Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
This Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic will forever redefine the complexity of flavor that comes from these pungent little pods that tingle, tantalize, and tangle the taste buds. As the chicken roasts and releases its inner juice into the pot, it combines with the sweet scent of garlic and wine kissed with the essence…
Creole Fried Shrimp and Smoked Gouda Grits
The taste explosion of these firecracker-hot Louisiana shrimp against the backdrop of cheesy stone-ground grits is a marriage of culinary cultures. Shrimp and grits are a Southern tradition that usually gets shortchanged in the competitive culinary landscape of Louisiana. While folks in the … [Read More...]
Cajun Meatballs and Peppers
I love this dish for the tantalizing flavors that surprise you at every bite. Dark, beefy gravy encases tender meatballs accented with the punch of sweet peppers in this delectable Cajun recipe. When sweet bell peppers begin flooding the market, I load up. Red, green, yellow, orange, I love … [Read More...]
Strawberry Muffins
Scratch-baking a batch of strawberry muffins sounds like a lot of work for a fruit that is so easily consumed simply piled high atop a scoop of ice cream or morning bowl of cereal, but there is a reason. When baked, Louisiana strawberries take on a deeper and richer taste--a syrupy sweet depth of … [Read More...]
Pork Chops with Apple Onion Gravy
Pork and apples are a combination that I can’t resist. The sugary burst of juices from the fruit brings out the sweetness of the pork, and when rounded out with the bite of onions and a hit of tart mustard, this dish is a flavor explosion. An essential for this dish is to source thick, … [Read More...]
Gumbo Z’herbes
The heady aroma of fresh greens (collards, spinach, chard, and kale, to name a few) simmering on a stovetop is heavenly. And with just one bowl of this roux-infused Gumbo Z’herbes, you’re praying for a second helping. As in most culinary cultures, religion has an impact on the dishes of South … [Read More...]
5-Bean Kale Soup
With the smokiness of ham and bacon as the backdrop for the assortment of beans, fresh kale, herbs, and spices, my 5-Bean Kale Soup is packed with soul-satisfying flavor. As south Louisiana comes out of hibernation, kale begins showing up at markets everywhere. And when the windy March chill … [Read More...]
Guinness Beef and Mushroom Stew
This hearty beef stew is rich with the umami flavors of mushrooms, beef, dark roux, and Guinness. Yes, Guinness Extra Stout beer. My Guinness Beef and Mushroom Stew is a bowlful of St. Patrick’s Day happiness. I’m green with envy at communities that passionately celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. … [Read More...]
Potato Chip-Crusted Catfish Nuggets with Creole-Spiked Sriracha Mayo
During the Lenten season, Fridays in Cajun country means “frydays” with fried catfish as the star attraction. And this recipe is a revelation on how good this Cajun recipe can be. My catfish is encased in an impenetrable wall of crispness. Every bite explodes with flavor, shatters with a crunch of … [Read More...]
Crawfish Boil Chowder
Louisiana crawfish, spicy seasoned onions, potatoes, corn on the cob, and smoked sausage are at the base of this Cajun recipe, but it’s the crawfish stock and cream thickened with a blond roux that brings this Crawfish Boil Chowder all together magnificently. But first, the Louisiana crawfish … [Read More...]
Red Bean, Mustard Green, and Green Onion Sausage Soup
Beans and greens mean winter to me. And this hearty soup filled with creamy red beans, bitter mustard greens, and acidic tomatoes can only be elevated with Cajun green onion pork sausage. I love the depth of flavor and spice in this Red Bean, Mustard Green, and Green Onion Sausage Soup. And I love … [Read More...]
Carrot Ginger Soup + Instant Pot Option
When my overnight forecast calls for a record 16-degree low in South Louisiana, you know it's time to bring out the soup pot. And this cold-weather recipe will become one of your all-time favorites. You might approach your first spoonful of this Carrot Ginger Soup with a bit of culinary doubt, … [Read More...]
Teal Stuffed with Mustard Greens and Sweet Potatoes
This hunting lodge recipe for Teal Stuffed with Mustard Greens and Sweet Potatoes combines everything I love about the glorious Cajun foodways I write about. This dish takes flight in a tough wild duck stuffed with aromatics, greens, and the sweet kiss of Louisiana yams. It’s slow-simmered in a … [Read More...]
Spicy Creole Shrimp Dip
There are certain party foods that make any event special, and of course, in the Graham family, my brother's Spicy Creole Shrimp Dip always makes an appearance. To me, this simple recipe just says "time to party" in South Louisiana, and is a sure way to spice up any gathering. My older … [Read More...]
Lentil, Leek, and Mirliton Soup
Beans are a South Louisiana tradition, and I've written much about red beans and white beans, and how they have multiple uses in the Cajun kitchen. But lentils don't normally come to mind in the Cajun cooking conversation. Not sure why. Lentils are a tradition of French cooking, and the good … [Read More...]
Wild Goose in Red Wine Gravy
This Cajun recipe for Wild Goose in Red Wine Gravy is crave-worthy in every way: Exotically rich and darkly delicious with a bone-sucking boldness that you will remember for a lifetime. It’s wild geese swimming in an aromatic stew of wine-infused flavor so soul-satisfying and filling that it … [Read More...]