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…
Boudin-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
It’s 5pm, and I’m heading home from work. I’m lucky to live just a short ten-minute drive from my office–just enough time to think about supper and I’m in the mood for something a little offbeat. Time to pull in to see Earl; it’s time for Boudin-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin. Earl’s Cajun Market is a neighborhood grocer that…
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…
Scuppernong-Glazed Bourbon Beef Ribs with Tasso Potato Gratin
I am a meticulous planner by nature as well as by profession. That attention to detail has served me well these many years, but truth be told, I’ve grown tired of it. It seems that as I’ve aged, I’ve let loose of the need to fastidiously program every waking minute of my life. Empty day…
Coconut Shrimp with Cilantro Mango Cream and Jasmine Rice and Beans
Spending two weeks in Hawaii is good for the soul. “Recharge the batteries,” my wife Roxanne says, “reboot your operating system,” my daughter Lauren likes to call it, but my personal favorite is “clean out the cobwebs.” Whatever. As a Louisiana-based food writer covering culinary culture, I find myself on a lifelong journey of sorts. …
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…
Cream of Cauliflower, Garlic and Fennel Soup with Goat Cheese Crouton
Hot summer days are quickly descending upon us and experience tells us all that, from a culinary heading, we should be moving into the season of freshly prepared, light, and healthy dishes. However, Louisiana cooks don’t seem to follow conventional wisdom. This time of year, you are just as likely to see a hearty etouffée or…
Stuffed Whole Flounder
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 Gulf shrimp and crabmeat 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…
Chaurice Sausage and Egg Pie
Breakfast in South Louisiana is a celebration of farm-to-table goodness. The farming traditions of the region are rooted in a tough work ethic that is handed down through generations of French Acadian families that harvest the sugarcane, rice, sweet potatoes, soybeans, and other significant crops. Early to bed and early to rise is the routine…