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Like most Creole celebrations, the Reveillon is rooted in religious tradition. In times past, only light dishes of fish or seafood were allowed on Christmas Eve, and hours of complete fasting were required before Midnight Mass. Families returned home to break the fast with Reveillon, a feast of Creole specialties that often lasted until dawn.
New Year’s Eve brought a more festive Reveillon, as friends and families gathered for a round of elaborate dinners, topped off with delectable sweets, eggnog, cordials, liqueurs and, eventually, singing and dancing. The literal translation of the French verb reveiller is to awaken, arouse or stimulate, and the grand feasts of Reveillon certainly fulfilled those descriptions.
Fortunately, the tradition continues as a part of Creole Christmas, which is celebrated throughout the New Orleans area during the month of December. Each participating restaurant creates a unique epicurean glimpse into the grandeur of Creole holiday dining by developing its own multi-course Reveillon menu of classic Creole dishes that complement contemporary tastes.
Here is a sampling of the many dishes being offered during this delicious season. Try one to begin a family Reveillon tradition—or use these suggestions as inspiration to create your own!
PATTON’S RESTAURANT AT THE SALMEN-FRITCHIE HOUSE, SLIDELL
Steeped in the history of elegant entertaining, Patton’s Restaurant at the Salmen-Fritchie House in Slidell is renewing tradition with the return of the Reveillon. Their special Celebration Brunch Menu, available only during December, reflects both Creole culinary magic and the Patton family’s fifty-year legacy of providing fine dining to their guests. Entering this northshore treasure, you are surrounded by exquisite antiques. With your first taste from menu selections created by Executive Chef Ryan Stone, you are transported toward a memorable experience of graceful splendor.
Oyster Brie Cheese Soup
2 pints oysters
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup green onions
1 cup Brie cheese
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups half-and-half cream
2 teaspoons fresh garlic
1 cup oyster liquor
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
In a large pan, sauté garlic and green onions. Set aside. Add oysters and oyster liquor to a separate pot, simmering until oysters curl. Remove from heat.
Stir Brie cheese and heavy cream into sautéed onions and garlic. Continue stirring until cheese melts and cream is fully incorporated. Gradually blend in oysters and oyster liquor and simmer. Add half-and-half cream and continue simmering on low heat for five minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately. Serves 10.
ARNAUD’S RESTAURANT,
NEW ORLEANS
Revered for its tradition of celebrating Creole cuisine, Arnaud’s Restaurant began offering the Reveillon Dinner more than fifteen years ago as a part of New Orleans’ Creole Christmas. According to Katy Casbarian, daughter of owner Archie Casbarian, “The whole family here at Arnaud’s looks forward to this time of year because of the wonderful decorations, jovial atmosphere, and the warmth of celebration. At Arnaud’s, guests really feel part of our family.” The Reveillon Dinner, like the precious brevity of most seasonal delicacies, is only offered at Arnaud’s Restaurant from December first through the twenty-third. The multi-course menu is classic, featuring delicious choices, such as the Crawfish Bourgeois appetizer. For the main course, try the Fresh Louisiana Trout with a Chardonnay Cream Sauce, or Pan-Seared Filet Mignon with Stilton Crème and Roasted Hazelnuts—and sweeten the culmination of your Reveillon Dinner with Praline Crêpes and Creole Café.
Pan-Seared Filet Mignon with Stilton Crème and Roasted Hazelnuts
2 filets mignon, 5 oz. each
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup Stilton cheese
¼ cup olive oil
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
¼ cup roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
Pan sear filets in olive oil over medium heat and cook to desired temperature. Remove the meat and reserve. Add cream to the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for three minutes. Add parsley, salt and pepper, and half of the Stilton cheese to the cream and simmer for two more minutes.
Place remaining half of Stilton cheese on top of the filets. Pour cream sauce over the filets. Sprinkle the plate with roasted hazelnuts. Serves 2.
ANDREA’S RESTAURANT, METAIRIE
With memories of family feasts following Midnight Mass at his beautiful boyhood home in Capri, Italy, Chef Andrea Apuzzo continues the tradition with the annual Reveillon Dinner at his restaurant in Metairie. With a decidedly Italian twist, his Reveillon Dinner Menu reflects the finest local ingredients, exquisitely prepared as seasonal specialties. Begin your feast with an elaborate antipasto, with Chestnut or Turtle Soup, or with Pumpkin Risotto and Shrimp, followed by a second course of Italian Olive Crabmeat Salad or Tomato Mozzarella Caprese. Your main course offers you a selection of equally luscious choices, such as Osso Bucco Milanese, Louisiana Quail Principessa with Fresh Foie Gras, or Filet of Fresh Fish Grilled Salsetta. For dessert, you can choose from Chestnut Cake, Tira Mi Su (Pick Me up Cake), Zuppa Inglese (English Trifle) or the Torta di Mandole (Chocolate Almond Cake).
For your own Reveillon celebrations, Chef Andrea shares his mother’s recipe for this delicious flourless cake, of which he says, “It’s my favorite!”
Torta di Mandorle
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
¼ cup butter
1 cup sugar
¼ oz. Amaretto liqueur
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 pound finely crushed almonds—approximately 2 cups
8 eggs, separated
Powdered sugar for garnish
Preheat oven to 275°. Melt chocolate morsels in a double boiler over medium heat.
Cream together butter and sugar until mixture is fully incorporated and turns a pale yellow color. There should be as little graininess to the mixture as possible. Add Amaretto liqueur to the mixture. Sift together cocoa powder, baking powder and cornstarch. Gradually add to the creamed butter mixture.
Grind the almonds to a fine powder in a food processor. Add almond powder to the batter, then add the egg yolks and blend well, scraping down sides of mixing bowl to fully incorporate ingredients. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add the melted chocolate to the batter. Set batter aside.
In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Carefully fold the egg whites into the batter. Do not over-mix the batter, as more handling causes the batter to become flat, and the cakes will be heavier.
Coat two nine-inch pans with shortening and pour in batter to fill almost to the top of each pan. Bake in preheated 275° oven for one hour. Cakes are done when the tops start to show cracks.
Allow cakes to cool. Turn each cake onto a separate plate. Dust tops of cakes with powdered sugar. Can be served with whipped cream, Zabaglione (Italian Custard), or topped with ice cream. Serves 12.
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