BON APPÉTIT, MES AMIS!!
REAL CAJUN COOKING
In Cajun culture, recipes are passed down from generation to generation.
Try one our delicious traditional Cajun recipes in your own Kitchen.
Ingredients
Prepared Roux
2 cloves garlic, minced
Large hen, duck, or goose
4-5 quarts of water
1 lb sausage
1 c. onion tops
2 large onions, chopped
1 c. parsley
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Bring water to boil in a gumbo or large soup pot. Add onions, bell pepper, and garlic. Allow vegetables to cook for about 15 minutes, add your choice of meat which has been cut into serving sizes. Bring water back to a boil, then add the roux. Let this boil for 30 minutes (Don’t let it boil over!) Turn down the fire to simmer, and cook until meat is tender. Add green onion tops and parsley 10 minutes before serving. Serve over hot, cooked rice, sprinkle File’ (pronounced “fee-lay”) over the gumbo. Add hot sauce to taste.
Variations
1 1/2 lb.. shrimp, peeled and deveined,- 1 lb crab meat, and 1 pt. oysters may be used for a seafood gumbo. The roux and water must boil for at least 30 minutes along with the vegetables and allowed to simmer for 30 minutes longer before the seafood should be added. Add green onions and parsley as directed above. Serve in gumbo or large soup bowls over hot, cooked rice.
Ingredients
2/3 cup flour
3/4 cup vegetable oil
Directions
A heavy pot is a must to make a pretty roux. The heavier the pot, the easier your job will be. Before you start your roux, start heating water in a kettle, the amount depending on whether you are making a gumbo or stew. You must always add hot water to a roux. It is very important not to change the temperature of the roux by adding cold water to it. It could curdle the roux, or separate the flour and water from the oil. The measurements given below make a roux large enough for a stew with one hen, or a gumbo with 2 lb. or shrimp. If you wish to make a larger recipe, enlarge the recipe in the same proportions given. It is important to use more oil than flour.
Mix the flour and the oil in a heavy iron pot until it is thoroughly mixed before you turn on the fire under the pot. After it is mixed, turn the fire on medium to low, stirring constantly. Stir all over the bottom of the pot to be sure no particles stick to the bottom. As you stir, the roux browns slowly. Don’t cook the roux fast, because as it reaches the done point, it will be too hot and burn (it keeps on cooking). When your roux is a rich, dark brown, cut off your fire immediately and continue stirring. Add hot water to lower the temperature slightly so the roux will stop browning. Some people add chopped onions to lower the temperature. Either way, continue to stir until the temperature is lowered sufficiently. Then you may turn your fire on again and add the rest of the ingredients for you stew or gumbo, slowly.
(PRONOUNCED “A-TOO-FAY”)
Ingredients
1 stick butter
3-4 green onions, chopped
3-4 Tbs. flour
4 Tbs. parsley, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 lb. Crawfish tails
1 bell pepper, chopped
crawfish fat
2 ribs celery, chopped
salt and pepper
Directions
Melt butter and stir in flour. Cook until golden, do not brown. Add vegetables, cook until wilted. Add crawfish, fat and a small amount of water. (The crawfish tails contain a lot of moisture, this will cook out and thin the gravy). Add salt and pepper. Stir, cook slowly until crawfish are done (about 30 minutes). Serve over hot, cooked rice. Season with hot sauce to your liking.
(PRONOUNCED “JUM-BA-LIE-YA”)
Ingredients
1 lb lean pork
1 tsp. chili powder
2 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. ground cloves
3 onions, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
1 bell pepper, chopped
6 pork sausages
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1-1/2 to 2 qt. beef stock
few sprigs of parsley
1-1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 cup chopped ham
Directions
In a heavy saucepan in 2 Tbs. heated butter, sauté on pound of lean pork, cut into very small cubes, with the chopped onions, bell pepper, crushed garlic and parsley, until the mixture is lightly browned. Stir in chopped ham, cloves and chili powder, salt and pepper. A generous dash of cayenne pepper may also be added. Cut 6 pork sausages into 1 inch pieces, add to pan, cook the mixture over moderate heat for 10 minutes. Add beef stock and bring the Jambalaya to a boil. Stir in uncooked rice and cook the jambalaya until the rice is tender. Add more liquid if mixture becomes too dry. Serve very hot. Serves 6 to 8.
