Stovetop Paella
Paella couldn’t be more effortless with this stovetop method that keys on locally sourced ingredients in a tasty combination. This time of year, I enjoy cooking a giant paella on my backyard firepit. I have a 28-inch Spanish paella pan and a steel cooking stand that fits over my fire. It is quite a production…
Pork Sausage in Roux Gravy
You won’t find a rural Cajun lunchroom that doesn’t have sausage and gravy on the steam table. The dark roux gravy clings to the chunks of pork and covers a mound of rice with a thick cloak of goodness. It is simple; it is heavenly. My wife’s grandmother, Mo Mo Eve Fontenot, made this … [Read More...]
Country-Style Ribs With Bourbon BBQ Sauce
These Country-Style Ribs are bathed in flavor; to be exact, they’re rubbed, marinated, charred, baked, braised, glazed, and grilled. And when slathered with my Bourbon BBQ Sauce, these fall-off-the-bone ribs are the best of all worlds. It’s Labor Day and time for one last summer holiday … [Read More...]
Summer Shrimp Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
With a bed of just-picked greens, the crunch of farm-fresh vegetables, and the brininess of Gulf shrimp, this Summer Shrimp Salad takes off with a Creole mustard-infused Citrus Vinaigrette. These are the flavors of Louisiana. Summer in the South is glorious. Relaxing by the pool, basking in … [Read More...]
Overstuffed Fried Crawfish Po’Boy
It’s the crispy crunch of the first bite into this sandwich that signals all the good things to come. It’s sensory overload when hot, right-out-of-the-fryer crawfish tails meet the perfectly dressed French bread loaf in the po’boy of my dreams—the Overstuffed Fried Crawfish Po’Boy. Whenever I … [Read More...]
Chilled Seafood Salad with Two Dressings
Ice-cold shrimp and chilled lump crabmeat need nothing more than a tasty dressing or two to complete a casual springtime meal. And my recipe for Chilled Seafood Salad with Two Dressings keeps it simple and light—two ingredients for an easy dinner. Anytime Roxanne and I visit Biloxi, … [Read More...]
Grilled Tuna Salad Nicoise with Creole Citrus Vinaigrette
Salty, acidic, peppery and sweet are the defining taste elements of my Grilled Tuna Salad Nicoise with Creole Citrus Vinaigrette and taking a few tricks from my Cajun playbook of culinary techniques, I think we might have just elevated this French classic to another level. During past travels … [Read More...]
Shrimp Boulettes
These Shrimp Boulettes are the bomb. When fried crisp, this combination of flavors creates a seafood explosion launched with a kick of spice. Throughout coastal Cajun country, home cooks have engineered seafood into many unique dishes, and boulettes are one of the more popular. Fish, crab, … [Read More...]
Frozen Mojito
The scent of fresh mint permeates this slushy cocktail, and the squeezed lime adds a pucker to the punch of rum that defines the perfect Frozen Mojito. Time to cool down! Summer days in Louisiana can be notoriously hot; I mean sweltering, suffocating hot. Hot enough to spend half the day in … [Read More...]
Beef and Broccoli with Jasmine Rice
Chunks of ground beef and florets of perfectly cooked broccoli come to life in this sassy, saucy combination of flavors. It’s spicy, sweet, and when spooned over aromatic jasmine rice, it could be the perfect dish. Sometimes culinary inspiration is found in the simplest of places. Recently, … [Read More...]
Crabmeat-Stuffed Artichoke
When I saw the large artichokes stacked high at the produce stand, I knew in an instant that crabmeat-stuffed artichoke would be the perfect dish for a summertime appetizer. It was time to get stuffing. Though hardly Cajun, globe artichokes are actually a cultivated variety of thistle. But, … [Read More...]
The Bottle Rocket – Cherry Mint Vodka Soda
Fireworks are flying this 4th of July at the Grahams with my Cherry Mint Vodka Soda, aka The Bottle Rocket. This cocktail explodes with flavor! The ease of this recipe is that it only requires a few key ingredients, but to do it right takes an extra step. Fresh mint leaves are essential, and … [Read More...]
Summer Squash Soup
Slow simmered and puréed into a smooth, bisque-like creaminess, my Summer Squash Soup explodes with the fresh flavors of the season. Spiced with a light hand, I love how the vegetables shine brightly with just a hint of mint and the gentle bite of sweet onion. While I confess to eating … [Read More...]
Crawfish Cannelloni
With a sauce of creamy béchamel spiked with Louisiana crawfish layered over stuffed pasta, my Crawfish Cannelloni is baked bubbly hot. And thanks to my sister, this is one of the classic dishes that helped propel my lifelong culinary journey. My sister Marie Graham Huguet introduced me to a … [Read More...]
Pork Mignons with Pears
Medallions of pork brined in pear nectar and wrapped in smoky bacon are just the start of this showstopper of a dish. Sauce it with fresh red pears laced with a punch of sage, and you have a recipe to remember. You can find pork tenderloin in most supermarkets, and this convenient item is the … [Read More...]
Fillet of Flounder with Crabmeat Dressing
Layers of flavor elevate this dish! The punch of saffron and lemon in the smooth velouté sauce contrasts the sweet blue crab and fresh Gulf fish in this Fillet of Flounder with Crabmeat Dressing. This recipe is exceptional in every way. Of all the coastal Louisiana fish species, flounder is … [Read More...]