PIEROGI TRADITION

EARLIER THIS YEAR, 2008 Chef to Watch Sue Zemanick opened Zasu, an upscale restaurant in Mid-City New Orleans, where the menu is driven by fresh seafood and vegetables. That plays out in dishes like Sue’s Wild Mushroom and Potato Pierogies, a dish she first created at Gautreau’s that pays homage to her Slovak heritage. Pierogies are stuffed dumplings that are traditional in Poland and other central and eastern European nations. They are often stuffed with mashed potatoes and cheese or sauerkraut and then boiled and cooked in butter. Pierogies make wonderful comfort food, and as we move into fall, Sue came up with these Sweet Potato Pierogies as a Southern, seasonal play on the traditional version. We recently sat down with her at Zasu to learn more about the art of making the perfect pierogi.

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