Name: Restaurant Rebirth
Address: 857 Fulton Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130, United States

Three jumbo sea scallops, crawfish and tasso maque choux, fingerling potatoes maison, fried fennel pickles, sweet chili saffron glaze

Blackened Scallops

bearnaise with fingerling potatoes Maison & seasonal vegetables

6 › oz. Filet Mignon

Shrimp boulette stuffed jumbo Gulf shrimp wrapped with Japanese eggplant, lightly with a sugar cane pepper jelly gastrique

Shrimp & Eggplant

Slow cooked Cheshire pork glazed with our homemade barbeque sauce served with southern cooked greens & hominy, fried okra & watermelon rind relish

Mississippi Style Barbeque Pork Belly

with blueberry compote and vanilla bean creme anglaise.

Chocolate Cake

Crispy fried Louisiana oysters, grilled wild mushrooms & tasso, in a Parmesan black pepper cream over fresh angel hair pasta, topped with Bottarga gremolata

Louisiana Oysters & Angel Hair

caramelized, chocolate covered espresso beans, calas.

Café au lait Crème Brûlée

white chocolate, caramelized white chocolate, macerated strawberries, pralines.

White Chocolate Bread Pudding

A curated dish that Chef prepares using an assortment of fresh seasonal vegetables.

Vegetable Plate

Heritage Farms Cheshire pork, Nueske's bacon braised haricot verts, crispy shallot rings, sugar cane Creole glaze.

Double-Cut Tomahawk Pork Chop

Pan roasted Springer Mountain Statler breast, cold smoked confit leg quarter, paneed mirliton, shaved tasso with Marchand de Vin & Bearnaise Sauces.

Chicken & Mirliton Rochambeau

Chopped romaine hearts, crispy popcorn shrimp, marinated tomatoes and cucumber, pickled okra, mirliton slaw with a sugarcane-creole vinaigrette.

Popcorn Shrimp Salad

Slow cooked Cheshire pork glazed with our homemade barbeque sauce served with southern cooked greens & hominy, fried okra & watermelon rind relish.

Blackberry & Brie Salad

Cajun country's most famous soup with as many variations as there are cooks. Chef Ricky's version features free range chicken with andouille sausage and tasso, simmered in a rich broth.

Country Gumbo

Pat scallops very dry with paper towels. Remove and discard side muscle if present. Season scallops lightly with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp blackening spice, rubbing to coat evenly.

Prepare scallops

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add scallops spaced apart and sear without moving 1½–2 minutes until a deep brown crust forms. Flip and add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pan; baste and cook another 1–1½ minutes until opaque in the center. Remove scallops to a warm plate and tent lightly.

Sear scallops

Squeeze 1 tsp fresh lemon juice over scallops and keep warm while assembling the plate.

Finish with lemon

In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon butter. Add diced tasso and cook 2–3 minutes until fat renders and pieces begin to brown.

Add diced onion and green pepper; sauté 4–5 minutes until softened. Stir in corn kernels and cook 2 minutes.

Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in diced tomato, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper.

Pour in chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and stir in evaporated milk (or cream). Simmer gently 4–6 minutes until mixture thickens slightly. Fold in cooked crawfish tails and chopped green onions, warm through, then remove from heat and keep warm.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and simmer halved fingerlings 8–10 minutes until just tender. Drain and pat dry.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add garlic and thyme, quickly swirling to scent the oil (about 20 seconds). Add potatoes cut-side down and sear 3–4 minutes until golden and crisp. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover briefly 1–2 minutes to finish cooking through. Keep warm.

Quick-pickle fennel: In a small bowl combine rice vinegar, sugar and 1 tsp salt. Add sliced fennel and let sit 15–30 minutes, stirring once, until slightly softened.

Heat neutral oil in a small saucepan or skillet to 350°F (175°C) or until shimmering. In a small bowl whisk flour and cornstarch with cold sparkling water to make a light batter.

Drain fennel slices briefly and toss in batter to coat lightly. Fry in batches 30–45 seconds until batter is crisp and just golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined rack and season lightly if needed. Keep crisp while finishing.

Bloom saffron: place saffron threads in 2 tablespoons warm water and let sit 5 minutes.

In a small saucepan over low heat combine sweet chili sauce, honey, rice vinegar, bloomed saffron (including liquid) and 1/4 tsp salt. Warm gently, stirring, until honey dissolves and glaze is slightly thickened, about 3–4 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste and keep warm.

Spoon a generous bed (about 1/3 cup) of warm crawfish & tasso maque choux onto each plate, slightly off-center.

Nestle three seared blackened scallops on top of the maque choux.

Arrange fingerling potatoes maison beside the scallops and place a small cluster (1–2 tbsp) of fried fennel pickles on top or to the side for crunch.

Brush each scallop lightly with the sweet chili saffron glaze (about 1 teaspoon per scallop) and drizzle any remaining glaze around the plate for color.

Garnish with microgreens or baby herbs and serve with a lemon wedge. Serve immediately.

jumbo sea scallops (about 1 1/2–2 oz each)

unsalted butter

olive oil

blackening spice blend (paprika, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, black pepper, salt)

lemon juice

kosher salt

crawfish tails, cooked

tasso (smoked, cured pork), small dice

yellow onion, small dice

green bell pepper, small dice

fresh corn kernels (or frozen, thawed)

garlic, minced

tomato, seeded and diced

chicken stock

canned evaporated milk (or heavy cream)

cayenne pepper

smoked paprika

salt

black pepper

chopped green onions (for finish)

fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise

garlic, crushed

fresh thyme leaves

fennel bulb, thinly sliced

rice vinegar

sugar

all-purpose flour

cornstarch

cold sparkling water

neutral oil for frying (vegetable or canola)

sweet chili sauce

honey

saffron threads

warm water

microgreens or baby herbs

lemon wedge

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Wash and halve larger fingerlings so pieces are roughly uniform; leave small ones whole. Toss potatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 20–25 minutes, turning once at 12 minutes, until golden and tender when pierced with a fork. When done, toss with chopped parsley and keep warm.

Prepare and roast

In a small saucepan or skillet, combine 2 tbsp white wine vinegar, 2 tbsp dry white wine and 1 tbsp minced shallot with 1 tbsp chopped tarragon stems if available. Bring to a simmer and reduce gently until about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of liquid remain (about 5–7 minutes). Strain into a heatproof bowl and let cool slightly.

Reduce shallot and vinegars

Set the bowl over a double boiler (simmering water, bowl not touching water). Whisk in 3 egg yolks to the reduced vinegar until the mixture thickens and becomes pale, about 2–4 minutes. Keep whisking to maintain a smooth emulsion and keep the temperature gentle.

Emulsify yolks

Remove from heat. Very slowly, whisk in 6 tbsp warm clarified butter (or slowly incorporated melted butter), a few drops at a time at first, then in a thin stream, until sauce is thick and glossy. If sauce gets too thick, whisk in a teaspoon of warm water or a few drops of lemon juice to loosen.

Mount with butter

Stir in 2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon, 1 tsp chopped chives, 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch (1/8 tsp) white pepper or cayenne if using. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm over very low heat or in a thermos; do not overheat (above 140°F/60°C) to avoid breaking.

Finish

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. If using green vegetables (haricots verts or asparagus), blanch 1–2 minutes until crisp-tender, then plunge into ice water and drain. For baby carrots or denser vegetables, simmer until just tender, then drain. Alternatively, heat 1 tsp butter in a sauté pan over medium heat, add vegetables and toss until tender-crisp, 3–5 minutes depending on type. Season with 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper and a squeeze of 1/4 lemon. Keep warm.

Blanch or sauté

Remove the 6-oz filet(s) from the refrigerator 30–45 minutes before cooking. Pat dry with paper towels. Season all over with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Bring steaks to room temperature

Heat a heavy skillet (cast iron preferred) over high heat until very hot. Add 1 tbsp neutral oil and swirl. Place the filet into the pan and sear without moving for 2–2 1/2 minutes until a deep brown crust forms. Flip and sear the second side for 2 minutes.

Sear

Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 crushed garlic clove and 1 tbsp fresh thyme sprigs to the pan. Tilt the pan and spoon the melted butter over the steak repeatedly for 1–2 minutes while cooking to your desired doneness: for medium-rare aim for an internal temperature of 125–128°F (51–53°C). Remove steak when 5°F (3°C) below target as it will carry over cook.

Baste and finish

Transfer the filet to a warm plate or cutting board and loosely tent with foil. Rest for 5–7 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.

Rest

Reheat béarnaise if needed gently. Place the rested filet on the plate, spoon a generous 2–3 tbs of béarnaise over or alongside the steak. Arrange roasted fingerlings and seasonal vegetables beside the steak. Optionally garnish with an extra sprig of tarragon and a light sprinkle of finishing salt.

Plate and finish

beef filet mignon (center-cut)

freshly ground black pepper

neutral oil (canola or grapeseed)

fresh thyme sprigs

garlic (crushed, whole clove)

unsalted butter (clarified or melted)

egg yolks

white wine vinegar

dry white wine

shallot (minced)

fresh tarragon leaves (chopped)

fresh chives (finely chopped)

fresh lemon juice

white pepper or cayenne (optional)

fingerling potatoes

fresh parsley (chopped)

assorted seasonal vegetables (e.g., baby carrots, asparagus tips, haricots verts)

lemon (for juice)

Place 0.5 lb peeled, deveined Gulf shrimp for the filling in a food processor. Pulse until the shrimp forms a coarse paste (about 10–15 one-second pulses). Scrape down the sides as needed.

Prepare filling

Transfer the shrimp paste to a bowl. Add 1 egg white, 2 tbsp panko, 1 tbsp finely minced shallot, 1 tbsp minced chives, 0.5 tsp grated ginger, 0.5 tsp fine sea salt, and 0.25 tsp white pepper. Mix with a spoon or your hands until cohesive and slightly sticky. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up.

Form the chilled paste into 8 small boulette portions (about 1 tablespoon each). Keep refrigerated while preparing eggplant and jumbo shrimp.

Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Gently poach the boulettes in a single layer for 1–1.5 minutes per side to set them (they should be opaque and just cooked through). Remove and drain on paper towel; cool slightly.

Trim the Japanese eggplants: cut off the stem ends, then thinly slice each eggplant lengthwise into 8–10 long ribbons about 1/8 inch thick. If slices are very wide, cut into 1.5–2 inch strips suitable to wrap around a jumbo shrimp. Lightly salt the slices (use part of the 1 tsp kosher salt) and let sit on a rack or paper towel for 10 minutes to draw out moisture. Pat dry.

Take one jumbo shrimp (tail on), butterfly it by slicing almost through the back from the top to the tail and opening it flat; do not cut all the way through the belly so the shrimp remains intact. Gently dry with paper towel.

Place one poached boulette on the center of the butterflied shrimp, then fold the shrimp over to enclose the boulette. If needed, flatten slightly so the shrimp holds the filling. Repeat for all 8 jumbo shrimp.

Wrap each stuffed shrimp with one eggplant ribbon: lay a strip of eggplant on the work surface, place the stuffed shrimp near one end, and roll so the eggplant overlaps. Secure with a toothpick if necessary (use one toothpick per roll). Repeat for all shrimp.

Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add the wrapped shrimp seam-side down and sear 1.5–2 minutes per side until the eggplant is lightly browned and the shrimp are opaque and cooked through (internal temp ~120–125°F / 49–52°C for shrimp; residual heat will finish cooking). Turn gently to avoid tearing eggplant. Remove to a warm plate and let rest 1–2 minutes; discard toothpicks before plating.

In a small saucepan combine 0.5 cup sugar cane or light brown sugar and 0.5 cup mild red pepper jelly over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the jelly melts, about 2–3 minutes.

Add 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp fresh lime juice, and 2 tbsp water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 3–5 minutes, stirring, until slightly reduced and glossy. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness as desired.

Remove from heat and whisk in 1 tbsp cold unsalted butter, one piece at a time, until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Season with 1/8 tsp fine sea salt. Keep warm.

Arrange the eggplant-wrapped shrimp on warmed plates (4 per serving if serving 2). Spoon 1–2 tbsp of the sugar cane pepper jelly gastrique over each shrimp or lightly drizzle in a decorative pattern.

Garnish with microgreens or 2 tbsp chopped chives and serve with fresh lime wedges on the side.

raw medium Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined (for filling)

egg white

panko breadcrumbs

finely minced shallot

minced fresh chives

finely grated ginger

fine sea salt

white pepper

neutral oil (for poaching the boulette)

jumbo Gulf shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined, tails on

Japanese (Asian) eggplant, 8–10 inches long

neutral oil (for brushing or pan-searing)

toothpicks (optional, to secure wraps)

sugar cane or light brown sugar

mild red pepper jelly (sugar cane–style or standard)

red wine vinegar

fresh lime juice

water

unsalted butter (cold, cut into small pieces)

microgreens or chopped chives

fresh lime wedges

In a large saucepan, combine 8 cups water, kosher salt, 1 cup brown sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves and smashed garlic. Bring to a simmer just until sugar and salt dissolve. Cool completely to room temperature (about 45–60 minutes) or refrigerate until cold.

Make brine

Place pork belly in a large nonreactive container or resealable bag. Pour cooled brine over pork so it is fully submerged. Refrigerate and brine for 6–12 hours (overnight for best flavor).

Brine pork

Remove pork from brine, rinse under cold water, and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Let sit uncovered in refrigerator for 1–2 hours to dry further (this helps form a better bark).

Rinse and dry

Mix paprika, smoked paprika, brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne in a small bowl until even. Reserve 2–3 tablespoons for finishing glaze (optional).

Generously coat the exterior of the dried pork belly with the dry rub, pressing to adhere. Allow pork to sit at room temperature 30 minutes while you preheat the smoker or oven.

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion and cook until translucent, 4–5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Cook aromatics

Stir in ketchup, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, molasses, brown sugar, Worcestershire, hot sauce, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, 12–15 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust salt, vinegar or sugar to balance sweet, tangy and smoky. Keep warm. Reserve 1/2 cup for glazing during the last stage of cooking.

Simmer sauce

Preheat smoker to 225°F (107°C) using mild wood (apple or hickory). If using oven, preheat to 250°F (121°C). Place pork belly fat-side up on a rack set in a roasting pan or smoker grate. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.

Smoke/roast the pork belly until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), about 3–4 hours depending on thickness. During cooking, baste lightly with some of the barbecue sauce every 45–60 minutes after the first hour to build glaze and color.

Once 165°F is reached, increase heat to 300°F (149°C) or move pork to a hotter zone of the smoker. Continue cooking until internal temperature reaches 200–205°F (93–96°C) for very tender, sliceable pork belly, about another 1–2 hours. Total cook time ~5–6 hours.

In the last 30 minutes, brush reserved 1/2 cup barbecue sauce over the belly every 10 minutes to form a sticky glaze. If you prefer a deeper char, finish over a hot grill for 2–3 minutes per side, watching carefully to avoid flare-ups.

Remove pork belly and tent loosely with foil. Rest for 20–30 minutes before slicing into 1/3–1/2-inch slices.

While pork cooks, prepare the greens. In a large heavy pot, sweat sliced onion in 1 tablespoon butter (or a splash of oil) over medium heat until softened, 4–5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds.

Add collard greens, smoked ham hock, chicken stock, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially and cook until greens are tender, 30–45 minutes. Remove ham hock, shred meat and return to pot.

Stir in drained hominy and simmer 5–7 minutes to heat through and allow flavors to meld. Adjust seasoning with salt and more vinegar to taste. Finish with 1 tablespoon butter and chopped parsley just before serving.

Pour buttermilk into a shallow bowl and place flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne in another bowl; whisk to combine.

Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Working in batches, toss okra in buttermilk to coat, then dredge in the flour-cornmeal mixture, pressing lightly to adhere.

Fry okra in batches until golden brown and crisp, 3–4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel–lined tray and season immediately with a pinch of salt. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F/95°C) while finishing remaining batches.

Combine diced watermelon rind, white vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, celery seeds and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan.

Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then lower heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until rind is translucent and liquid is syrupy, about 10–12 minutes. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate until service. Relish can be made a day ahead.

Slice rested pork belly into portions. Warm additional barbecue sauce if desired and brush slices lightly.

Arrange a bed of southern greens and hominy on each plate, place 3–4 slices of glazed pork belly on top or beside, add a generous scoop of fried okra and a spoonful of watermelon rind relish. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve lemon wedges on the side to brighten the greens or okra.