Try holiday recipes from Mississippi River cruise collaboration

Dec. 13—Some great recipes for the holiday were my most prized souvenirs from a recent steam paddlewheeler cruise on the Lower Mississippi River.

The introduction of new dishes resulting from a collaboration between American Queen Voyages' Regina Charboneau, the cruise line's culinary ambassador, and America's Test Kitchen was the occasion for the cruise between New Orleans and Memphis and I was invited along.

(See that story at bit.ly/miss-river-cruise-nh.)

Charboneau, one of this country's best-regarded Southern chefs, came to the cruise line from several San Francisco-area restaurants she owned. At other restaurants in Alaska and in the South, she had created dishes that resulted in her being dubbed "America's Biscuit Queen" by none other than The New York Times. Her recipes and techniques are unconventional but they're delicious — and they work.

Her famous biscuits, for instance, are made to be baked frozen as they're pulled from the freezer. And when food writers aboard the cruise were invited to her home kitchen in Natchez, she showed us a way to make omelets for a party by half-cooking them, then stashing six or more of them in a pan in the 'fridge for finishing in a hot oven just before serving.

On the other hand, Boston-based America's Test Kitchen, which produces a popular TV show of the same name, tests ingredients, techniques and even pans and knives to the nth degree. So the collaboration for the American Queen recipes is a study in contrasts.

But the results are nothing short of spectacular.

"Our recipes all are tested five times," said Bridget Lancaster, co-host and editorial director for "America's Test Kitchen."

They work in a 53,000-square-foot test kitchen in Boston's seaport district.

"We also have recipe testers who work at home," she said.

More than 40,000 home cooks of all skill levels test recipes before they appear in ATK magazine, websites, books or on the PBS television shows. Interested in being a tester for ATK recipes? Visit bit.ly/atk-hometesters.

The new dishes aboard my cruise reflected ingredients and techniques from river towns served by American Queen Voyages on the Upper and Lower Mississippi and the Ohio, Cumberland and Tennessee rivers, as well as in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska's Inside Passage.

Charboneau and Lancaster joined our dinners to answer questions.

The Louisiana-Style Cornbread Stuffing shared today can be used stuffed into a rolled turkey breast, quail, Cornish game hen or pork chops. It also can be baked as a side dish. It uses andouille sausage as a tribute to the many French-speaking settlers in towns along the Lower Mississippi.

Caraway Pork Chops paired with a savory Bacon-Mustard Potato Salad honor the German settlers from Upper Mississippi towns, while Soy-Glazed Salmon with Shiitake Mushrooms and Bok Choy showcases ingredients found along the Columbia and Snake rivers in the Pacific Northwest while also celebrating its Chinese history.

Rib-Eye Steak with Bacon-Bourbon Compote and Mashed Potatoes pay tribute to the Ohio River's rich Bourbon history, and the bacon jam is an unexpected savory-sweet steak topping.

Duck Leg Confit with its Bourbon-Blackberry Glaze takes inspiration from those dwelling along the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers, the versatile topping adding a touch of sweetness to the dish.

"My favorite is the Fisherman's Pie," said Charboneau In a follow-up phone call after it had been served on subsequent cruises. "Everyone who tastes it seems to love it. With its golden-crusted mashed potato topping, it's an elegant comfort food."

She's added lobster to the recipe of cod, shrimp and salmon that pays homage to the ingredients of the Pacific Northwest, where American Queen Voyages cruises Alaska's Inside Passage.

"It also holds up well on a buffet."

Get more information on American Queen Voyages at AQVoyages.com.

Recipe

Louisiana-Style Cornbread Dressing

(Serves 10 to 12)

Ingredients

For the cornbread:

1- 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1- 1/2 cups cornmeal

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1- 3/4 cups whole milk

3 large eggs

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

12 ounces andouille sausage

2 onions, chopped

2 green bell peppers stemmed, seeded and chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

4 slices bacon, cut into quarter-inch pieces

1 tablespoon Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning (get it online)

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup whole milk

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

For the cornbread:

Adjust oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 425 degrees,

Spray a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray.

Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl.

Whisk milk, eggs and melted butter together in a second bowl.

Whisk milk mixture into flour mixture until just combined.

Transfer the batter to the prepared dish.

Bake only until cornbread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

For the dressing:

While the cornbread bakes, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add andouille, bell peppers, celery and bacon to the skillet and cook until vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes.

Add Creole seasoning and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Transfer the sausage mixture to a large bowl.

Turn out hot cornbread onto a rimmed baking sheet and break into small pieces with two forks. (Cooled crumbled cornbread can be transferred to zipper-lock bags and stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours.)

Transfer crumbled cornbread to bowl with sausage mixture.

Add broth, milk, eggs and parsley and stir to combine.

Transfer the dressing to the now-empty dish and spread into even layer (do not pack down).

Using the side of a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, create ridges about a half-inch apart on top of the dressing.

Brush the top of the dressing with the remaining 4 tablespoons of melted butter.

Bake until browned and crisp on top and heated through, about 35 minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.

To make ahead:

After making ridges on top, cool the dressing completely if using hot cornbread.

Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or wrap in an additional layer of foil and freeze for up to one month.

To serve:

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen.

Brush the top with melted butter and bake for about 45 minutes, covering with foil for the final 10 minutes if the top begins to get too dark.

— Courtesy of American Queen Voyages