A cooking platform built around craft, culture, and the stories behind what we eat.
Created by Chef Remy
Smoky tasso ham folded into slow-cooked creamy white beans seasoned with the holy trinity, spooned generously onto crispy garlic-rubbed crostini, the kind of appetizer that disappears before the party really starts.
Tasso is one of Louisiana's great gifts to the culinary world. This heavily spiced, smoke-cured pork shoulder carries enough personality to transform anything it touches. Pair it with creamy white beans cooked low and slow, and you've got something special. At Lagniappe, we serve this during the holidays, and I've watched guests hover around the platter like it might run away.
The secret is building flavor at every stage. You render the tasso first, letting that smoky fat become your cooking medium. The holy trinity goes in next, absorbing all that goodness. Then the beans join the party and simmer until they're creamy enough to spread but still hold their shape. My grandmother Evangeline taught me that beans need time and attention. You can't rush them. They'll tell you when they're ready by how they melt on your tongue.
Now, most folks think crostini are just toast. They're wrong. Good crostini are crisp enough to hold up to a generous topping but tender enough that you don't scrape the roof of your mouth. A rub of raw garlic while the bread is still warm, a brush of good olive oil, and you've got a foundation worthy of what goes on top.
Quantity
8 ounces
cut into small dice
Quantity
2 tablespoons
Quantity
1 medium
finely diced
Quantity
2
finely diced
Quantity
1/2
finely diced
Quantity
4 cloves
minced
Quantity
2 cans (15 ounces each)
drained and rinsed
Quantity
1 cup
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon, plus more to taste
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
Quantity
to taste
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
Quantity
2 tablespoons
chopped
Quantity
1
cut into 1/2-inch slices on the bias
Quantity
1/4 cup
Quantity
2 cloves
halved
Quantity
for finishing
Quantity
for garnish
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| tasso hamcut into small dice | 8 ounces |
| unsalted butter | 2 tablespoons |
| yellow onionfinely diced | 1 medium |
| celery stalksfinely diced | 2 |
| green bell pepperfinely diced | 1/2 |
| garlic (for beans)minced | 4 cloves |
| Great Northern beansdrained and rinsed | 2 cans (15 ounces each) |
| low-sodium chicken stock | 1 cup |
| dried thyme | 1/2 teaspoon |
| cayenne pepper | 1/4 teaspoon, plus more to taste |
| smoked paprika | 1/2 teaspoon |
| kosher salt | to taste |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
| fresh parsleychopped | 2 tablespoons |
| French baguettecut into 1/2-inch slices on the bias | 1 |
| extra-virgin olive oil | 1/4 cup |
| garlic (for crostini)halved | 2 cloves |
| flaky sea salt | for finishing |
| fresh thyme leaves (optional) | for garnish |
Set a heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced tasso and let it cook undisturbed for three to four minutes. You'll hear it start to sizzle and pop as the fat renders out. Stir occasionally and continue cooking until the edges crisp up and turn a deeper shade of red, another three to four minutes. The kitchen should smell like a Louisiana smokehouse right about now.
Add the butter to the rendered tasso fat. Once it foams, add the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Season lightly with salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and turn translucent, about eight to ten minutes. The onions should be sweet, not browned. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute more. That's the bayou way: layer your aromatics so each one has time to bloom.
Pour in the drained beans and chicken stock. Add the dried thyme, cayenne, and smoked paprika. Stir everything together and bring to a gentle simmer. The liquid should barely bubble around the edges. Now reduce the heat to low and let the beans cook slowly, stirring every ten minutes or so, for about forty-five minutes to an hour.
When the beans have absorbed most of the liquid and turned creamy, use the back of a wooden spoon to mash about a third of them against the side of the pot. This creates a spreadable texture while keeping some whole beans for interest. Taste, taste, taste. Adjust the salt, pepper, and cayenne until the flavor sings. Fold in the fresh parsley. The mixture should be thick enough to hold its shape on bread but creamy enough to spread easily.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the baguette slices on a sheet pan in a single layer. Brush both sides lightly with olive oil. Bake for eight to ten minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp on the outside but still slightly tender within. Watch them closely after the flip. They go from perfect to burned in about sixty seconds.
The moment the crostini come out of the oven, rub the top of each slice with the cut side of a garlic clove. The rough, warm surface acts like a grater, leaving behind a subtle garlic essence. Don't overdo it. One clove should handle about eighteen slices. The garlic perfumes the bread without overpowering the topping.
Spoon a generous tablespoon of the tasso and bean mixture onto each crostini. Don't be stingy. These should look abundant, not precious. Finish each one with a pinch of flaky sea salt and a few fresh thyme leaves. Arrange on a rustic platter and serve while the beans are still warm. When the last bite is as good as the first, you've done it right.
1 crostini (about 35g)
Culinary guides, cultural storytelling, and the editorial depth that makes cooking meaningful.
Discover Culinary Explorer
Chef Remy
Thick-cut smoky andouille arranged alongside sharp Creole mustard, crusty French bread, pickled okra, and spiced pecans, a generous spread that brings the spirit of a Lafayette meat market to your gathering.
Chef Remy
Crispy toasted baguette rounds spread with tangy cream cheese, crowned with caramelized andouille coins and a glistening spoonful of pepper jelly, the kind of bite that makes guests hover near the appetizer table all night.
Chef Remy
Smoky Louisiana andouille sausage hugged by flaky, buttery puff pastry brushed with Cajun spiced butter, baked until golden and puffed, served with a tangy honey-Creole mustard dip that'll have your guests fighting over the last one.
Chef Remy
Crisp, colorful mini peppers cradling a creamy, spicy filling of smoky andouille and sharp cheddar, baked until the cheese bubbles and the edges char just enough to make you reach for another.