NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Tourists hoping to eat their way through Louisiana may soon be able to plan their menus from cyberspace.

A public-private partnership on Wednesday unveiled Louisiana Culinary Trails, a Web-based tool still in the design stage that is designed to help visitors navigate the state’s diverse eating ethic.

The program highlights Louisiana’s culinary and cultural heritage, suggesting a series of “trails” but also allowing visitors to map their own food routes.

Included are everything from neighborhood joints like New Orleans’ Domilise Sandwich Shop and Bar to the haute cuisine of the state’s top restaurants such as Chef John Besh’s Restaurant August, also in New Orleans.

“These trails have always been here,” said Besh, who was on hand for Wednesday’s announcement. “It’s only now we are pointing them out.”

The move is part of a growing trend toward culinary tourism — targeting travelers who plan vacations around food and wine. Similar trails have been established in such places as Pennsylvania Dutch country, the Mississippi Delta and upstate New York.

The latest plan grew from a study of national culinary tourism trends, boosted by Louisiana’s recognition as one of the top 15 global destinations for food-related travel.

“Our raw food is the best in the world,” said Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu. “Then we add our creative genius to it.”

Restaurants alone are expected to contribute $4.8 billion to the economy this year, according to the Louisiana Restaurant Association.

Unlike golf trail programs — in which travelers cross a region from course to course — no highway signs will proclaim the culinary trails, said Stacy Brown, president of the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau.

“We’ll have a Web site that will allow you to design your culinary trail and combine it with other things you want to do or see,” Brown said. “There will also be a lot of suggestions for different types of food, different types of restaurants.”

The site is still under construction. Brown was unsure when that process would be completed, but said it would occur before the three-year program wraps up.

The site will list all Louisiana-owned restaurants. Basic listings are free. Enhanced listings — including restaurant name, pictures and direct links to the Web site — would cost businesses $150.

The marketing program is one of the largest public-private partnerships in state history, Landrieu said. It has a $600,000 budget for three years.

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Ingredients:

For the crust:
2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
2/3 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
4 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons sugar

For the filling:
2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen wild blueberries, thawed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
24 ounces block-style cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs

For the topping:
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the sauce:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
reserved pureed blueberries from above ingredients *see directions
1 cup fresh or frozen, thawed, wild blueberries

Procedure:

To make the crust:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium bowl, toss together graham cracker crumbs, vanilla wafer crumbs and sugar. Drizzle in the butter and use a fork to combine the mixture until thoroughly mixed. Scoop the mixture into a 9″ springform pan lightly coated with nonstick spray - use your fingers or the bottom of a measuring cup to firmly press the mixture down to form a crust. Bake for 10 minutes - remove and let cool on a wire rack. Before adding the filling, wrap the outside of the pan with heavy-duty foil - you want the bottom and about 1-2 inches up the side covered, this will ensure that no water from the water bath can get into the cheesecake.

To make the filling:
Add blueberries and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a food processor - process until smooth. Scoop puree into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick - about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. *Set aside 1/2 cup puree to use later on in the sauce. Place the remaining puree in a bowl and reserve to swirl into the cheesecake. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until completely smooth, about 3 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and salt - add to the cream cheese and beat until thoroughly combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, and mix until combined. Pour the batter over the baked crust and smooth with a spatula. Place dollops of the blueberry puree on top of the cheesecake and use a knife to gently swirl the two together. Place the foil-wrapped pan into a large shallow roasting pan and add enough boiling water to reach an inch or so up the side. Bake until the cheesecake center barely moves when pan is touched, about 55-65 minutes. Remove from the oven (leaving the oven on) and place on a wire rack.

To make the topping:
In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Scoop the mixture onto the hot cheesecake and gently spread the mixture evenly over the top. Place back in the oven and continue to bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and run a thin knife around the outside edge. Allow to cool to room temperature. Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 8 hours. When ready to finish, take the cheesecake out from the refrigerator and remove sides of the springform pan.

To make the sauce:
In a small saucepan, add granulated sugar, water and *reserved 1/2 cup blueberry puree. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the sauce is thick - about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and gently fold in 1 cup blueberries. Allow to cool and then serve with sliced cheesecake.

Ingredients:

2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
3 tablespoons chili sauce
1 good-sized chopped onion, sauteed
1 pound bratwurst or sausage of your choice
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic (diced)
1 tablespoon paprika
curry powder to taste

Procedure:

Preheat oven to Broil/Grill for cooking sausages. Sausages can be sauteed or barbequed as well. Pour tomato sauce into a large saucepan, then stir all the other ingredients except for the curry powder and the sausage. Let simmer over medium heat for about 20-30 minutes after bringing to a boil. Meanwhile, broil/grill sausage for 3 to 4 minutes each side, or until cooked through. Slice into pieces 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick. Pour tomato sauce mixture over sausage, then sprinkle all with paprika and curry powder and serve. It is best to let each person decide how much curry powder they want so be sure to set some extra powder out on the table. Serve with french fries and rolls.

Ingredients:

200 grams whole rice
100 grams green lentils
4 eggs
1 fennel
1 red pepper
2 onions
30 grams butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp. curry spice
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 stock cube
salt & pepper.

Procedure:

Peel the onions, clean the pepper and fennel ; mince them all. Fry them in a casserole with the butter and 1 tbsp. olive oil for 2/3 minutes, then add the thyme, the peeled garlic and curry and mix for another minute. Add the rice and mix until the rice becomes translucent (another few minutes). Boil 75 cl. (25 fl. oz.) water with the stock cube and pour it in the casserole. Turn the flame down, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes. Gently turn from time to time. Put the lentils in a sauce pan with cold water and bring it to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes then strain. Add them to the rice after 10 minutes cooking. Let all cool down when cooked ; mix with 1 tbsp.olive oil and adjust seasoning. Beat the eggs with salt and pepper and fry one or 2 thin omelets in a non-stick pan ; roll them and cut them in thin slices. Display the omelet slices on the top of the salad (this stage is optional). Serve fresh.

Ingredients:

For the potato layer:
2 pounds cubed potatoes
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the spinach layer:
20 ounces fresh baby spinach
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup diced onion
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the cheese sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon mustard
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
3 ounces shredded cheese
8 hard-boiled eggs

Procedure:

To make the potato layer:
In a large pot, add potatoes and cover with water - bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well and return to the pot. Pour in buttermilk and season with salt and pepper - mash with a potato masher. Scoop the mixture into a 9″ x 13″ baking dish coated with nonstick spray.

To make the spinach layer:
Rinse spinach and shake off excess water. In a large pot, add spinach - cover and steam over medium-high heat, stirring once, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Place the spinach in a sieve, colander or potato ricer - press out the excess liquid and let cool enough to coarsely chop. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onions and cook until softened, about 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in spinach, salt and pepper. Spread evenly over mashed potato mixture.

To make the cheese sauce:
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium. Stir in flour - cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk - cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Stir mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg into sauce. Remove from the heat and add the cheese - stir until melted. Thinly slice eggs and arrange, slightly overlapping, over spinach. Spoon the cheese sauce over the top. Bake until the edges are golden, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove and let cool at least 10 minutes before serving. Makes about 6 to 8 servings.

Ingredients:

1 yellow onion, diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 whole chicken or 8 chicken drumsticks
1 1/2 lbs. pork loin (fat trimmed), cut into ¾ inch pieces
1/2 lb. calamares (squid) cleaned and sliced into rings
medium grain or “pearl” rice
4-6 cups chicken broth
1 large pinch saffron
1 1/2 lbs. raw mussels in shell (frozen or fresh)
1 lb. small clams (frozen or fresh)
1 1/2 lbs. raw shrimp, medium or large - shell on
1 red pepper seeded and sliced
1 10 oz. pkg. frozen peas
olive oil
salt to taste

Procedure:

You’ll need one whole chicken, cut into serving-size pieces or 8 chicken drumsticks. If you use a whole chicken, use a meat cleaver to cut the chicken into pieces small enough to easily mix while frying. With a sharp knife, cut the pork into 3/4″ pieces.Clean the squid and remove the tentacles. Make sure to remove the innards and the “spine” and discard. Then, cut the squid into rings. Slice red pepper and chop onions and tomatoes, set aside. Now that you have the ingredients cleaned and chopped, it’s time to start the BBQ and begin cooking. When the coals on the BBQ are covered in white ash, cooking can begin. Assemble all the ingredients on a table near the BBQ, so that you can stay in the area and monitor the cooking. Place the paella pan on the grate and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom and allow the pan to heat up. When hot enough,fry the onions and tomatoes in the olive oil. Add olive oil as needed to prevent sticking. Once the onions are translucent, add the chicken and cook, stirring constantly – about 15 minutes. Add pork and squid and cook, stirring often. Add the rice in the form of a cross, as shown in the photograph. Stir for 2-3 minutes to thoroughly coat the rice with oil and mix with the other ingredients. Add saffron to the chicken broth and stir. Slowly pour broth into pan until pan contents are covered. Spread ingredients evenly over bottom of pan. Arrange mussels around outside edge of pan. Place clams and shrimp distributing them around pan. Add slices of pepper on top. Allow to simmer, cooking rice. Add more broth if necessary. When rice is almost cooked, sprinkle peas over the pan. When rice is cooked, remove from heat and cover with aluminum foil, allowing paella to “rest” for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve paella with lemon wedges.

Ingredients:

3-4 lbs. meat with or without bones
4 guajillo chiles
3 ancho chiles
3 cascabel chiles
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme or 2-3 sprigs
6 garlic cloves, peeled and finely diced
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 cup of water
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped cilantro
corn tortillas

Procedure:

Chile Paste:
Toast the chiles on a hot pan until browned, but not burned. Remove the seeds and veins and cover with hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. When done soaking, process in blender with the vinegar to make a paste.

Meat Rub:
Mix the salt, pepper, cloves, oregano, cumin, cinnamon and thyme. Rub the meat well with this mixture. Then coat the meat with half of the chile paste. Let marinate overnight.

Cook the Meat:
Fill a Dutch oven with water. Add the chopped onion, bay leaf, garlic and the remaining chile sauce to the water. Place meat on a rack that sits just above the water. Place lid on and bake for 4 hours at 350 degrees.

Prepare the Dish:
Remove the meat and place into serving bowls. There are two ways to finish. The first way has no broth. Remove bay leaves from liquid. If liquid is too watery, reduce by boiling in a small pan. Coat the meat chunks with the reduced chile sauce. Use meat to fill tortillas and top with onions and cilantro. The second way is to let the liquid cool slightly and remove the bay leaves. At this point some people blend the liquid. Add enough hot water to make at least 2 cups. Ladle the liquid over the meat and top with chopped onion and cilantro. Serve with warm corn tortillas.