A Christmas Tradition: Crown Roast of Pork
Christmas dinner menu planning is underway, and on my Acadiana table, there is no more dramatic presentation than a crown roast of pork in all its regal glory. This cut of meat always wows your guests for several reasons. Beyond the center-of-the-table showcase for the roast, the meat surrounding the bone is always juicy and…
Squeezebox Sweet Potatoes with Sugarcane Cream
Gearing up for the perfect holiday menu means bringing out the culinary arsenal of Louisiana recipes and around the Graham house, that means sweet potatoes. This recipe is one from my cookbook Acadiana Table: Cajun and Creole Home Cooking from the Heart of Louisiana, and it is sure to be a hit on … [Read More...]
Speckled Butter Bean, Okra, and Lamb Soup
This warm and hearty Speckled Butter Bean, Okra, Lamb Soup delivers on Southern flavors, and when topped with a wedge of rosemary cornbread, it is a filling dish. And it showcases lamb, an ingredient not often seen on Southern tables. For far too long, Cajuns have been missing out. Beef, … [Read More...]
Donut Bread Pudding
When it comes to bread pudding, a Louisiana boy like me is hard pressed to resist. After all, bread pudding is a tradition in these parts and who am I to break tradition? But there’s a new Cajun recipe spin on the ubiquitous dessert that’s making the rounds in local restaurant circles, and it’s a … [Read More...]
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, … [Read More...]
Creole Smothered Green Beans with Andouille Sausage
This Creole Smothered Green Beans is the one you’ll always see on our holiday table. It’s simply green beans straight out of a can, but it’s uncanny how these green beans--sautéed up in smoky bacon grease, smothered down in spicy andouille, and spiked with Cajun seasonings--will bring “thanks” to … [Read More...]
Honey-Herbed Poussin
If you want to cook a whole chicken so succulently rich and seductively spiced it will make your guests forget any other they’ve ever tasted. Then, read on. The flavor of poussin is already delicate, and when brined in a salty orange juice solution for two hours, it is heavenly. I finish it off … [Read More...]
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 … [Read More...]
Pork Chops and Andouille in Rox’s Roux Gravy
If fork-tender pork chops cooked down in a deep, dark Cajun roux weren’t good enough, then add the smoke and spice of andouille sausage. Spread it over a mound of Louisiana rice, and now you’re talking the ultimate comfort food. Here in South Louisiana, the winter months are commonly referred … [Read More...]
Lemon Meringue Pie
With a tart lemon custard, a slice of my Lemon Meringue Pie will make your mouth pucker and smile. It is a classic Southern dessert that is as easy to make as delicious. But first, a slice of history. This Deep South dish was invented in England by George Fox, founder of the Quakers during … [Read More...]
Louisiana Shrimp Creole
Paul Prudhomme, the legendary chef most responsible for the worldwide popularity of Cajun and Creole cuisine, passed away in 2015. In tribute to him, this shrimp Creole recipe and story celebrates his legacy that lives on in the black iron pots of our precious foodways he so dearly loved and helped … [Read More...]
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; … [Read More...]
Fried Eggplant with Crawfish Étouffée
Crispy eggplant fried golden brown is a study in textural contrast. While the crusty exterior crackles with crispness, the inside cooks to a smooth, almost sauce-like creaminess. And when topped with a velvet cloak of rich and spicy crawfish étouffée, this Cajun recipe for Fried Eggplant with … [Read More...]
Poached Eggs over Fried Green Tomatoes with Crabmeat Hollandaise and Gouda Grits
Rise and shine: It's perfectly poached eggs oozing liquid sunshine all over two crispy cornmeal-battered fried green tomatoes topped off with a glorious crabmeat-infused hollandaise, and all served up with a bowl of creamy Gouda grits. It's weekend brunch in Acadiana. Once I decided to create … [Read More...]
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 … [Read More...]
Cajun Glazed Chicken Lollipops on Sweet Potato Hay
Party menus are legendary in these parts, and whether it’s a full-blown cochon de lait for the neighborhood or just a big pot of gumbo on the stovetop, delicious South Louisiana cuisine is always cause to celebrate in Acadiana. And this recipe for Cajun Glazed Chicken Lollipops is sure to be a hit … [Read More...]