New Orleans, Louisiana— In 2020, Broussard’s Restaurant will celebrate 100 years of service in its historic French Quarter location at 819 Conti Street.
In honor of this centennial anniversary, Chef Jimi Setchim has crafted five seasonal, pre-fixe menus that represent key ingredients that have been integral to the culinary heritage of New Orleans. The menus—focused on coffee, spices, rice, pecans and citrus—will be offered separately throughout the year, in addition to Broussard’s a la carte French Creole menu.
Find the full Centennial menu here.
“When it came time to begin writing menus for the 100th anniversary, I knew I would find inspiration in old cookbooks at the Historic New Orleans Collection,” said Setchim. “I immediately saw a trend, and I wanted to highlight these five important ingredients. They have been on our menus from the start and have shaped not only our history, but the culinary landscape of New Orleans. I am excited to give each ingredient its own special menu with a bit of history to go along with it.”
Coffee has a longstanding history in New Orleans and its importance has made a significant impact on the city and her people. It has a flavor profile that can be used in both savory and sweet dishes. Setchim will utilize coffee in every part of his special menu in January, February and March—starter, entrée and dessert—including a chicory coffee and duck liver mousse on johnny cakes and spiked coffee cake with café brûlot ganache.
New Orleans, more than any other food city, is known for flavorful food; spicy, rich, bold, deep, memorable are all common words used to describe the food of New Orleans. As such, Setchim will highlight some of the spices that make Creole food what it is and add twists of his own on the special menu of April, May and June: Creole spiced smothered pork chops and black forest cake with cayenne and dark chocolate ganache.
A staple in both Cajun and Creole cooking, rice has myriad uses throughout Louisiana’s history. It is used in boudin, gumbo, étouffée, jambalaya, and in calas for dessert. Setchim uses rice in two of those Creole favorites on the special menu in July, August and September: Gulf shrimp étouffée with Louisiana long grain rice and Creole Louisiana long grain rice calas with roasted strawberry ice cream and cane syrup.
Native to the southeast United States, specifically Louisiana, pecans are also a staple of Creole cooking. The trees grow wild in yards, and are commercially grown throughout the state. Setchim uses the sweet, crunchy nut in everything from snacks and salads to entrees and desserts. His special October and November menu will feature beet tartare with pecan crusted goat cheese and braised lamb shank with Louisiana pecan and fig demi-glace.
Citrus trees grow everywhere in Louisiana, from backyards to commercial orchards—even in the courtyard of The Herman Grima House, situated next door to Broussard’s—and produce fragrant flowers that ripen into delicious fruit. Setchim, who grows citrus of his own as a hobby, incorporates it into as many dishes as he can. In December, he will brighten up the Réveillon menu with citrus in every course as well as in beverages.
Broussard’s is open for Brunch daily 10 am – 3 pm and dinner nightly 5:30 pm – 10 pm. For more information on Broussard’s menus please visit www.broussards.com or call (504) 581-3866 to make reservations. Validated parking is available at the Royal Sonesta Hotel.
