Cocottes A La Orleans

This recipe hails from the vibrant Greek-American culinary community of early 20th-century New York, as documented in Michael Gkines' 1917 cookbook. During this era, Greek immigrants blended elements of French haute cuisine and local American ingredients, while retaining some classic Ottoman and Mediterranean touches. Recipes like this exemplify the cosmopolitan flair of the time, as cooks experimented with elegant, restaurant-style dishes at home. These 'cocottes' are small oven-baked egg dishes, directly inspired by the French tradition but adapted for the Greek-speaking diaspora. They showcase luxury ingredients—truffles, shrimp, and mushrooms—reflecting both aspiration and nostalgia for European refinement.

The recipe would have been prepared with basic kitchenware of the early 1900s: a sturdy ceramic or earthenware cocotte or individual baking dish, a well-seasoned iron or coal-fired oven, and simple pots for boiling mushrooms and shrimp. A small knife, a fork for mixing, and a spoon for layering would suffice. No electric appliances required! Serving would occur directly in the cocotte, as was the custom for such dainty dishes.