An Innovative Garden and a Delightful Cajun Restaurant

Rouse's Jack Treuting gives Poppy a tour of the new rooftop garden installed at the grocery store's downtown New Orleans location. Plus, Ian McNulty tells us where to find the best fried chicken down the bayou.

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Oyster Artichoke Appetizer (6-8 servings)

Juice of 1 lemon (3 T)
4 large artichokes, trimmed
10 T butter
1 1/2 T flour
3 T minced green onion tops
18 oysters with their liquor
1 – 7 oz. can mushroom, chopped, with their liquid
Salt
Black pepper
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the lemon juice and boil the artichokes until the leaves pull out easily.  Drain when the artichokes are cool enough to handle.  Scrape the flesh off each leaf into a bowl and discard the leaves. Cut the hearts into large pieces, add to the bowl and set aside.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a large saucepan.  Melt tablespoons of the butter over medium heat; add the flour and stir slowly until lightly browned.  Add the green onions, oysters and liquor, mushrooms and liquid, and salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer for 10 minutes.

Place the artichoke flesh and hearts in a medium casserole dish.  Add the oyster mixture and top with breadcrumbs.  Dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, cut into bits.  Bake until lightly browned and bubbly, 13 – 20 minutes.  Serve immediately.