Ginger-kissed with a mustard-glazed sweetness, this fresh ham roast is a revelation of how juicy, flavorful, and succulent this cut of pork can be. But, the key to it is in getting to know your farmer, and learning how he cares, feeds, and humanely raises his livestock. It is the essence of sustainability in eating…
Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo
It’s Fat Monday, ya’ll! Lundi Gras (French for Fat Monday) ramps up the Mardi Gras holiday with a full schedule of parades, balls, and of course, the Courir de Mardi Gras—the rural Cajun celebration before the beginning of Lent. Break out your capuchon (a cone-shaped ceremonial hat), don a colorful mask, tank up with your…
Cajun-Fried Steak with Boudin Cream Gravy
Crisp, crackling crust surrounding a tenderized slab of beef can only get better with cream gravy. But not just any gravy; it’s boudin cream gravy. This Cajun-Fried Steak recipe from the heart of South Louisiana ups the ante on our Texas neighbor that’s sure to start a feud. Time to lock and load; it’s a…
Pecan-Smoked Lamb Shanks with Sweet Potato Risotto
At the first sign of cold weather, most men instinctively crave large slabs of meat. Not sure why. Maybe the caveman in all of us, or the need to store up protein for a long winter hibernation. Or maybe I’m just overthinking this. Yes, come to think about it, I crave it year round. Lamb…
Beer-Braised Smoked Sausage Po’Boy with Griddled Vidalia Onions and Sauce Duo
Smoked sausage is a familiar food item throughout Acadiana, and not a festival goes on without a booth serving up a smoked sausage po’boy. This Cajun recipe doesn’t get any simpler and don’t look for me to complicate it…much. First, the basics: My bread is classic–a soft po’boy bun from Evangeline Maid Bread in Lafayette….
Tomahawk Ribeye
Now and then, I must seek out the thickest cut of beef I can find for a manly meal. It is a primal urge. Cooking steaks portioned in gargantuan slabs are not really about the quantity of the meat, but rather it is all about the quality of the outcome. Let me explain. Over the…
Cajun-Spiced Lettuce Cups with Vidalia Onion Relish
I must confess that, like many of you, I always start the year off with a goal of eating lighter, but living in Acadiana–ground zero for the most amazing food culture in America–it is a daunting task. So today I am offering a compromise of sorts: These Cajun-Spiced Lettuce Cups deliver on the spicy Cajun…
Braised Beef Shanks with Parsley Pecan Pesto
Let’s cut to the meat of this story–whole sectional cuts of beef are irresistible to me. They harken back to pioneer days and more rustic farm-style butchering techniques. But beef shanks are rarely seen whole in the supermarket. My guess is that retailers fear that timid customers will panic and run screaming from the meat…
Beef and Mushroom Pot Pie
Cooking meat in a rich red wine sauce is classic French and is equally common in French Louisiana. Cajun hunting camp cooks love to braise tough cuts of wild game and infuse the pot with wine and stock. The technique works with any number of meats and around Acadiana, beef is a natural. Boeuf bourguignon,…
Cane-Brined Roast Turkey
I love turkey. It is dependable, versatile, affordable, and delicious cooked in so many great Cajun and Creole interpretations. But for many cooks, a turkey sandwich is about as close as they get to the bird all year long. And anxiety sets in as the calendar rolls around to September, October, November, and finally the…