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…
French Mustard-Braised Rabbit
Smothered down in a wine-infused braise of two mustards, the rich white meat of rabbit cooks low and slow in this tart and tantalizing combination of flavors. It’s Louisiana French meets European French in this French Mustard-Braised Rabbit recipe. The people of South Louisiana have many ancestral ties to their French cultural roots–cooking included. For…
Crawfish and Pumpkin Bisque
As Halloween and Thanksgiving approach, this hearty Crawfish and Pumpkin Bisque defines the holiday season in Acadiana for me and represents the best of rural farm-to-table sourcing. Combining the sweet tail meat of crawfish and fresh seasonal corn cut from the cob, it is certainly a winning combination. But, when you introduce pumpkin along with…
Whole Flounder stuffed with Louisiana Shrimp
To me, flounder is flat-out the most delectable of all the Gulf finfish. And for my money, a classic Cajun recipe for stuffed whole flounder with wild-caught, Gulf shrimp is the ultimate dish for someone as seafood-obsessed as me. Whenever I see it on a restaurant menu, I can’t resist. And I couldn’t resist the…
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…
Hopper Poppers: Bacon-Wrapped Rabbit Poppers
This Hopper Popper might be the best single-bite appetizer you’ve ever tasted. A spicy jalapeno pepper filled with Brie cheese surrounds buttermilk-brined rabbit meat in a smoky bacon-wrapped package that is deep-fried golden brown. Oh yeah! Not quite sure when this whole “popper” thing burst onto the Cajun food scene, but my hunch is it…
Chic Steak Sandwich at the Acme Café
Ding…ding…ding! Order up! Chic Steak Sandwich, extra mayo, hold the pickle! My father, George Graham, Sr., was slinging burgers at White Tower in Michigan in the years before WW II and wound up welding aircraft parts in a factory in Detroit until war’s end. Flush with cash and a dream, he and my mom headed…
Cajun Chaurice Sausage and Egg Pie
Spicy and full of Cajun flavors, this Chaurice Sausage and Egg Pie will ignite your taste buds. Pork, peppers, tomatoes, herbs, and spices turn this one-skillet breakfast dish into a cultural history lesson. Breakfast in South Louisiana is a celebration of farm-to-table goodness. The farming traditions of the region are rooted in a tough work…
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…
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…