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Archive for category Cajun recipes

Cajun Eggnog recipe

Dec 27

Posted by Tommy in Cajun recipes | 3 Comments

This recipe comes from my Dad’s Aunt Louise of Larose, Louisiana. As you can see, she leaves the choice of hooch up to the drinker, but the basic recipe provides a great start to some serious holiday sipping.

Louise’s Eggnog recipe

Ingredients:
3 qts. Half & half
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
½ stick butter

Procedure:

  1. Put milk on range in large pot @ low heat, add butter
  2. Separate eggs
  3. Put egg yokes in bowl
  4. Add ½ cup cold milk and blend
  5. Add sugar, blend again
  6. Add vanilla, blend
  7. Add two cups of heated milk slowly to the egg mixture
  8. Add egg mixture to pot stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes

Meringue:

  1. Beat egg whites until stiff
  2. Add ½ cup sugar, beat till stiff
  3. Drop large spoons full into pot mixture, allow to cook for 3 minutes
  4. Add whiskey to individual cups

Always watch pot carefully from start to finish to avoid burning.

Oyster White Spaghetti recipe

Dec 7

Posted by Martee in Cajun recipes | No Comments

Similar to a white clam sauce, this recipe is a perfect stand in if you ever tire of downing your oysters raw or frying them up!

White Oyster Spaghetti

1 qt oysters, drained but keep liquid

1 stick butter

½ cup olive oil

8 cloves garlic, minced

4 med onions , chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped     OR 1 pint  Guidry’s pre-chopped Trinity(garlic,

onions, pepper)

1 carton fresh mushrooms, sliced

½ cup green onion tops

½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

DO NOT ADD ANY SALT TO THIS RECIPE.

Sauté vegetables in butter and oil until golden brown.  Add oysters, green onions and parsley.  Cook 5 minutes until oysters are plump and edges curl. Can add Seafood Magic and hot sauce to taste.

Prepare angel hair pasta ( 1 pound) using the oyster liquid supplemented with  more water if needed.

Serves 4 – 6.  Serve by mixing the oysters in the pasta or just put on top of pasta. Also can serve the oysters in Pepperidge farm patty shells.

This is an easy, delicious  dish for oyster lovers!!!!!!

Grillades: Cajun vs. Creole

Sep 9

Posted by Tommy in Cajun recipes | 2 Comments

Grillades started as method of cooking otherwise tough cuts of meat so as to get them tender and moist.  However, as with many of the other dishes of South Louisiana, there are way too many recipes to count and the Cajuns (at least the ones I know from down the bayou) have a somewhat different take on it than if you took the Creole route.

When I think of Cajun style grillades, I think of the small community fairs of my childhood that went on in places like Raceland and Larose.  There, grillades consist of thinly sliced pieces of Boston butt, marinated or seasoned, then thrown on a grill or flat top and occasionally accompanied by grilled peppers and/or onions and pressed between some crusty pieces of french bread. 

This was my first introduction to “grillades,” and it largely took the place of what some think of as the Philly cheesesteak.  A quick replication of this would involve dusting some pork with Cajun Land Cajun Seasoning with Green Onion (one of my absolute favorites for all things porcine and a key to an award winning pork tenderloin in my past) and throwing them into a hot skillet only to later nestle in fresh bread.

However, it is the Creole version of grillades that most people have come to know and has spread across America, usually accompanied by a nice pile of grits. Covered in a brown gravy (the more tomatoes in it the more it is a Creole dish than a Cajun one), it is really a roast and gravy at its most basic level.

While beef seems to be what’s for dinner on most menus, I hold true to the pig and my favorite grillades are always pork. Here’s an adaptation of Chef John Besh’s recipe for your to give a try:

1 4-pound Boston Butt, cubed
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Creole seasoning mix, to taste
3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting pork
2 cups canola oil
1 large container Guidry’s chopped trinity (2 onions, 2 bell peppers, 1 stalk celery)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
2 tomatoes, crushed (or 2 cups canned)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 quarts pork or chicken stock

Season your flour then dust the cubed pork. Brown the pork in the canola oil, then discard all but one cup of the oil. Make a roux by whisking in the flour and get it to a dark brown, then throw in the veggies. Pour in the stock and toss the meat back in and wait as long as you can for some killer grillades!

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Old School Steak recipe

Jul 17

Posted by dpoimboeuf in Cajun recipes | 4 Comments

Broiled Sirloin

Nowadays, everyone seems to be an expert on steaks.  Since the dawn of the Internet and the Food Network, every home cook worth their weight in salt knows everything about beef: dry aging, marbling, USDA Prime, the difference between American Waygu and true Kobe Beef.  Even Ruth’s sizzling butter is no secret! All of this steak overkill has this blogger longing for simpler times.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a trip to a prime steakhouse as much anyone.  Few things in life top a perfectly cooked,

USDA prime rib eye, creamed spinach and glass of 2005 Duckhorn Cabernet.  A broiled sirloin; however, harkens to the steak dinners of my childhood.  Before I was an “expert”…

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BIG AL’S – Where It’s At for Seafood in Houma

Jun 30

Posted by ellclare in Acadiana restaurant, Cajun recipes, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Big Al'sLocated on the East side of Houma, Big Al’s Seafood is my favorite place to go for boiled seafood around town.

Many people know that I’m indecisive about lots of things in life, but when it comes to food and when I’m hungry, there is absolutely no hope for a decision to be made.  I want a little of everything.  Everything looks and smells so good.  So many choices… it’s just hopeless.

Well – at Big Al’s, we had the most fabulous waitress who saved me from anguish and let me have a little bit of everything!  You can basically customize your own boiled seafood platter! How cool is this? We ordered 2 lbs of boiled shrimp, 1 lb of boiled crawfish, 2 crabs, and the sides of course (potatoes, corn, and sausage).

We were able to order a crab at a time and a pound of crawfish at a time after that when we still just hadn’t had enough.  It was perfect!  Everything was boiled to perfection: easy to peel, juicy, and spicy enough to feel the kick in your mouth, but not too spicy.

I’ve been a loyal fan of Big Al’s for years now, and every visit leaves me 110% satisfied.  They’re never off.  The menu offers a wonderful selection of fried and boiled seafood along with savory sides to compliment the seafood, and they have just about any style pasta and poboy you can imagine.  There’s also a kid-friendly menu.

Everything about Big Al’s makes you feel right at home: the booths and picnic tables, the Cajun ’decor’, the genuine Southern hospitality from the staff, and the always ice cold Abita beer.  (They DO serve Abita Strawberry, which is also a plus!)

Big Al’s original location can be found at 1226 Grand Caillou Road in Houma.  Their second location is on the Westside of Houma at 1377 West Tunnel Blvd.  For those folks in and around New Orleans, check out Big Al’s location on Annunciation Street in Uptown New Orleans.

Big Al's Seafood Market on Urbanspoon

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Gumbo in July: Destroying the “it’s too hot” mentality (with bonus easy stove top rice recipe)

Jun 19

Posted by JB in Cajun recipes | 3 Comments

Ok, we have all heard or said it:  “I can’t wait for gumbo season.”  Why? Why do we have to have a season?  I mean, we all have air conditioning and how often do we eat outside?

So, for those of you who are with me and would like to join the revolution against gumbo suppression, here is a very easy, and very tasty gumbo recipe that anybody can handle.  (Keep in mind that this is kind of a, for lack of a better term, semi-home made recipe.  Feel free to replace any “pre-prepared” ingredients with your own version)

Ingredients:

  • 1- Rotisserie Chicken from your favorite grocery store
  • 2  lbs of your favorite smoked sausage
  • 1- regular container of pre- chopped vegetables (onion, celery, bell pepper, parsley, and garlic)
  • 2 gallons of water (approximate)
  • 1/2 cup a. p. flour
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 bay leaves
  • your favorite all purpose Cajun seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons gumbo file’ (if you like it)

For rice:

  • 4 cups water
  • 2 cups rice
  • kitchen timer

Procedure:

  1. Debone chicken removing all the skin.  Place all bones, carcass, and skin in a stock pot.  Add the water until it covers the carcass and boil.  (For those who don’t know, this is a basic chicken stock.)  I like to use this method because a)I don’t like bones in my gumbo, but b) all the flavor is on the skin and in the bones.  It takes a little time, but you get all of the flavor with none of the aggravation.  Once all of the flavor has been rendered (about 4 hours)  strain out stock into a bowl and put aside, discarding the bones and skin.  This can be done the night before.
  2. Cut up your sausage into small bite size slices and place in your gumbo pot, preferably black iron.  Brown over medium to medium high heat until you get a nice oil skin on the bottom of the pot.  Once this is accomplished, remove sausage from pot and set aside. (Note: If you don’t have a black iron pot, get one please.  It really makes a difference.)
  3. The Roux-  Ok, even though it breaks my heart to say this, if you feel like you must use the pre-packaged roux, I guess that is what you have to do.  I must let you know though, it is easier than you think.  You add the flour and oil to the pot.  Stir the mixture until the flour and oil are completely mixed.  Brown over medium heat, watching and stirring when needed so as not to burn, until it is the color of an old penny.  It usually takes about 5-10 minutes depending on you stove and your pot.  I will also say that black iron helps greatly in roux making because of the way it distributes heat.  It is easy to burn a roux in a stainless steel pot, but almost impossible (if you watch it) to do in black iron.
  4. Add the vegetables and stir in so that they are coated in the roux.  The roux will clump around the vegetables, this is ok, just make sure it is well distributed.  Sweat the vegetables until they are soft (about 20 minutes).
  5. Add stock and bay leaves and stir.  Let this simmer for about 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
  6. Add sausage back in and add file’ and stir.  Let simmer for about 30 minutes stirring occasionally.
  7. Taste and season accordingly.  You shouldn’t need much because of the seasoning that was on the chicken skin which transferred over to the stock.
  8. Add chicken and let simmer for about 15 minutes.  ( I add the chicken close to the end so that it doesn’t fall apart)
  9. Serve on top of rice.

The Rice:

  1. Add rice and water in a 4 quart (or so) sauce pan.  Just make sure the pan has a lid.  Cook on medium high stirring occasionally until the water boils down to just at the top of the rice.
  2. Cover and cook on medium- low heat for 10 minutes.  NOTE: DO NOT OPEN THE LID.  This is the most important part of rice cooking.  Once it is covered, do not lift the lid until it is done.
  3. Turn the fire off and let sit COVERED on the same burner for another 10 minutes.
  4. Fluff and serve.
  5. Voila! Perfect rice every time.

I will say that this recipe takes a little time, but I guaranty you will not be disappointed.  Pop open your favorite beer (maybe even a home brew), sit under the fan, and enjoy.  And again, replace the chicken with a good beer can bar b q chicken and use some fresh vegetables from your local farmer’s market and its even better.

In the meantime, say it to yourself, “It’s never too hot for gumbo, it’s never too hot for gumbo, it’s never…”

Bon Mange’ and as always, support your local breweries!

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Pickled Eggs recipe and other useful info

Jun 9

Posted by Tommy in Cajun recipes | 2 Comments

We got a request from a Cajun expat for a recipe for pickled eggs, those ubiquitous orbs that seem to be sitting next to every small town store’s cash register down here. I would be remiss at this point if I did not mention two great sites for their recipe collections, www.realcajunrecipes.com and www.cajun-recipes.com.

While we can try to play it off as having the biggest and best recipe collection around, it would take quite a while (think years) to rival the sheer number of recipes those two sites contain.  I can hear all the Cajun Foodie fans crying foul so I’ll take part of that back  and say that we do have the best recipe collection around… just not the biggest. Seriously though, those other sites are the online Cajun recipe authorities.

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Louise’s Cornbread Dressing recipe

Jun 3

Posted by Tommy in Cajun recipes | No Comments

Louise Rounds taught me how to cook some of the classics of Cajun and Southern cooking and this cornbread dressing recipe  is easily the best I have ever come across.   While it is a rather large recipe, it can easily be halved…after tasting it, you’ll wish you made both pans though!

2 WHOLE CHICKENS
2 LB FRESH GROUND PORK
2 LB GROUND CHUCK
2 cups diced  ONIONS
1 cup diced BELL PEPPER
1 cup diced GREEN ONIONS
1 cup diced CELERY
4 BOXES Jiffy cornbread mix

  1. Boil chickens in a stock pot with water, salt, pepper,  and 1 large cut up onion top. Cook till meat is tender take chickens out and allow to cool.
  2. Debone chickens and cut meat into bite sized pieces. Save chicken broth for recipe.
  3. Cook cornbread according to directions on the box. Crumble in large pieces.
  4. Brown pork and chuck until well done. Take meat out of pot and drain off all fats.
  5. Add vegetables and saute greens until wilted, then add all the meat and cornbread.
  6. Add 6 cups of chicken stock and cook all about 20 minutes.
  7. Stir all together including cornbread, salt and pepper to taste. Do NOT mash.
  8. Put in (2) large 13 x 9 in. pans. Dot with butter. Can be frozen or refrigerated at this point.
  9. When ready to bake pour over about 1 cup of chicken broth or can of Swansons real turkey gravy over each pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in hot oven (350) until hot (at least 1 hour if put in the oven cold). Some like to take the foil off and broil for 10 minutes or so to get the top brown and crispy with the butter.

This recipe is so meaty it is like a cornbread jambalya. We use Jiffy brand cornbread which is a little sweet but just use your own brand if you prefer.

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Perfect Cream Cheese Icing

May 19

Posted by dpoimboeuf in Cajun recipes | 1 Comment

It’s as easy as 1,1,1 and 1…
Whether you’re making spice cake, carrot cake, cinnamon rolls, or any of your favorite deserts, this simple yet delicious Cream Cheese Icing needs only 4 ingredients. Here’s how it goes:

1 stick of butter (I guess you could use margarine if you don’t care what your food tastes like)
1-8oz. Block of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 Box of Confectioner’s Sugar
1 Cup of Chopped Pecans

Start by taking the butter and cream cheese out of the fridge, and leave them on the counter for about an hour to soften. With an electric mixer on low speed, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Next, add the sugar a little at a time, and mix until well blended. I like to put my pecans in a sifter or fine mesh strainer to get rid of any pecan “dust”; this will prevent the bitter flavor that the dust can sometimes have. Once sifted, add the pecans and give it a final mix. One batch is enough to cover a 9 inch, 2 layer cake, or a large sheet cake. Enjoy!

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Jack Daniels jambalaya recipe

May 13

Posted by Tommy in Cajun recipes | 3 Comments

This recipe comes from Arthur Dupre of Metairie who perfected it after cooking it for several Mardi Gras celebrations, LSU games and get togethers.

As you will see, it is a bit…well… nontraditional.  Very different from other types of jambalaya like Bubba’s, it has a distinctive flavor that your guests will remember for a long time (unless they polish off the bottle of Jack before you’re done cooking and don’t remember anything).

If you’re tired of the norm or even if you are just hungry, give it a shot… it’s great!

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