Andouille and Chicken over Sweet Potato Grits

Have you guys seen the show “Treme” on HBO? I’m sort of a TV nerd (scripted serials, not reality) and I am obsessed with this show. The second season started 2 weeks ago, and I gathered my other obsessed friends at one of their places for a New Orleans themed feast to watch the premiere. After all, Anthony Bourdain co-wrote the episode, and is a full time writer for the show now, so we had to indulge! It was a great time, and I really hope we can do it a few more times before the season is over!

This meal is inspired by a feast that one of the main characters of the show cooks when the above crew walks into her restaurant in the first season. No big deal when those guys show up, right? She freaks out at first, being understaffed and understocked, but then she comes to her senses. “We can’t out-New York a bunch of New York chefs. We low-ball ’em.” She cooks them some sweet potato and andouille soup, rabbit kidneys with lardon, sweetbreads and crawfish over grits, and braised turkey necks. The chefs leave very impressed and everybody is happy.  I decided to use some of the more approachable elements of that meal to make a fairly quick and easy dinner for the premiere.

Rich is chopping some bacon.

But first, some apps! This is a fennel salad Peter made. Not sure what was in it, but it was very tasty.

He also got some fresh oysters.

Digging in.

My sister shooting an oyster. Why do you have sunglasses on your head? It’s like 8:30 and we are indoors.

The ingredients for the chicken

Bacon first, then removed. Some of the fat went into the chicken, and some into the grits.

Sausage, onions, and chicken in the pan.

Be sure to brown it all before adding the liquid.

Liquid in next. Yum.

The grits are finished with sweet potatoes and butter. How can this meal be bad?

Peter set up a nice table for us all.

This meal was excellent.

A perfect dish to eat before the show.

It was a great catching up episode, and it was fun how you could see Bourdain’s influence on the kitchen scenes. I can’t wait for the rest of the season! Episode 3 is airing this Sunday on HBO. If you have never watched this show, catch the theme song and credits below. Possibly the best opening sequence for a show of all time.  If you disagree, tell me one better.  And I will refute it.

Grits were:
1.5 cups coarse cornmeal
2 cups milk
1 cup cream
3 cups water
4 tablespoons butter
4 sweet potatoes

Bake and mash the potatoes. Bring the liquids to a simmer, whisk in the cornmeal. Cook for about a half hour whisking the whole time. When it’s about ready, add the butter and sweet potatoes.

The chicken was:
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
3 andouille sausages
4 chicken drumsticks
6 chicken tenders diced
½ can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
4 strips bacon
1 lemon
Thyme
Paprika

Cook bacon, remove from pan, add half the fat to the grits pan. Add in the onion and andouille. Cook until things start to brown. Add garlic and both chickens. Cook 5 minutes. Add worcestershire, tomatoes, and spices. Cook for awhile covered stirring occasionally until everything is cooked through. Taste and adjust seasonings. Finish with lemon juice and serve over grits. Top with the reserved bacon.