Frank Brigtsen is at the forefront of a new generation of New Orleans chefs
who are revitalizing Creole-Acadian cooking. Co-owner of Brigtsen’s
Restaurant with his wife, Marna, Frank has applied an inventive personal touch
to seven years of training in classic Creole-Acadian cooking under internationally
acclaimed Chef Paul Prudhomme. Patrons praise his ability to ingeniously incorporate
unusual ingredients into traditional cuisine.
Frank relies heavily on seasonings to make each morsel more interesting than the last. Gene Bourg, restaurant critic for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, described Frank’s interpretation of Creole-Acadian food as a “reaffirmation that Louisiana Cooking is America’s most durable and satisfying. Brigtsen’s is now the place against which all other restaurants serving South Louisiana cuisine have to be measured”.
The reception he has received in
the culinary community confirms Bourg’s assessment. In 1988, Food &
Wine called Frank “ONE OF AMERICA’S TOP TEN NEW CHEFS”.
The New Orleans chapter of Chefs in America honored him as their “CHEF
OF THE YEAR” in 1990. In 1994,
Frank was elected “CHEF OF THE YEAR” in New Orleans magazine’s
annual poll of local chefs and restaurateurs.
Critics have been equally quick to heap praise on Brigtsen’s Restaurant. Gene Bourg has given the restaurant a “Five-Bean” (Superior) rating twice (1986, 1990). Brigtsen’s Restaurant has also received Travel & Holiday’s GOOD VALUE DINING AWARD (1991-1995), Champagne Mumm’s ORDER OF THE CORDON ROUGE (1991) and Gault Millau’s LAURIERS DU TERROIR AWARD (1991). Restaurant goers voted Brigtsen’s “TOP CAJUN RESTAURANT” in the Zagat Survey numerous times.
Frank began his culinary career
in 1973 while attending Louisiana State University. In 1979, he apprenticed
at Commander’s Palace Restaurant under the guidance of Chef Paul Prudhomme.
In 1980, Frank became the first night chef at K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen.
During his seven-year tenure with Chef Prudhomme at K-Paul’s, Frank
attained the position of Executive Chef.
Frank and Marna opened Brigtsen’s Restaurant in 1986, with the help
and blessings of Paul and the late K Prudhomme. In March of 2006, Brigtsen’s
celebrated its twentieth anniversary.
Frank teaches Louisiana cuisine at the New Orleans Cooking Experience, a unique
cooking school that offers intimate half-day cooking classes for six to ten
students, culminating in an elegant four-course dining experience.
Rebuilt
Louisiana Seafood Platter
Ingredients:unsalted butter |
Portion/Unit:2 tablespoons |
1) Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crabmeat, seafood seasoning, and Lea & Perrins. Sauté the crabmeat, shaking the skillet constantly, just until the crabmeat is heated through, about 2 minutes. Transfer the crabmeat to a shallow pan and refrigerate until fully chilled.
2) In a food processor, add 1 1⁄2 cups of the sliced asparagus, the salt, white pepper, and lemon juice. Process until smooth. With the processor running, slowly add the olive oil. Transfer the asparagus puree to a mixing bowl and add the crabmeat, remaining 1⁄2 cup of sliced asparagus, Parrmesan, and bread crumbs. Mix gently until fully blended.
3) To serve, top each oyster on the half shell with 2 tablespoons of the asparagus/crabmeat mixture. Garnish each oyster with 2 slices of asparagus. Bake at 500° for 15 minutes.
Ingredients:fine French bread crumbs |
Portion/Unit:4 tablespoons |
1) In a mixing bowl, add the bread crumbs, Parmesan, melted butter, and paprika. Mix well and set aside.
2) Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, shallots, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions become soft and clear, 2-3 minutes. Add the tarragon, salt, white pepper, and cayenne. Cook for 1 minute. Add the crab stock, bring to a boil, and reduce the crab stock by half.
3) Add the cream and Dijon mustard and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, strain, and set aside.
4) To serve, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the green onions and cook for 5 seconds. Add the crabmeat and cook for 1 minute. Add the Thermidor sauce and bring to a boil. Spoon 3 ounces of Crabmeat Thermidor into 8 4-ounce ramekins. Sprinkle the top of each ramekin with about 1 tablespoon of the bread crumb mixture. Place the ramekins under a broiler until the tops brown, 1-2 minutes.
Ingredients:egg yolk |
Portion/Unit:1 |
1) For the green onion sauce: In a food processor, add the egg yolk, green onions, 1 teaspoon of salt, black pepper, and white vinegar. With the processor running, slowly add the vegetable oil in a thin stream until fully incorporated. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
2) For the marinade: In a mixing bowl, add the red wine vinegar, Creole mustard, paprika, garlic, 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt, oregano, and sugar. Slowly add the olive oil, whisking constantly, until fully incorporated.
3) Cut 8 pieces of cucumber about 2 inches long. Hollow out the cucumber pieces to form cups. To serve, marinate the crab claws for 15 minutes. Remove from marinade. Place 2 tablespoons of Green Onion Sauce in each cucumber cup. Place 3 crab claws into each cucumber cup.
Ingredients:egg yolk |
Portion/Unit:1 |
1) Roast the jalapeño pepper under a broiler or in a hot cast-iron skillet until charred on the outside. Remove the charred outer skin, stem, and seeds. Chop finely and set aside.
2) In a food processor, add the egg yolk, 1 tablespoon of roasted jalapeño, 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt, sugar, lemon juice, Creole mustard, Coleman’s mustard, vinegar, and garlic. Process until smooth.
3) With the processor running, slowly add the oil in a thin stream until fully incorporated.
4) In a mixing bowl, add the Napa cabbage, red cabbage, carrot, green onions, and parsley. Add the Roasted Jalapeño sauce and mix until fully blended. Cover and refrigerate.
5) In a skillet, add the water, lemon, and 1⁄4 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil. Add the shrimp and return the mixture to a boil. Remove the shrimp and refrigerate until fully chilled.
6) To serve, place 1⁄4 cup of cole slaw on each plate and top each portion with one shrimp.
Ingredients:unsalted butter, softened |
Portion/Unit:1⁄2 lb. |
1) In a food processor, add the 1⁄2 lb. softened butter, pistachios, salt, lime zest, lime juice, and Tabasco. Process until the pistachios are finely ground and the mixture is fully blended. Set aside.
2) Season each drum filet with about 1 teaspoon of seafood seasoning. Pass the drum filets through clarified butter and cook on a flat-top grill or preheated cast-iron skillets until done, about 3-4 minutes on the first side and 2-3 minutes on the second side.
3) Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp turn pink on the outside.
4) Add the shrimp stock and bring to a boil. Add the pistachio lime butter and cook, shaking the skillet constantly, just until the butter melts into the sauce.
5) To serve, place the cooked drum filets on serving plates and top each filet with 2 shrimp and 3-4 tablespoons of sauce.
