September 2024

In this sleek new cookbook, Chef Eric Cook skillfully elevates family recipes to meet New Orleans’ stratospherically high fine dining standards. Bonus in this review: Baked Flounder with Shrimp and Mirliton Dressing recipe from the book.

– by Thomas Uskali

Chef Eric Cook is owner of the popular Gris-Gris in the Lower Garden District and Saint John – soon to open on St. Charles Avenue after moving from its original location in the French Quarter.  His new cookbook, Modern Creole: A Taste of New Orleans Culture and Cuisine offers a wide range of recipes, from whimsically-named cocktails like Zombi Nog, and “yum yums” like Duck Poppers with Seared Bacon, on through entrees and desserts. They’re expertly interwoven with stories, sidebar information, and superb photographs for a beautiful overall package. 

Cook’s writing voice is honest and warmly conversational; his introduction takes readers back to his upbringing in St. Bernard Parish, recounting, “the food we cooked was sustenance, energy, fuel for the hunt, or the next run into the marsh to chase redfish and flounder.” He notes how his “small town” upbringing was only a few miles from New Orleans’ wild nightlife and cosmopolitan influence.

 Modern Creole shows how it comes together for Cook: “We hold our family recipes close to our hearts while also welcoming the traditions of our neighbors and friends as we revel together in this place of music, art, and expression.”

Cook enlisted in the Marines right out of high school, where six years of military discipline shaped his sense of purpose. When he found his way into restaurant kitchens, the structure appealed to him: each person’s role in the well-run restaurant is clearly defined, and he was mentored by some New Orleans legends, including Michael Roussel of Brennan’s.  

With his decades of experience comes wisdom that readers will appreciate: 

“The ‘heart of the house’ is a term we use in restaurants to describe the very vital part of the team that keeps restaurants moving forward. Front of the house is what the guests see, back of the house is our term for the cooks, and then there are the unseen and unheard—dishwashers, runners, bussers, and everyone who moves around to keep the blood flowing. A flawless dinner service rests solely on the success and execution of this department.”

Teamwork and collaboration are central to Cook’s professional philosophy, and one can’t help but sense his passion and genuine love for both food and for those who bring it to the table. 

As with many cookbooks, this one taps into home cooks’ aspirations.  It’s unlikely that a reader will tackle all of the recipes, as some are rather ambitious, but will still swoon over photographs of whole roasted duck and smothered quail, or dream of finding fresh flounder worthy of being served stuffed with mirliton and shrimp dressing. 

Louisiana cooks are blessed with a bounty of excellent ingredients, and while the shopping lists for some of these recipes are a bit of stretch for out-of-state residents, there are plenty that offer a fresh take on a familiar classic.  To wit, Southern Spoon Bread and Deviled Egg Potato Salad are soon to make an appearance at an upcoming dinner party in this writer’s household. 

Other standout recipes include Yassa Shrimp – a West African twist on New Orleans BBQ Shrimp that thickens the traditional sauce with a light roux – and Flambeaux Shrimp topped with a Crystal hot sauce and honey gastrique. 

Cook’s Oyster Etouffee sounds like a perfect winter dish, with chopped oysters in the base and fried oysters perched on top.  Rack of Lamb Persillade with Jollof Rice is another recipe (and photo) that will entice readers; the spicy curry coating sounds like a delicious spin on garlic-based versions. 

Folks from New Orleans won’t necessarily wince at seeing a stick and a half of butter whipped into Cook’s mashed potatoes.  What one might call “restaurant richness” is key to many of these recipes, but that’s part of the charm.   And most home cooks won’t have trouble subdividing recipes for smaller portions, but notably, the salad dressing recipes are all scaled for about a quart, so you’ll have plenty to share with friends and family! 

One minor quibble is a shortage of “prefatory” notes, where the chef shares backstory, insights and tips.  Those italicized bits are treasures, as they take us directly into the kitchen and sometimes nudge us to try the recipe ourselves.  I wanted more of them in Modern Creole because Chef Cook’s engaging writing voice offers fascinating and memorable details – such as where to find an unusual ingredient or why you should make the effort to cook up a batch of smothered turkey necks. 

I’ve dined at Gris-Gris several times since it opened in 2018 and have recommended it to friends and visitors.  When it was still possible to snag a seat at the kitchen counter, we chatted with Chef Cook, and it was he who suggested trying his version of chicken gizzards, which he first cooked sous vide before sautéing them into tender little nuggets. 

His chicken and dumplings alone are worth a trip to the restaurant, as are the braised collard greens, finished with cane vinegar. The restaurant was a take-out refuge for me and my spouse during the pandemic, and we’ve been pleased to see the success of Gris-Gris to Go Go (what a great moniker!) since it launched in 2020. 

Saint John’s new location at 715 St. Charles sits on a vibrant stretch of the Avenue transformed by residential and commercial development.  It’s set to open In the same way that Gris-Gris became a cozy landmark in its quirky triangular-shaped property on Magazine Street, Saint John will likely soon become a favorite. 

Cook’s recipes and stories illustrate what it means to take the various pieces of one’s life into both the food and the culture of a restaurant.   In the truest sense of what the term means in New Orleans, “Creole cuisine is for the people, for everyone, everywhere.”

Baked Flounder with Shrimp and Mirliton Dressing

click the photo below for recipe!

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