Let’s cut to the meat of this story–whole sectional cuts of beef are irresistible to me. They harken back to pioneer days and more rustic farm-style butchering techniques. But beef shanks are rarely seen whole in the supermarket. My guess is that retailers fear that timid customers will panic and run screaming from the meat…
Dirty Rice Stuffed Onions
An iconic side dish of Cajun cuisine is rice dressing, commonly referred to as dirty rice, made from a Cajun recipe featuring seasoning and spices along with pork liver. You won’t see a meat-and-three plate lunch without a scoop of the stuff–it’s practically a food group in Acadiana. Here in South Louisiana, there are numerous…
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…
Peggy’s Skillet Fried Chicken
Peggy is my momma. She passed away some time ago, but not before I learned her secret to the perfect fried chicken that I affectionately call Peggy’s Skillet Fried Chicken. She was a wiz in the kitchen and taught me the basics of cooking simply. She was a patient cook and knew that time was…
5 Keys To The Perfect Muffuletta
Finally, it’s time to relax. The holiday madness is over, we’ve rung in the New Year and the Super Bowl has officially ended the party season. Right? Wrong. Maybe elsewhere, but here in Acadiana, we love a celebration, and with Mardi Gras coming up, our party season is just getting started. Parties, balls, parades —…
Squeezebox Sweet Potatoes with Sugarcane Cream
Listening to chank-a-chank, Cajun French songs featuring a classic squeezebox accordion is a Sunday morning ritual for me and my dog Molly as we take a ride to the grocery for Sunday dinner ingredients. We are blessed to have a totally French-speaking show on our local radio station, KRVS, that plays these classic tunes. You…
Cajun Meatball Fricassée
Acadiana is full of small town treasures brimming with personality and charm. These are the quirky little stops in the road that most tourists totally miss. I could name a few–Abbeville, Grand Coteau, Kaplan, Jeanerette– but, one of the most interesting is the town of Mamou up in Evangeline Parish. This little town is full…
Watermelon Bread
Watermelon stands lining the side of the rural parish roads are an especially Southern thing. Truckloads begin arriving as the temperature soars, and there is no better way to cool down than a slice of ice-cold watermelon on the back porch steps. Or maybe there is: Watermelon Bread – hot out of the oven. I’ve…
Coffee-Rubbed Short Rib Burger
With my new 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 a few years since I traveled from my home in South Louisiana to compete in Napa,…
Figs and Fluff
Late summer figs are reason enough to put up with the long, hot summer in Louisiana. When it’s picking time and the juices are literally oozing from these sweet, meaty morsels, I’m there with bushel baskets in hand. And my recipe for Figs and Fluff is the best way I know to enjoy fresh figs….