When I glance at a menu and see anything featuring rémoulade sauce, I’m salivating. Usually, it’s a straightforward shrimp appetizer served on a bed of shredded iceberg that in the hands of a cook that has their rémoulade repertoire figured out is well worth ordering. But recently I was astounded to find a spin on shrimp rémoulade…
Smoked Turkey Leg Stew over White Rice with Tasso-Spiked Green Beans and Sweet Peas in Garlic Cream
Noontime in Acadiana means heading for your favorite lunchroom for a meat-and-three plate of down-home Cajun cooking. Throughout South Louisiana, the cafes and diners are lined with all sorts of folks bellying up to the counters and tables in search of a hearty lunch. It’s not unusual to see a truck driver sitting next to…
Crawfish Baked Potato
I know many of you will agree that nothing goes better with a thick, juicy steak than a baked potato. I’ve been to the fanciest steakhouses in all the land and when it comes to the perfect side dish, I’ll order a baked potato–loaded, for sure–every time. Oh, I’ve tried the creamed spinach, the frou-frou…
Okra and Tomatoes with Stewed Chicken and Sausage
Here’s the thing–okra is a vegetable of extremes. For the most part, folks tend to categorize okra as a “love it or hate it” relationship. It’s hard to be indifferent about okra. True Southerners, and especially good Cajun cooks, identify strongly with okra. But, even within okra circles there are those that love it in…
Lard of the Rings: Crazy-Crisp Cajun Onion Rings
For me, onion rings are a weakness bordering on obsession; a perfectly fried o-ring is a thing of beauty. When dining out, I order them constantly and will even pay a couple of bucks more to substitute onion rings for fries. While some are good, and others just acceptable, I am mostly disappointed. Even at…
Stuffed Goo-Gootz
At the first hint of cool weather, cucuzza squash starts showing up at the farmer’s markets and produce stands around Acadiana. Some folks are unfamiliar with this elongated green squash variety, but those in the know look forward to it every autumn season. Time for a Stuffed Goo-Gootz. For most of us, cucuzza is pronounced…
Blue Plate Corn on the Cob
In the South, sweet summer corn is a long anticipated signal that the seasons have finally shifted culinary gears. And by the time the Fourth of July rolls around, it’s time for my Blue Plate Corn on the Cob. On or off the cob, not a Sunday dinner goes by that corn isn’t somewhere on…
Cream of Cauliflower, Garlic and Fennel Soup with Goat Cheese Crouton
Hot summer days are quickly descending upon us and experience tells us all that, from a culinary heading, we should be moving into the season of freshly prepared, light, and healthy dishes. However, Louisiana cooks don’t seem to follow conventional wisdom. This time of year, you are just as likely to see a hearty etouffée or…
Pork Rib Fricassée
My Pork Rib Fricassée is a tried and true French preparation that is just as popular in Acadiana. Pork ribs, cooked down in a savory fricassée, is a classic old-school Acadian stew. Dressed up with smoked sausage, fresh rosemary out of my herb garden and field okra from Gotreaux Family Farm, it is a satisfying one-dish…
Bottoms Up Creole Tomato and Sausage Pie with Warm Roquefort Sauce
This Creole Tomato and Sausage Pie is stunning in its presentation. Akin to a classic French tart tatin, when you turn this dish out onto a serving plate, you will bow to the applause. Farm stands and roadside sellers peddling fresh-grown vegetables and fruits dot the byways of Acadiana this time of year. Whenever possible,…