, garlic, and rosemary with brown sugar, and they're then roasted, undisturbed, for several hours in a low oven. The result is fall-off-the-bone tender ribs; don't be tempted to substitute baby back ribs for the meatier St. Louis-style ribs the recipes call for.

Fried Eggplant with Caramelized Tomato and Goat Cheese

From Alon Shaya's https://eatwithsaba.com/shop eponymous cookbook Shaya, the tomato "paste-o" and herbed goat cheese elevate the already-divine fried eggplant to a new level. Serve these along with a crisp green salad for lunch, or as an appetizer for a fabulous dinner. The toppings can be made several hours in advance and kept at room temperature; the eggplant needs to be served warm.