CAJUN COUNTRY


Recipes that will make ya want to stand up and slap your old Pappy!


 


 

BASIC ROUX
The basis for all stews and gumbos

                                                                                 * 1 cup flour (all purpose)
                                                                                 * 1 cup cooking oil, your
                                                                    favorite brand (I use
                                                                    WESSON Vegetable Oil)

Heat oil in heavy pot or Dutch oven. When oil is hot, gradually
 add flour, stirring continuously until well mixed. Lower heat and
 continue stirring until chocolate brown. When roux is chocolate
   brown, remove from pot and set aside. If roux remains in the pot

                                                it will continue to cook and get too dark.

Always use warm water to disolve the roux.

While you're at it, make more than enough as it keeps well in or
out of the refrigerator.
 

CREOLE SEASONING

                                      * 26-ounce box free flowing                 * 1-ounce bottle pure
                                         salt (Mortons)                                        garlic powder
                                      * 1 1/2-ounce box ground                     * 1-ounce bottle chile powder
                                          black pepper                                      * 1-ounce carton
                                      * 2-ounce bottle ground                           monosodium glutamate
                                         red pepper                                             (Accent)

                                        Mix well and use like salt. When it's salty enough, it's seasoned
                                        to perfection. Use generously on everything unless something
                                        else is called for. If too peppery for children, add more salt to
                                        mixture, then season to taste

BASIC VEGETABLE MIXTURE

                                                                        * 1 onion
                                                                        * 1/2 green bell peppper
                                                                        * 2 sticks celery
                                                                        * 1 clove garlic

Run vegetables through grinder or blender. (Makes 1 cup).
You can double this recipe to suit your needs.

A Cajun would die if you took his garlic and onions away.

GUMBO

                               Gumbo is a real Creole dish. It's served in a soup bowl with boiled
                               rice and garnished with file' (a must) sprinkled lightly on top.
                               You can use any of the following to make a good gumbo: chicken,
                               duck, goose, wild duck, quail, dove, snipe or (best of all) guinea fowl,
                               rabbit and squirrel. You can add sausage, tasso, andouille, smoked
                               sausage and okra.

                               Seafood gumbos are made with shrimp, crabs, oysters and okra.

                               There is one thing about the Cajun - take away his roux, onions and
                               bell pepper, his gumbo file' and he's lost!

CRAWFISH GUMBO

                                                * 1 lb peeled crawfish tails          * 2 slices lemon
                                          * 2 cups Basic Vegetable Mix    * 1 tbsp Worcestershire
                                             (see recipe above)                   * 1 quart water
                                         * 1 stick margarine                      * 1 bayleaf
                                         * 3 tbsp flour                               * 1/4 tsp thyme
                                                                                             * 1/4 tsp basil

                              Use aluminum pot (do not use black iron pot) Melt margarine and make
                              a brown roux with the flour, not too dark. Turn off burner and add Basic
                              Vegetable Mix and saute until it stops sizzling. Add the water, return to
                              burner, add Worcestershire sauce, lemon slices and bay leaf, thyme and
                              basil. Let come to a boil, simmer for at least 2 hours Season to taste with
                              CREOLE SEASONING. (Recipe above). Add crawfish tails. Cook slowly
                              for 40 to 50 minutes. (Serves 4)

SHRIMP and OKRA GUMBO

                                        * 2 lbs fresh peeled                       * 1 bell pepper
                                              shrimp                                     * 2 sticks celery
                                        * 2 cups fresh diced okra              * 2 cloves garlic
                                        * 2 tbsp oil                                    * 1 tbsp
                                        * 1 stick margarine                            Worcestershire
                                        * 4 tbsp flour                                 * 1 tbsp chopped
                                           Creole Seasoning                            scallions
                                             to taste                                      * 1 onion

                            Fry fresh okra in 2 tablespoons of oil for 10 minutes, stirring constantly,
                            so as not to burn. Use an aluminum Dutch oven, do NOT use black iron
                            pot. Remove okra and set aside. Add margarine and flour and make a
                            roux in the same pot. Chop all vegetables, add them and the okra and
                            cook for 5 minutes, until wilted.

                             Add 3 quarts of water an Worcestershire sauce and cook 1 to 2 hours.
                             Then add shrimp and cook 30 minutes or until tender, seasoning to taste
                             with Creole Seasoning.

                             Serve with boiled rice in a soup plate and garnish with scallion tops
                             and a sprinkling of file'

SEAFOOD GUMBO

Make a roux with 1 cup flour and 1 cup oil. Set aside

                                 * 4 cleaned crabs and claws               * 1/2 cup chopped green
                                    cut in 4                                              bell peppers
                                 * 2 lbs fresh peeled shrimp                 * 4 cloves garlic, minced
                                 * 1/2 lb fish filets, cut in                     * 3 quarts water
                                    bite sized pieces                              * 2 cups chopped okra
                                 * 1/2 pint oysters                                    (cooked)
                                 * 1 can whole tomatoes                       * 1 tbsp Worcestershire
                                 * 1 stick margarine                              * 1/2 cup green onion tops
                                 * 1/2 cup chopped celery                        and parsley, finely chopped
                                 * Creole Seasoning                             * 1 cup chopped onion

                              In a large aluminum Dutch oven or pot (NOT black iron pot) saute, in
                              melted margarine, onions, celery, green bell pepper, garlic and okra
                              for 10 minutes. Add to mixture roux, water, and Worcestershire sauce
                              and season to taste. Cook for 1 hour. Add all other ingredients, except
                              onion tops and parsley, and cook for another hour. Serve in soup plate
                              with boiled rice, garnished with onion tops, parsley and a dash of file'
                              (Serves 8)

Six ways to fry fish click
 here

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If you have comments or suggestions, email me at kip-paul@worldnet.att.net

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