Reign On Game Day Recipes Week 6: New Orleans Finest Food

While our favorite players on the Patriots strive for excellence on the field, why can't we fans strive for the same quality while we cheer them on? Back by popular demand is another round of Game Day Recipes courtesy my dad, Steve Saver. Make sure you make a winning choice for your game day party with one of our Reign On Game Day Recipes.

Find more of his recipes at www.stevesacooking.com


"Throw me something Mister"

Throw me something is a cry you hear while watching one of the many parades for Mardi Gras. I remember standing there saying look at these fools they are killing each other for beads well it was not long before I pushed my first kid out of the way while diving for a string of beads. This year the cry “Throw Me Something” takes on another meaning it will be a Patriot or a Saint calling for a reception.

So here I’ll throw you a few of my favorite recipes from while my wife and I were living in New Orleans. These are good for during or halftime but “y’all” got to try them. I’ve abbreviated the listing her but gave you a link to get full recipes for each

Crawfish Boil- suck-dat-head pinch-dat-tail




While working for Twentieth Century Fox I spent 2 years in New Orleans. Went from 169 to 189 lbs, learn to suck-dat-head pinch-dat-tail (crawfish) learn that “y’all” is singular just like “you guys” is in the Northeast and most especially how to slow down and enjoy.

I normally grab some crab boil pack and boil them up following the instructions but here is a great recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2009.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
2 tablespoons whole cloves
1 1/2 tablespoons whole allspice
5 gallons water
1 pound kosher salt
4 tablespoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon dried dill weed
6 bay leaves, crumbled
10 pounds live crawfish
3 pounds small red potatoes, cut in 1/2, if larger than 2-inches in diameter
8 ears corn, halved
2 heads garlic, unpeeled, but separated
1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces

Click here for the full crawfish recipe

Muffaletta:

Here is a New Orleans original – the Muffaletta – is a deliciously melodious collaboration of cured meat, provolone cheese, olive salad and sesame seeded, white fluffy bread that is the sandwich’s namesake. Thank Sicily for the round sesame bread but the ingenious sandwich is a New Orleans invention. In 1906, Central Grocery, right in the French Quarter, developed the sandwich and has been the muffaletta headquarters ever since. This is where Lyn and I discovered it on one of our Sunday morning ritual to the French Quarter for chicory coffee and beignets, the Sunday paper and a trip to the Zoo with a picnic lunch.

Ingredients:
5 ounces pimento-stuffed olives (1 cup), sliced, plus 2 tablespoons of liquid from the jar
6 ounces chopped giardiniera (pickled Italian vegetables) (1 cup), plus 1 tablespoon of liquid from the jar
2 tablespoons drained capers, plus 2 teaspoons of liquid from the jar
3 ounces pitted Calamata olives (1/2 cup), sliced
2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Pinch of dried thyme
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large loaf seeded Italian bread (about 1 1/4 pounds), split width wise - halfway between top and bottom
1/4 pound sliced fresh mozzarella
6 ounces sliced capocollo or prosciutto
1/4 pound sliced Genoa salami
1/4 pound sliced mortadella
1/4 pound sliced mild provolone cheese
Pepperoncini, for serving

Click here for the full Muffaletta recipe

Two Good Gumbo recipes from our New Orleans Days


What is New Orleans without a big bowl of Gumbo ? Here are two recipes one for the seafood lovers and one for those who are not so crazy about seafood.

Ingredients: Seafood 
(follow link below for no seafood)

•3 large white onions, chopped
•3 cloves garlic, minced
•3 tbsp. Oil
•1 package frozen sliced okra
•1 can tomatoes
•6 tbsp. Oil
•6 tbsp. Flour
•2 pounds cleaned deveined shrimp
•2 quarts water
•1 ½ cups chopped green onion and tops (scullions)
•1 cup chopped parsley
•4 bay leaves
•2 tsps. Thyme
•Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and onion salt to taste
•6 dashes of tabasco
•1 can lump crabmeat
•1 16 ounce jar oysters

Click here for the full both gumbo recipes

Natchitoches Meat Pie Recipe


While I was working for 20th Century Fox in New Orleans the movie theater in Natchitoches LA was one that I dealt with. I quickly fell in love with this town and my wife and I would travel there many times during the year. It was here that we discovered among other things wood duck decoys and meat pies. In the cook book “Cane River Cuisine” there are two recipes for the delicious pies not sure which ones I ate on my many trips to Natchitoches, LA one from Mrs. Charles E. Cloutier and the other Mrs. L.J. Melder.

Click here for the full two original Natchitoches Meat pie recipes

Enjoy the game and no matter what y’all eating wash it down with some Crown Royal deluxe. Of course, enjoy responsibly.

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