If you are a huge fan of Creole cuisine, then Leah Chase might be the first name that pops into your mind. She was known fondly as the ‘Queen of Creole Cuisine’, after all.
Leah Chase has a whole host of delicious recipes that are bound to tantalize your tastebuds, especially if you are looking to recreate her famous jambalaya or gumbo z’herbes. Also, she made some tasty treats too in the form of desserts.
If Leah Chase has caught your attention with her culinary delights, then look no further. Here you will find 10 amazing Leah Chase recipes to try today (see also “Amazing Alex Guarnaschelli Recipes To Try Today“).
Who Is Leah Chase?
Leah Chase was an award-winning New Orleans-based chef who worked in the industry for over 50 years.
She owned several restaurants, the main one being Dooky Chase in New Orleans. This originally belonged to the parents of her husband, famous jazz trumpeter, Edgar “Dooky” Chase II.
She brought her Creole culture to the food, which at the time was not something you could find. She believed that food brought people together, no matter their skin color, gender, or religion – and she was right.
Creole Flavor Profile
Before we get onto the Creole-based recipes of Leah Chase, let’s take a look at the flavor profile of Creole. Typically, Creole is based around local seafood, herbs, rich and tasty sauces, and so on.
This means that you will find the food is very herby but also spicy. It often has a savory flavor too due to the tomatoes.
Creole is a type of food that is associated with the old kitchens of New Orleans. Because of people like Leah Chase, you can still find this kind of food in the area today.
Here are 10 amazing Leah Chase recipes to check out:
One of Leah Chase’s most famous dishes is the Creole jambalaya. This recipe makes from six to eight servings, depending on portion sizes. However, you will need to find some chaurice sausage for this recipe.
Chaurice sausage is a Southern Louisiana delicacy and it is very hot. If you do not have any to hand or would like to dampen the spice, then you can choose most other sausages as a substitute.
Overall this recipe takes around five minutes to prepare and thirty-five minutes to cook. However, you should wait until the rice is tender and delicious before serving it straight away.
Who does not love Southern fried chicken? Wait until you have tried the Leah Chase version. This recipe makes use of herbs in true Creole style.
The thyme is a natural partner to chicken and tastes wonderful with paprika, garlic, and black pepper.
It will be ready to serve in forty minutes, from start to finish – and yes, that includes the prep. Just remember to drain the chicken well on some paper towels at the end.
If a turkey is more your thing, then you may want to know how to create a Leah Chase turkey ready for Thanksgiving. It includes using butter, sage, thyme, black pepper, and dried bay leaves.
What you will get is well-cooked and herby meat that is enough to feed a whole family. Just remember to use a thermometer so you can work out when it is ready to serve.
Leah Chase’s gumbo z’herbes was a dish she used to make in the 1960s on Thursday before every Easter.
She would make 100 gallons of it to serve the different people local to the restaurant, no matter their religion or skin color.
The reason she did this was due to her love of people chatting and getting to know each other over food. It is something many people do – making food the center of everything to bring people together.
It is still a sought-after dish today due to its delicious flavors and the different kind of greens included. These include mustard greens, watercress, romaine lettuce, cabbage, and turnip greens.
It does take nearly four hours to make, but it is well worth it for special occasions.
These buttermilk biscuits by Leah Chase are a dream. Not only do they taste delicious, but they are simple and quick to make.
Once the ingredients are put together – which includes a three-quarter cup of buttermilk – you can bake them for up to ten minutes until you see them turning a golden brown color.
This delicious butter cake by Leah Chase is a Southern delight. It has rich ingredients including six large eggs, powdered sugar, four sticks of butter, vanilla extract, and cake flour – however, it is meant to serve up to sixteen people at the most.
The baking time of the butter cake is around an hour, but you should use a toothpick to make sure that it is ready to come out of the oven.
If there is no cake residue on the toothpick after inserting it, then the cake is ready to come out.
You should then leave it up to an hour to cool before serving it.
Lastly, we thought we would bring to your attention this delicious Leah Chase pudding. It is famous for including five whole tablespoons of vanilla extract. However, despite this, it is not overly sweet.
The prep will take around twenty minutes to get all of the ingredients together. From using six large eggs and evaporated milk, to cubed French bread and grated apple.
However, be prepared to add another tablespoon of vanilla extract!
Final Thoughts
If you are interested in creating delicious Creole cuisine, then there is no doubt that Leah Chase should be your go-to chef.
She had worked in the food industry for more than 50 years before her death, being able to hone her craft.
She also had the chance to feed important people like actors and American presidents.
Even so, her food was made available to the public by the release of cookbooks in the mid-nineties to the early two thousands. With this in mind, which recipe are you wanting to try and make first.
What Type Of Food Is The Chef Leah Chase Famous For?
Leah Chase spent over 53 years as the Executive chef for her restaurant, Dooky Chase. It is still well-known in New Orleans for the trademark dishes she created.
These are shrimp stew, jambalaya, and Creole file’ gumbo. She was known for seasoning the food well and bringing Creole-based food to prominence.
How Did Leah Chase Own Dooky Chase Restaurant?
Originally Dooky Chase was owned by Edgar “Dooky” Chase II’s parents. The famous jazz trumpeter worked at the corner stand to sell po-boy sandwiches and lottery tickets for his parents.
During the 1950s, Leah Chase began to work there. Over time, both Leah and Edgar took over the restaurant and made it a sit-down establishment that served a plethora of items Leah put on the menu.
By this point, Leah and Edgar had become married.
Who Did Leah Chase Cook For?
Leah Chase cooked for anyone who entered her restaurant, though many important types of people were fed by Chase.
These included the likes of U.S. Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, as well as many famous actors and actresses.
Is The Chef Leah Chase Still Living?
No, Leah Chase died in 2910 at the age of 96. However, her restaurants are still open and cooking all the dishes she was famous for.
I'm Barbara Hunt, the founder of WomenChefs.org. Being a mom of two, I understand the challenges of meal planning and the monotony it can bring.
That's why I created WomenChefs.org, a platform dedicated to showcasing the skills and delicious dishes crafted by amazing women. My goal is to provide a space where women can find delectable recipes that tantalize their taste buds and ignite their senses.
I hope you'll join me in exploring WomenChefs.org and discovering your next favorite recipe. Let's embrace culinary diversity and try something new together!
