For all you vegetarians out there (yes, both of you), I have an easy recipe on today’s Acadiana Table that will rock your world. Now, for the rest of us this dish is just as good as a side accompaniment for a grilled pork chop or even a before dinner appetizer. It is eggplant as…
Fried Green Tomato Shrimp Rémoulade
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…
Taters ‘n Onions with Country Ham Steak and Red-Eye Gravy
Reverend Jesse Waldrop is my wife’s father and just plain Papaw to us. He’s a transplanted Tennessee hillbilly preacher who found his way down to bayou country. For over forty years, the Reverend has walked the back roads of Acadiana spreading the gospel and selling the Good Book door-to-door. Known far and wide for his…
White Beans Supreme with Ham Shank, Tasso and Smoked Pigs Tails over White Rice
Every once in awhile, I like to get back to basics like my recipe for White Beans Supreme. It’s a simple Cajun recipe with easy preparation and satisfying results. It’s no-fuss, home-style, comfort food that is heart-warming and sticks to your soul like white on rice. Beans and rice are a staple of every Cajun…
Boiling Mad: Beer-Boiled Cajun Peanuts
Over the years, I’ve traveled extensively throughout the South. Even today, taking to the open road and driving along the two-lane, kudzu-blanketed byways of the American South is a treat for me. I guess it stems from all those family summer vacations of old – pajama-clad and packed in the station wagon heading out at…