Growing up in South Louisiana, po’boys were just about as common as hamburgers are today. In small towns back then, we didn’t have a burger chain on every corner. It was mostly mom-and-pop sandwich shops and greasy spoon cafés that put out their home-cooked specialties, especially a down-home Louisiana roast beef po’boy. I grew up…
Louisiana Oyster Loaf
With one bite of this classic New Orleans recipe – Louisiana Oyster Loaf – I am transported back to a long ago time when simplicity reigned in Creole cooking. It is a basic recipe that elevates Louisiana oysters to spiritual heights. For a born and bred Louisiana boy, I was raised that eating oysters in…
Shredded Short Rib Sandwich
Every now and then you run into a dish that is the proverbial showstopper. It’s as if spotlights are shining down on the plate and the paparazzi are clicking away to get a shot from every angle. With this Shredded Short Rib Sandwich, a star is born. The inspiration for this Shredded Short Rib Sandwich…
Cajun-Fried Catfish Bánh Mì
For obvious reason, here in South Louisiana a bánh mì sandwich is referred to as a Vietnamese po’boy. Built upon a similar French bread loaf, it doesn’t take a great stretch of imagination to see the similarities in the two sandwiches. But delving deeper, the two have even more in common than just bread. And…
Fire-Roasted Red Pepper Pimento Cheese
In the Deep South, pimento cheese is the mortar that holds society together. Whether sandwiched between two slices of white bread or elegantly stuffed in a stalk of celery, no Southerner worth his salt would be without a basic pimento cheese recipe. And my recipe for Red Pepper Pimento Cheese ups the ante with Creole…
Louisiana Shrimp Roll
When Louisiana summer heats up, Louisiana food cools down. Seldom does gumbo appear on the home dinner table when temps approach 100ºF and the clamor to escape the stifling heat includes the menu. Ice-cold watermelon, sweet-churned ice cream, syrupy sno balls and pitchers of freshly squeezed lemonade are just a few of the warm-weather tricks…
A July 4th Tradition: The Bluesiana Burger
The Fourth of July holiday is my favorite family holiday: no last-minute dash for flowers, no arduous trek to the mall for gifts, not even a holiday card. It’s just a leisurely American celebration of family and freedom. And it’s the perfect day to fire up the grill. I’ve always had a hunger for hamburgers,…
Coffee-Rubbed Short Rib Burger
Fire up the backyard grill for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend; it’s time for a classic hamburger. With my recipe for a Short Rib Burger featuring a spicy seasoning with Louisiana coffee, I am out to create a new classic burger. I’ve done it before, and it’s high time to do it again. It’s been…
5 Keys To The Perfect Muffuletta
Here in Acadiana, we love a celebration, and with Mardi Gras coming up, our party season is just getting started. Parties, balls, parades — the Mardi Gras celebration in Louisiana doesn’t really stop until early March when the Lenten season calms things down. So, with plenty of party planning still ahead, it’s time for a…
Fried Oyster Sandwich on Brioche Bun
This sandwich is perfection on a bun. Crispy, flash-fried Louisiana oysters nestled in a soft, brioche-type bun, studded with jalapeno peppers and slathered with sauce. It is crave-worthy indeed. Rachael’s Cafe in Lafayette, Louisiana, is home to this sandwich perfection. Just off busy Kaliste Saloom Road and tucked into a nondescript strip shopping center that’s…