PANAMA CITY BEACH — Mardi Gras season is another great excuse to eat Cajun and Creole dishes, especially when locals are sharing authentic Louisiana recipes.
Almost a year after opening Red Rae’s Cajun Cafe in Carillon Beach, Tim Burke and Sarah Evanko opened a second location Jan. 20 in the Lyndell Shopping Center, just in time for Carnival Season. The season began Jan. 6 with Kings Day and runs through Feb. 17, Fat Tuesday.
Tim’s oldest daughter, Kelley Burke-Schoop, and her husband, Zachary Schoop, relocated their family from New Orleans earlier this month to help run and manage the new Red Rae’s.
“Cajun and Creole food is fun because it’s fairly diverse, traditionally from seven different nations, French, Spanish, African, English and German, Native Americans (and Italian),” said Zachary, whose most recent experience included working at Gautreau’s Restaurant in New Orleans. “There’s a lot of room to play. I like spicy food.”
They are expanding on Tim’s menu created for the original Red Rae’s.Tim was classically trained under Chef Roland Hewitt at Christian’s after moving to New Orleans when he was 20.
Kelley was “born and raised in New Orleans, where her maternal grandmother’s Braised Greens became one of her favorites.
“We have them Thanksgiving and Christmas every year,” Kelley said. “I showed him (Zachary) how to do Braised Greens and he perfected it. I like mine a little spicy, so I use a little extra red pepper flakes. Beer’s essential to it. My grandma always put it in. I like Abita Amber, adds a nice sweetness to it.
The tangy Braised Greens with a slight kick are served as a side at Red Rae’s, perfect for pairing with Tim’s Red Beans and Rice served with toasted French bread from Gambino’s Bakery in New Orleans.
“I’ve pretty much been doing this Red Beans and Rice forever since I learned to make it in Louisiana. I experiment until I get what I like. We make our own Cajun seasoning,” said Tim, who also uses tops the dish with Polk’s Andouille Sausage from Sam’s.
The red beans are filled with large pieces of tender ham and served over Jazzmen rice, a variety of aromatic rice developed by the LSU AgCenter.
Every layer of the generously served dish is great on its own and makes for a wonderful mix of textures and spice.
“That’s the first thing I had the first day they were open. It was great,” said Brian Haddad, head coach of the Panama City Swim Team, who was eating lunch Monday at Red Rae’s. “The thing for me, I grew up on the coast. I’m from Mobile. It’s so difficult to find a place that seasons it just right. Most over season or don’t season at all for fear of running people off. Red Beans and Rice and everything I’ve had since has been perfect for my sense of what Cajun is for me. With that dish, I like how the big pieces of sausage are on top. Sometimes it gets chopped and mixed in and takes on the flavors of the beans and doesn’t have its own kick.”
Before moving to the beach, Kelley worked at Chateau du Lac Bistro in Metairie, where she likes to watch the Mardi Gras parade.
“We’ve lived everywhere in New Orleans,” Kelley said. “Usually we do sandwiches for the parade route. We bring a cooler with muffalettas or ham and cheese poboys. Rosaleigh had her first Mardi Gras last year.”
Kelley and Zachary can take their daughters Rosaleigh, 2, and Elodie, 5 months, to St. Andrews Mardi on Feb. 6-7 or Mardi Gras at the Beach on Feb. 13-14 in Pier Park, but Rosaleigh definitely has brought her tastebuds from New Orleans.
“My husband makes a lot of spicy for dinner; she can handle the heat,” Kelley said.
The Grand Opening of Red Rae’s, 12011B Panama City Beach Parkway, is Feb. 8 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. during Sunday Brunch with live music from jazz guitarist Max McCann.
“We will have beads and throws to give away, along with free King Cake. Fatty Patty’s did it last year,” Sarah added.
Fatty Patty’s Cakes & Cafe, 948 Thomas Drive, makes Mardi Gras King Cakes from scratch for customers in Panama City Beach and all over the United States.
“We just got an order for 12 shipping to Alaska,” owner Renee Schaarschmidt said Jan. 9.
Every Friday, Bayou on the Beach Cafe & Oyster Bar serves Fish and Shrimp Courtbouillon as a special.
“This is a Buxton family recipe,” said Maria Bertella Buxton, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Jordan Buxton.
The Buxton family, who hails from Lafayette, La., has been serving the dish as a special for lunch or dinner for the past 15 years at the beach.
“Instead of a dark base roux for the gumbo, they do a tomato base which I prefer. I didn’t think I’d like it, but I’m a tomato soup eater and when I tried it I was like oh, yeah, I can do this,” said server Deborah Sellers, who added, “Courtbouillon (coo-be-on) is not pronounced like it sounds. I’ve learned a new language since I first started.”
I didn’t know if I would like the special either, but when my bowl came out, it was piled high with fish and shrimp, and the aftertaste kept me going back. I almost skipped the bread, also from Gambino’s Bakery, but am glad I didn’t make that mistake. The soft bread with a flaky outside didn’t need any butter.
“They take a big yeast roll and they don’t bake it, they deep fry it — like a doughnut I guess” Deborah added.
Win “Bubba” Vickers will be teaching two styles of jambalaya, another traditional New Orleans dish, during a cooking class Jan. 31 at Somethin’s Cookin’ in Panama City.
“Jambalaya, in my opinion, is the best one pot dish in America,” Win said. “For years I would make Jambalaya on St. Charles Avenue on Mardi Gras day. The day starts early trying to find parking and getting to a spot early enough to see Pete Fountain’s ‘Half Fast Marching Club’ for me the official start to Mardi Gras Day. I would use chicken, ham, pork, and smoked sausage. This Jambalaya was easily eaten in a bowl and provided sustenance for a long day of parade watching and bead catching.”
A Panama City native, he got “caught up in the food culture” during his time in New Orleans, where he taught part time at The News Orleans School of Cooking. Win will demonstrate two jambalaya recipes, one with pork and sausage and the other with shrimp and chicken.
“Serve with a salad or cole slaw, and crusty French bread, for a great Louisiana one pot meal,” Win said. “One of the most important things I learned while living and cooking in New Orleans has been the technique of building layers of flavor.”
Braised Greens
- 1 pound bacon
- 1 large onion
- 4 to 5 cloves garlic
- 1 bottle Abita beer, half for the greens and half for yourself
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 pounds collard greens
- ½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to desired heat)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ stick butter
- Salt and pepper
Cube the pound of bacon and sauté’ it. When done, scoop bacon out with slotted spoon, reserving the bacon grease in pan. Julienne onion and sauté in reserved grease. When onions begin to sweat, add red pepper flakes. let sauté a few more minutes then add garlic , after you add your garlic deglaze your pan with ½ to 1/3 bottle of Abita Amber Beer let simmer and reduce by about half . when reduced add your Collards and Chicken stock bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until desired tenderness ,this usually takes anywhere from 1 to 2 hours then add you maple syrup, apple cider vinegar and butter and bacon. Simmer a few minutes more then serve.
Makes 4-6 servings.
Source: Zachary Schoop, Red Rae’s
Red Beans and Rice
- 1 pound Camilla Red Beans (soak overnight, traditionally on Sunday)
- 1 large onion
- 1 green bell pepper
- 2 celery stocks
- 4 cloves garlic
- 6 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon Thyme
- 2 quarts chicken stock
- 2 links Andouille sausage
- 2 ham hocks
- 2 tablespoons Cajun Seasoning
- Hot Sauce to taste
- Cayenne pepper to taste
Soak Beans overnight. Saute onion, peppers, celery and garlic. Add chicken stock, ham hocks and spices; bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for few hours. Add water as needed during cooking process. Take Andouille sausage, slice in half and saute it for a few minutes till browned. While Andouille sausage is cooking, start the rice. Pour desired serving of red beans over rice, top with browned Andouille and serve with a side of Braised Greens.
Makes 6 servings.
Source: Tim Burke, Red Rae’s
Fish and Shrimp Courtbouillon
- 2 pounds (5 fillets) fish
- 2 pounds 71/90 shrimp
- ½ cup garlic butter or olive oil ( to sauté)
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 large bell peppers, chopped
- 5 stalks celery, chopped
- ½ cup dried parsley
- ½ cup green onion, chopped
- 1½ tablespoons Worcestershire
- 4 tablespoons Bayou Seasoning (Sold here at the Bayou)
- 1 can Rotel Tomatoes
- 1 small can tomato paste
- 2 large can diced tomatoes
- 1½ quarts water or fish stock
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup flour
Heat oil in a large pot, add flour and stir constantly to make your roux. Meanwhile, sauté your onions, celery, bell peppers, and garlic until tender. Once your roux is smooth and a light peanut butter color, slowly stir in water or stock and sautéed vegetables. Add in your canned tomatoes, Rotel, and paste, Worcestershire, and Bayou on the Beach Seasoning. Bring to a simmer. Add in your shrimp and fish and cook until your seafood is cooked through.
Serve over rice and top with green onions and parsley.
Source: Buxton family, Bayou On the Beach Cafe & Oyster Bar