Southern Comfort: A Couple of Chefs Cooking Down South

When two celebrated Southern chefs escape the media storm surrounding their acclaimed East Village Oyster Bar at the height of fame and fortune, they trade Manhattan’s intense culinary scene in favor of returning to Bourbon Street roots. But they trade one storm for another as Katrina hits New Orleans, sinking their fledgling restaurant venture. Down, but not out, the authors are approached by a major hotel in the Big Easy and create the elegant MiLa, rekindle the sweet life, reconnect with their families, and begin raising their own. The couple’s first cookbook features dishes based on recognizable, humble ingredients that define Southern fare, infused with lively French or Asian accents and bluesy “riffs on New Orleans classics.” Biscuits are laced with venison and cheddar, and hush puppies garnished with crème fraiche and caviar. Black-eyed peas swim in a rich mushroom barley broth. Grits are elevated by the “high-class truffle,” and a champagne-marinated catfish is proof that chefs must “never underestimate the potential of catfish.” Crawfish shine in omelets, and sweet potatoes appear in multiple incarnations, from sweet to savory. Recipes feature a number of French cooking techniques. Photos reflect the humid, port city’s faded architecture and shuttered balconies. (Oct.)