Recipes
The Art of Drying Shrimp (Cajun Dried Shrimp)
In the days when there were no refrigerators, people used to cure their meats and fish with salt. It has been soaked in a salty solution and then dried until it is very hard, much like people used to do over a hundred years ago. Salt is considered antibacterial because ...
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A Cajun’s Way of Cleaning Gar (Garfish)
The fish are difficult to dress, but the meat cooks up white and flaky, and tastes delicious. Like any other flavorful white-meat fish, gar can be baked, stewed, fried, grilled or broiled. Garfish have a low to medium fat content and the flavor is sweet to mild. They are usually ...
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Cracklins (Cracklings) /Grattons and Pork Rinds /Baconettes
Although cracklins (grattons in Cajun) are commonly known as pork rinds or baconettes, they are really not the same. While both are both made with pork fat, each has a different method of cooking and a different cut of meat. To make cracklins you use a cut of pork that ...
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Turnip AuGratin
Ingredients3 lbs turnips (approximately 9 medium) 1 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar 2 tbsp butter 1 1/2 cups milk 1 tsp salt or Tony Chachere's or other Cajun Seasonings or Season All Black pepper to taste 2 tbsp flour 3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup breadcrumbsDirectionsStep 1Peel turnips and ...
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Almond Joy Cake
This cake is so reminiscent of the Almond Joy candy bar. It always gets rave reviews. IngredientsAlmond Joy Cake: 1 package chocolate cake mix 30 large marshmallows 1 cup evaporated milk 1 cup sugar 1 (14 oz) bag shredded coconut Frosting: 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup evaporated milk 1/2 ...
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Fried Eggplant – A Cajun Classic
Great by themselves or in a rice dressing. Ingredients1 large eggplant peeled and medallion sliced 1 egg, slightly beaten 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water or milk 1 cup all purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp cayenne (optional) Sprinkle of granulated sugar Oil for fryingDirectionsStep ...
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Debris – Cooking Cajun Variety Meats aka Cowboy Stew
This dish contains most of the variety meats that Cajuns call debris. It consists basically of the organs such as liver, heart, kidneys, tripe, spleen (melt), the honeycomb (la platin), brain, lungs and sweetbreads (pancreas). There are two kinds of sweetbreads: stomach sweetbreads (also known as heart or belly sweetbreads), ...
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Miniature Hors d’oeuvres Crust for Dips aka Tart Shells
These are wonderful tiny crust to put your favorite sweet or salty filling in. This crust is so versatile that you can fill them with your favorite shrimp or crab dips or fill with fig preserves or pecan pie filling. Hors d’oeuvres would be much more popular if they weren’t ...
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Miniature Pecan Pies – Pecan Tassies
Whether you pronounce it “pih KAHN” or prefer “PEE kan”, one of the most common desserts with the pecan as a central ingredient is the pecan pie. Here is the bite size version of the ever popular dessert. IngredientsCrust 1 stick 8 ounces butter 3 ounces Philly Cream Cheese 1 ...
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Paw Paw’s Catfish Courtbouillon II
In Lake Charles, La., there was a wonderful Cajun restaurant that served one of the best courtbouillon (courtbouillion) around. Sarah writes, “I also enjoyed PawPaw’s Catfish Courtbouillion and didn’t know if you guys had the original recipe? I visited PawPaw’s in the early 90s and asked for the recipe and ...
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Fig Syrup
This homemade fig syrup made from fresh figs is so good with pancakes, biscuits and waffles. Ces’t Bon!! Make extra and can for later. Ingredients1 cup pureed figs 1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/4 cup Karo or corn syrup 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Watkins butter flavoringsDirectionsStep 1The first step ...
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Freezing Figs
Figs are plentiful in Louisiana during the end of June and early part of July. When picking figs be sure to cover all exposed skin and wear gloves if possible as the milky juice of a fig can make you real itchy. Ingredients1 cup sugar 5 cups sliced or cut ...
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Baked Turkey Breast
Most season a turkey only on the outside of the skin. The trick for better flavor is to season the turkey breast underneath the skin. This method imparts the flavor throughout the breast meat. Ingredients1 turkey breast 6 to 7 pounds 2 hatch peppers or 1/2 bell pepper 1 jalapeno ...
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Oven Chicken Fricassee
Cajuns love to get together and play cards games like booray (bouree) and euchre. While you fix this dish shuffle yourself a hand of Louisiana cards and play while it bakes. This dish is so easy and great for small dinner card games or any party or gathering. Taste so ...
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French Fried Liver
When we were growing up my Mom would sometimes take the liver out of the debris and make fried liver. The taste is totally unique and goes great with a debris dish. As I got older, I realized that few people were even aware about frying the liver as a ...
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Liver with Onion Gravy
As kids we would love it when Dad came home from the boucherie and it was his turn to get the liver and variety meats. Mom would cook us up some liver and onion. That was so good. She would also fry some too. It has been said that people ...
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Gumbo Burgers
Here is a novel idea for leftover gumbo. Use it to wake up your ground meat dish. Ingredients1 small onion sliced thinly 2 tbsp oil (Canola or Vegetable) or bacon fat 1 pound ground beef 1 cup leftover gumbo broth or one can gumbo 1/2 cup water 1 tsp salt ...
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Janelle’s Drunken Chicken
Here is the best use for your beer can. Cook your chicken with it. This Cajun Drunken Chicken seasoned with crab-crawfish-shrimp-boil seasoning is sure to be a crowd pleaser. The steam from the beer helps keep the chicken moist. Ingredients1 chicken fryer 4 - 5 pounds 1/4 can beer - ...
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Spicy Shrimp Gumbo
Gumbo’s thickness is similar to that of stew. You may make it thinner by adding a cup of vegetable or chicken broth. Ingredients1 large onion 1/2 cup fresh parsley 1/2 cup vegetable oil 3/4 cup flour 1/2 cup sliced green onion 6 pods of diced garlic 4 cups chicken broth ...
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Brenda’s Seafood Casserole
If you have lived, fish or hunted in South Louisiana, you know that seafood and wild game abound. Most Cajun children know how to catch shrimp by throwing a cast net while standing ankle deep in Rockefeller Refuge waters or the waters of Rutherford Beach. Because of its unique location, ...
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