Mock Oyster Stew

• 1 - 10 oz. can of oysters (drain and save juice)
• 1 medium eggplant
  
• 1 pint of Half 'n Half milk/cream
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  
• 1 can cream of celery soup
• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 tbsp chopped green onion
• 2 tbsp minced onion
• 1 tbsp minced bell pepper
• salt and pepper to taste

Note: Fresh ingredients works better in any dish you prepare. In this recipe, if you can obtain fresh oysters then that's great! Also, in this recipe the oyster juice is essential. If you do not eat oysters for whatever reason, you can eat the mock oysters (the eggplant) and not lose the unique flavor of your meal.

In a 2 quart sauce pan melt the butter and saute the minced onions and bell pepper for a couple minutes. Add the oyster juice and simmer a couple more minutes until the vegetables are translucent. Do not add the chopped green onions until the end.

Slowly add the 2 cans of soup to the mixture and simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly. If the soup mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the pot it's an indication that you should lower the heat. Set aside and allow to cool until the mock oysters are ready to be added.

When the mock oysters are prepared (see instructions below) you are ready to mix the Half 'n Half to the mixture. On a low heat bring the mixture back to a near-boil. Slowly stir-in the cream.

Add the mock oyster (egg plant quarters) and the real oysters (optional) to the mixture making sure they are well drained first (water will dilute the creamy consistency of the stew). Add your preferred seasoning. Do not allow the stew to boil because that will make the milk product in the stew begin to curdle. Yuk!

Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes and you are ready to serve

Sprinkle the chopped green onions on top of the stew before serving with crackers or garlic toast.

Preparing Mock Oysters.

• 1 medium egg plant.

Peel the entire egg plant and cut into 1/2" slices. Quarter each slice. In a pot add enough lightly-salted water to cover the top. Slow boil the egg plant quarters until the consistency is similar to oysters (about 20 minutes). Drain well before adding the eggplant quarters to your stew.

How To Make a Gumbo Roux

Audio

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooking oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Mix well. In heavy metal pot or skillet stir over medium heat. It is important to stir constantly because this action prevents the oil and flour mixture from burning. If any part of the mixture begins to burn it will create a bitter taste and consequently ruin the entire dish. (video)

Stir and cook the roux until it becomes a chocolate color. When the roux turns to a dark chocolate color remove from heat and set aside until ready for use. The roux can be stored in a cool place for later use. It will keep for a long time.

Roux is one of the basic ingredients in preparing many Cajun dishes. It can be prepared in three different bases - off white, golden brown and dark brown (chocolate color). Each base will produce its own unique and distinct taste.

There is a much simpler way to make a fantastic gumbo roux without using oil or your stove top. Want to find out how? Then go to Easy Microwave Gumbo Roux. It is a modern way to create an excellent roux in just a few short minutes.

I guarantee you will love it.

Bon Appetite!

Wild Duck Gumbo with Oysters

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cooking oil
• 1 (4 to 5) lb. duck, cut into pieces
• 1 pint oysters (fresh or canned).
  
• 1 cups onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• Water
• Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare chocolate color roux. Lower heat then add onion and celery. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add duck and cook for 10 minutes. Add 1 gallon cold water, garlic and seasonings. When the duck gumbo is cooked and tender, add the oysters. It takes about 3 minutes for the oysters to cook. Be sure to add the water in which the oysters are contained for added flavor. Add onion tops and parsley. Serve in soup bowl over cooked rice. Serves 8 to 10. If desired, a dash of file can be added to each serving.

Gumbo is one of the most popular Cajun dishes. It can be prepared with many different combinations of meats and seafood.

Shrimp and Okra Gumbo

• 2 lbs. fresh okra, cut into small pieces
• 2 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 quarts water
• Salt and pepper to taste

Make medium color roux with oil and all-purpose flour. Add onions, celery, salt, pepper, garlic and cook over low heat for 5 minutes then add water.

In another pot smother okra in 1/2 cup oil for approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Add the roux to okra and bring to a boil. Add shrimp and cook another 3o minutes. Serve over long grain rice. Serves 6 to 8.

Shrimp and Eggplant Casserole

• 1 - 1½ lb. shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut up
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 1 cup onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1 cup butter
  
• 6 slices bread, toasted
• 1 cup water (for soaking toast)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 medium eggplants, cubed, parboiled and drained
• 1 qt. water (for par boiling eggplant)
• bread crumbs
• salt and pepper to taste

Sauté onions, bell pepper and celery in 1/2 cup butter. Add shrimp and cook approximately 5 minutes.

Par boil eggplants in half-pot of water until tender, drain and set aside.

Soak toast in 1 cup water (using casserole dish) and break into bite size pieces.  Beat 2 eggs and mix well with par boiled and drained eggplant. Mix all ingredients together as you salt and pepper to taste.

Mix thoroughly and spread evenly in casserole dish. Top with bread crumbs, melt remaining butter and drizzle over bread crumbs. Bake for 30 at 350°F.

Serves 8 - 10.

Enjoy!

You can watch the video version of this recipe here: Shrimp and Eggplant Casserole (video)

Shrimp Jambalaya

• 2 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 Tbs. tomato paste
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 1/2 cups onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup oil
• 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
• 2 cups water
• 4 cups cooked long grain rice
• Salt, red and black pepper to taste

In  a heavy pot add oil, onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Cook uncovered over medium heat until onions are tender. Add tomato paste and cook another 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Add 1 1/2 cup water, salt, sugar, red and black pepper. Cook uncovered over medium heat until oil floats to the top Use clean paper towels to absorb the oil and discard towels. Add shrimp and cook for approximately 20 minutes. Dissolve cornstarch in 1/2 cup of cold water. Add this to the mixture and cook another 5 minutes.

Mix ingredients with cooked rice. Add green onions and parsley. Mix well. Serves 8 to 10.

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Shrimp Boulettes

• 3 quarts raw peeled shrimp
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 3 medium onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup green onions, chopped
• 1 cup parsley, chopped
• 1 large Irish potato, boiled
• Salt and pepper to taste

Grind and mix all of the above ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Take a heaping Tbs. at a time, roll into balls and drop into heated deep fat. Cook for 15 minutes turning them over until golden brown. Serve piping hot with French bread and green salad.

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Shrimp Pie

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 small bell pepper, chopped
• 3 small ribs celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lbs. peeled raw shrimp
• 2 heaping Tbs. flour
• 1 can mushroom soup
• 1 small can mushrooms
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 9-inch unbaked double pie crust
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cook onions, bell pepper, garlic and celery in margarine for approximately 10 minutes. Cut shrimp into bite size pieces. Add shrimp and cook until pink. Add flour and blend, then add soup, mushrooms, salt, pepper and onion tops. Simmer about 10 minutes then pour into pie crust and cover with top crust.

Bake at 400°F. approximately 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Crawfish pie can also be prepared using the same recipe. Just substitute crawfish for shrimp.

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Shrimp and Crabmeat Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 large onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 lb. butter
• 1 quart of water
• 1 large can of sliced mushrooms
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 Tbs. cornstarch (dilute cornstarch in small amount of cold water.)
• 2 lbs. peeled shrimp
• 1 lb. crab meat
• Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté onions and garlic in margarine. Add water, salt, pepper, mushrooms, soy sauce and cornstarch. Bring to a slow boil then add shrimp and crab meat. Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes.

Shrimp Salad

Ingredients

• 1 lb. fresh shrimp, boiled, peeled and deveined
• 2 boiled eggs, chopped
• 2 Tbs. mayonnaise
• 1 Tbs. onion, grated or finely chopped
• 1 Tbs. bell pepper, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl combine shrimp with all ingredients and mix well. Serve on lettuce with crackers. (2 cans of shrimp can be substituted for fresh shrimp.)

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Fried Shrimp Batter

This batter is also good for frying soft shell crabs, bullfrog legs, eggplants, onion rings, green tomatoes, and other vegetable or seafood of your choice.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cold water
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp white pepper

Instructions

Mix all ingredients then set aside in the refrigerator for a few minutes before using.

KT

Oyster Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 pt. oysters, chopped
• 1 Tbs. butter
• 2 medium onions, chopped or finely sliced
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 lemon
• 2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Cracker crumbs
• Salt, white pepper and Tabasco to taste

Cook onions and celery in one Tbs. butter until tender. Add oyster juice and bread crumbs, oysters, lemon juice and seasonings. Cook a couple minutes over a low fire. Remove from heat and stir in eggs. Pour into small casserole dish and top with cracker crumbs or bread crumbs. Bake 20 to 30 minutes at 350°F.

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Oysters Shantal (Broiled Oysters in Shells)

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs. butter, melted
• 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp liquid smoke
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of white pepper

Wash oysters in cold water. Open oysters and remove top shell leaving mussel intact in lower shell. Place oysters in a baking dish and pour a little sauce over each one. Broil for 7 minutes. Oysters cook very fast. Serve in shell.

"I first tried this recipe during my second year in college. My wife was pregnant for our daughter at the time. We were visiting some close friends who had moved out of the college dorms to a quaint small house which was situated next to a railroad track in the north section of Lafayette, Louisiana. Seafood was readily available at a moments notice.

Alvin Toups, a friend, and I shucked a few dozen oysters and decided to smoke them on a small grill. We added a small amount of butter, liquid smoke and freshly minced garlic to each oyster on the half-shell. It turned out great. Later, I tweaked the recipe a bit.

Shantal, my daughter, was not yet born. In 1986 I acquired a small interest in a restaurant in Texarkana, Arkansas. I made up a batch for everyone to try and it consequently became a big hit with our customers. That is how the name Oysters Shantal came into being."

KT

Smothered Crawfish

Ingredients

• 3 large onions, chopped
• 1 large bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Rotel tomatoes
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley, minced
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 lb. crawfish tails with fat
• Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté onions, pepper, tomatoes, green onions and parsley in butter for 10 minutes.

Add crawfish and crawfish fat, cover tightly and cook for 15 minutes. Add seasoning to taste. (Do not add water. Crawfish contains enough liquid.) Serve over hot long grain rice. Serves 4.

Bon Appetite! Ahheee!!

Crawfish Jambalaya

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. crawfish tails
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain rice
• Season to taste

Mix all above. Pour in a pot and cover. Let cook until rice is tender. (A rice pot cooker is excellent for this.)

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The First Crayfish Farm (a/k/a Crawfish)

It was the smell of my grandmother's seafood gumbo which I loved the most about Friday evenings, as if the preparation for that event meant setting the weekly stress of running the family farm aside, and like a litter of hungry puppies, it seemed like no one in my family could wait until dinner. Grandma was constantly swatting us taste-testers on the hands with a ladle or large wooden spoon to keep us away from her stove.

I could feel my senses reaching out to embrace the hypnotic aromas of her gumbos. It was like music to the soul. The sweet and nutty flavors of the hot roux flooded the whole house. Excess whiffs which vented through the open windows invited anyone walking nearby to come in for a sample (except us kids, of course).

No one could out perform granny when it came to teasing the nose. This was especially true the moment she added the sweet onions, celery and bell peppers to the thick sizzling hot gumbo roux. The aroma of the saute was indescribable. In an instant it acted like a hidden magnet that would attract anyone to the source – to the very pot in which the magic elixir was busy brewing.

It was the closest thing to heaven I could imagine.

The community of Indian Bayou, Louisiana (where I grew up) had a predominantly Catholic population. Eating seafood on Wednesdays and Fridays during Lent kept the parishioners in excellent standing with the Catholic church's meat abstinence laws.

There was something sacred about our church doctrine, alright. In my mind, eating seafood was God's way of rewarding us for not eating meat. One could not wish for more. I was in favor of doing it several times a week. Lent was my favorite time of the year because we would double-dip and eat seafood at least twice a week.

One memorable moment for me, at age seven, was when my grandfather announced to the family that we were going into the crawfish farming operation in a BIG way.

No one had heard of such a thing. No one had a crawfish farm in the area, and arguably, in the entire State of Louisiana, as far as that goes, in which to gauge ours after. Like barn yard hens searching for food, we had to start from scratch.

We had always been inundated with those ubiquitous claw-pinching shell fish. They grew everywhere -- even in people's yards.

Hardly any consideration was given to crawfish back then, except maybe to use them as fish bait for trot lines, but my grandpa had a grand vision and saw something more. As it turned out, he was right. Today more than forty thousand tons of crawfish are harvested annually in Louisiana alone.

Every June grandpa would begin the process of gradually releasing the water from the irrigated rice fields in preparation for the July harvest. The ground had to dry out and harden for a few days to allow the large and cumbersome harvesters to operate at maximum productivity without getting bogged down in the mud.

This was also the time my grandfather would reap hundreds of pounds of crawfish. Through the eyes of a seven year old, the bounty looked like thousands of tiny lobsters.

The announcement to establish a crawfish farm came one Friday afternoon. My grandfather returned from the rice fields in his dark green 1953 Chevrolet pick-up truck loaded with two dozen burlap sacks of crawfish.

The contents of each sack weighed around fifty pounds. He and his farm hands had harvested them beneath the run-off from one forty-acre rice patch.

As it turned out, his desire to operate a crawfish farm, in hindsight, could not have come at a more convenient and advantageous, although devastating, time because Hurricane Audrey, a category four storm, wiped out all the crops in the area, as well as crops in several adjacent parishes, before they could be harvested.

If grandpa's crawfish farm plan worked, it would mean that he could defray some of the loses from the rice crop created by the storm. It worked! It worked beyond his wildest dreams.

Grandpa did not have to tap underground water to flood a forty-acre farm three feet deep.

There were significant costs involved in doing this. The flood waters of Hurricane Audrey solved that problem. He merely reinforced the levee system in his field and captured, from nature, the prime ingredient to produce crayfish -- water.

The storm hit land on the Texas/Louisiana coast on June 27, 1957. An estimated 500 to 600 people perished in that storm. We were fortunate enough to be located on the eastern outer-periphery of its path. Even so, most of the sustained damage in the area came from the flood waters and not from a direct frontal assault.

Grandfather managed to turn a difficult situation into an asset. The cost of tapping underground water in those days would consume nearly 20 percent of the profits. As it turned out, the flood was a blessing from heaven which further enhanced my grandpa's prospects of establishing and operating a successful crawfish farm.

The rice crop, flattened and twisted by the storm, was impossible to harvest. As a result, grandpa left it in the field and held the flood waters over it for several months.

Everything was now under water. He was unaware at the time, however, that the rice and the rice stalks not only gave the newly hatched crawfish sanctuary from fish, frogs, snakes and other predators, it also nourished them. The millions of grains of rice underwater in the lake became their food.

In the years following the first harvest, we learned that dotting the forty-acre ponds with broken bales of rice straw would produce the same effect of protecting and providing food for future crawfish seedlings.

The levee system in the ponds meandered and crisscrossed each other throughout. Almost four miles of levees and walking area became available for customers to catch crawfish.

When I turned eight years old, grandpa began teaching me all about the correct ways to cultivate the little creatures. The growing season synchronized perfectly with the growing of the rice crops. Neither growing season interfered with the other; in fact, they complimented each other.

Crawfish reproduce in the spring and grow through the summer and fall toward maturity.

Some are ready to harvest by November. This gave us at least four months out of each year to produce and harvest the crawfish before slowly releasing the waters once more in preparation for the following year's rice crop.

We allowed the public to enter the ponds to fish. It was fun and economical for them, as well as time-saving and profitable for us.

We rented nets and bamboo poles to the customers, as well as small plastic boats in which to hold their catch. We also sold bait, soft drinks and sandwiches.

The use of personal equipment was not allowed. Food and beverages also were not allowed. Applying these rules prevented folks from polluting the ponds.

I earned a lot of cash (for a kid) during my growing up years on grandpa's crawfish farm. I fished early in the mornings before school and in the late afternoons after school. I fished when it was raining and sometimes when the wind blew fiercely. I even fished once through ice. I also fished on some days that were so splendid -- so perfect -- that the sun would pipe down just the right amount of heat which made it exceptionally comfortable on a nearly cold day.

At age fifteen, I purchased my first new car with the money I earned and saved from catching crawfish.

I remember the year we stopped public fishing for insurance reasons. We harvested all of the crawfish on the farm in-house. We used wire traps, made from 3/4" chickens mesh, and cut fish for bait. Subsequently, we were able to quadruple the yields and profits.

It was truly a family business. Anyone in the immediate family who needed a little extra spending money was able to enter the pond and catch as much as he or she wanted (fishing on half) to sell.

The price back in those days was twenty cents per pound. Imagine that!

There are moments when I would like to go back in time to re-experience the feelings of happiness and joy while fishing with my grandfather on the very first commercial crawfish farm in America.
 

In loving memory of the family patriarch: Henri Gaspard 1899 -1975.

Copyright © 2008

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Crawfish Maque Chou

• 12 ears tender fresh corn (Or 1 lb. frozen whole corn and 1 can cream corn)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 medium bell pepper, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 stick butter
• 1 lb. cleaned crawfish tails
• Season to taste

Cut corn and scrape cob to remove all the juice. In a Dutch oven add butter, onions, pepper, garlic and cook until tender. Add corn (fresh or frozen) and cook for approximately 1 hour, stirring constantly. Add seasoning and cleaned crawfish tails and cook for 15 minutes. Serve over cooked rice. Serves 5 or 6.

Note: To make Crab Macque Chou, substitute the crawfish with 1 lb. crab meat.

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Ricefield Crawfish Recipe | Rich Cheddar Cheese Squash with Crawfish Tails

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. frozen yellow squash
• 1/4 lb.butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 lb. cleaned crawfish tails
• 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. in a Dutch oven melt butter and sauté onions and bell peppers 
2. add squash and seasonings to the sauté
3. cook for approximately 1/2 hour or until squash is tender 
4. add crawfish and cheese
5. cook for approximately 10 minutes or until cheese is melted

 Serves 6.

Note: This can also be served over cooked long grain rice as a side dish.
KT

Turtle and Brown Gravy | Slow-cooked with Onions, Bell Pepper, Celery and Garlic

Ingredients

• 5 lbs. turtle meat
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup celery, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup steak sauce
• 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• all-purpose flour (for coating turtle meat)
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup cooking oil

Instructions

Using a Dutch oven or cast iron pot add flour coated meat to cooking oil and cook until well browned. Add vegetables and cook until tender. Add water, steak sauce, Worcestershire sauce and seasoning. Cover and let simmer for about 2 hours or until meat is tender. More water may have to be added as it cooks down. This dish should be well seasoned. There will be very little gravy.

"It is so good you may have to close the doors and let the dogs bark!"

Ahheee!!
KT

Turtle Sauce Picquante | Slow-cooked Turtle Meat in a Spicy Tomato Based Roux

Ingredients

• 4 lbs. turtle meat
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 large onion, chopped fine
• 1/4 cup bell pepper, chopped fine
• 2 ribs celery, chopped fine
• 1 large can of tomato juice
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Make roux with butter and flour until it is golden brown. Add onions, bell pepper and celery. Cook until tender. Add tomato juice, Rotel tomatoes, seasoning and water. Add turtle meat, then lower heat and let cook until meat is tender. This dish should be highly seasoned. Serve over rice.
KT

Crab Meat Au Gratin | Delicous and Rich Crab Meat Casserole

Crab meat au gratin is one Cajun dish that I just about can't get enough of. It is so rich and tasty, yet so simple to make.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. crab meat
• 10 oz. mild cheddar cheese
• 1 pint of canned milk
• 2 sticks of butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 4 Tbs. of all-purpose flour
• 2 egg yolks

Instructions

Sauté onions and celery in butter until tender then add the all-purpose flour and milk, blend well and remove from heat. Next, add the egg yolks, crab meat, salt, pepper and 8 oz. of cheddar cheese and mix together thoroughly.

Pour in casserole dish and top with remaining 2 oz. of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F. just long enough to melt the cheese. Serves 6 to 8.

Suggestion: Compliment this rich meal with a fresh green garden salad and buttered garlic toast.

Mais c'est bon! ... Ahheee!!
KT

Crab Cakes

 



Ingredients

• 1 lb. crab meat
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3 Tbs. flour
• 1/4 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup celery, chopped
• 1/4 cup onions, chopped
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• Dash of Tabasco
• Bread crumbs

Instructions

Mix first 8 ingredients together. Form into patties and roll each patty in bread crumbs. Fry slowly in oil at 350°F. until golden brown.

Links: Cajun Romaulade Sauce
              Rum Sauce
               Cajun Red Sauce
KT

Seafood Mold | Delicious Cajun Seafood Dips

Ingredients

• 1 can mushroom soup
• 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 3 Tbs. cold water
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese
• 1 cup green onions, chopped
• 1 lb. cooked seafood of your choice
• (Crab meat, shrimp or crawfish)

Instructions

Heat mushroom soup and cream cheese until melted. Mix gelatin in water and add to soup. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into mold and refrigerate overnight. Serve with crackers.
KT

Crawfish Dip | Delicous Cajun Crawfish Dips

Delicious Cajun Crawfish Dip Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1/2 lb.butter
• 1-3 lbs. crawfish tails
• 4 cans cream of mushroom soup
• Garlic powder, red pepper, Tabasco
• sauce and parsley to taste

Instructions

Sauté onions, celery, bell pepper in butter until tender. Add mushroom soup, crawfish and seasonings. Cook for 5 minutes. If not seasoned enough add to suit your taste. Garlic powder gives it a very good taste.
KT

Crab Dip | Delicous Cajun Seafood Dips

Ingredients

• 1/4 lb.butter
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 cup onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 5 to 6 drops hot pepper sauce
• 1 lb. crab meat

Instructions

Cook onions, bell pepper and celery with butter for about 5 minutes. Add mushroom soup, Worcestershire sauce, white pepper, hot sauce and crab meat. Cook 10 minutes. Serve with crackers and chips.
KT

Creamed Shrimp | Delicous Cajun Shrimp Dips

Ingredients

• 3 small cans shrimp
• 1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 - 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 lb.butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Boil raw shrimp in 1/2 cup water, onion, lemon and seasonings for 5 minutes. Drain. Add to all ingredients and mix well. If too thick add some shrimp water. Must not be too thin. Serve with crackers. More pepper may be added if a really hot taste is desired.
KT

Shrimp Mold | Delicous Cajun Shrimp Dips

Ingredients

• 1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 can condensed tomato soup
• 8 oz. package cream cheese
• 1 cup onions, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 4 envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup hot water (use shrimp water)
• Dash Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Boil shrimp in 1 cup water. Dissolve gelatin in 3/4 cup cold water. Heat tomato soup and cream cheese until well melted. Add all ingredients and mix well. Pour into mold and refrigerate overnight. Serve with crackers.
KT

Cajun Chicken Jambalaya Plus I Rice, Giblets and Ground Beef Added

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. raw ground chicken giblets
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2 cups onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp white or black pepper
• 1/3 tsp red pepper
• 1/2 cup cooking oil
• 3 cups rice, cooked

Instructions

In a heavy iron pot combine cooking oil, ground meats, onions and celery. Cook over medium heat until meat begins to brown. Stir well while cooking. Add 1 cup water. Cook for 30 minutes over medium heat stirring constantly. Add green onions, parsley and seasonings. Simmer over low heat in uncovered pot for 10 minutes. Add cooked rice and serve. Serves 8 to 10.
KT

Chicken Jambalaya | Rice with Chicken, Onions, Bell Peppers and Garlic

Ingredients

• 1 large fryer, quartered
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, mashed
• 6 shallots, chopped
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 Tbs. salt
• 1 small can Rotel tomatoes
• 1 cup rice, uncooked
• 2 cups water
• 1 medium can mushrooms
• 1/4 tsp red pepper

Instructions

Brown chicken in oil then remove chicken and set aside. Sauté onions, bell peppers, garlic and shallots in same oil (add more oil if needed)

Cook for approximately 5 minutes, add salt, pepper and tomatoes. Continue coking for about 7 minutes. Add browned chicken, rice and water when bring to a boil. Add mushroom and remove from heat. Pour mixture in casserole dish, cover and place in a preheated oven. Cook at 400°F. for approximately 45 minutes. Serves 4.
KT

Pork Jambalaya | Cajun Spicy Rice and Pork Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb. pork meat (any type) cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup cooking oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 small bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cup uncooked rice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Brown pieces of pork in oil. Add onions, bell pepper and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes then add 3 cups water and cook until meat is tender. Have at least 2 cups of gravy in pot. Add rice. Cover and slow boil until rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
KT

Boudain (aka Boudin)

Boudain is also spelled "boudin". The first part of the video series begins at the bottom of the play list: Part 1 of How to Make Boudain. I hope you learn something. Enjoy!

Note: For a meatier boudain sausage reduce the cooked rice content.

Ingredients (old original boudin recipe)

• 2 pork hearts
• 4 pork kidneys
• 1 lb. pork liver
• 5 lbs. pork meat
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 3 onions, chopped
• 4 cups cooked rice
• 2 bunches green onions, chopped
• 1 cup parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Boil the first 6 ingredients until tender then grind. Reserve some of the broth. Add rice, salt, pepper, green onions, and parsley. Add enough broth to make a moist dressing. Stuff dressing into the casing using a sausage stuffer. You can find a world of useful information at Ask the Meatman. Check them out to learn about natural casings for stuffing sausages and boudain. They are a reputable company who has been around since 1949.

Boudin can be served as a breakfast sausage or as an appetizer. It can be boiled, fried, steamed or heated in the microwave oven.

Often times the ingredients needed to make the old fashioned type of boudain is not readily available at your local market. You can find an alternative recipe under Boudain (boudin) Balls which you can use.

        A Cajun Boucherie

In Cajun country it seemed that thirteen represented that magical age during which the attainment of certain rites of passage on the way to man-hood was inexplicably thrust upon me like a beast of burden. It was time for me to venture away from the bird nest, so to speak, amble over to the end of the limb, spread my wings and flap them a few times while standing in place just to get the hang of it for when it came time to take flight (or, in my case, when grandpa decided that it was time).

Entry level positions on our farm, at age thirteen, weren't hard to find. They cropped up everywhere (especially during the rice harvest). The most exciting job I had was driving a large tractor and pulling a rice cart around the fields, without an official driver's license, to drain the harvesters of their payloads and transfer the grain into the transport vehicles. Shucks! That wasn't work. That was fun!

It was the other entry-level projects which I wasn't that fond of ... like feeding and watering the stock everyday, cleaning up their stalls, milking cows, shearing sheep, walking miles with a shovel on my shoulders repairing holes in our rice field and crayfish pond levee system caused by over-zealous rats who loved the sound of water escaping ... and a host of other mundane tasks that no kid should have to go through just to prove that he's a man. But, I got her done.

The final act of the virilité accomplie (manhood accomplished) phase was to slaughter and process my first hog (under the tutelage of my grandfather, of course). I had already become accustomed to bagging and processing smaller game like ducks, geese, rabbit, and quail, but killing and processing a large animal like a full-grown hog was unnerving for me to say the least, and kind of up-front and personal. But again, I got her done.

This was a time when I learned to make cracklins and boudin (boudin). We used a 30 gallon three-legged cast-iron outdoor pot filled half-full with water. It weighed several hundred pounds but the thick iron was an excellent heat distributor. The fire-watcher was responsible for adding firewood to keep everything continuously cooking. We would all take turns stirring the cracklins in the hot cauldron with a long wooden paddle.

After dressing the hog (it was more like undressing the poor thing) we had to prepare the animal for bristle-hair removal. Hogs, especially mature ones, have tough bristles. The best method to remove the tough hair was to douse small areas at the time with boiling water from the hot crackling pot. We used a metal ladle for the boiling water and a dull knife to scrape off the hair from the treated area. Once that job was complete (from head to toe) the entire hog was as smooth as a baby's behind.

The next step was to remove the hog's skin while leaving a significant amount of fat attached to it. Then that would be further cut down into 1 ½ inch cubes and dumped into the large cooking pot of boiling water.

After several hours of slow cooking, the water would eventually evaporate leaving behind the melted fat which would then be processed into cooking lard. A two-hundred-pound farm-raised hog could yield several gallons of cooking fat. And the by-product was “cracklins” of course. Treated with a little salt and cayenne pepper, this Cajun favorite was always a big hit at our home. It was great with boudin and baked sweet potatoes, too. Ahhheee! Lache pas la patate!

KT

Pork Fricassee

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. pork steaks cut into pieces
• 5 Tbs. roux
• 3 large onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Add enough water to roux to make a thick gravy. Add pork, onions and seasonings. Simmer until pork is tender. Add green onions and serve over rice.
KT

Cajun Hog’s Head Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 fresh pork ham with skin
• 4 medium onions, chopped
• 8 fresh pork hocks or pig’s feet
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Simmer all ingredients in a large pot with enough water to cover meat. Cook until tender (until the meat falls off the bone or pulls apart easily). Remove from broth and let cool.

Chop meat and skin into small pieces (discard all fat). Return meat to broth and simmer until thick. Add 1/2 cup chopped green onions and cook for 1 minute. Pour into flat rectangular casserole dishes and let cool in refrigerator. Cut into serviceable portions (usually 3" x 3" squares).
KT

Rolled Steak

Ingredients

• 6 strips steak (about ½ inch thick)
• mustard
• salt, pepper and garlic
• 6 bacon strips
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 Tbs. oil
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 Tbs. flour
• 2 beef bouillon cubes

Instructions

Lay steaks lengthwise, spread mustard then sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. Lay bacon strips lengthwise on each steak strip and add a slice of onion. Roll each steak and secure ends with toothpicks. Brown meat in oil using a frying pan. Chop remaining onion and add to meat. Cook until onions are brown. Add Water then simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

When meat is tender remove from cooking pot and thicken gravy by adding flour and beef bouillon cubes. Simmer for 5 minutes.
KT

Squirrel Sauce Piquante

Ingredients

• 2 squirrels, cut up
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 Tbs. flour
• 1 small can tomato sauce
• 1 small can Rotel tomatoes
• water
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Season squirrel with salt and pepper. Using a Dutch oven, add oil and squirrel. Brown pieces of meat well on both sides. Remove meat. Lower heat to medium and sauté onions, bell pepper and flour in same pan until brown. Return squirrel to pan and add tomato sauce, Rotel tomatoes and enough water to cover meat. Cover pot with a tight fitting lid and simmer for at least 1 hour, or until meat is tender. Add onion tops and parsley just before serving. Serve over rice.

Note: You can also use this recipe for Rabbit Sauce Piquante.
KT

Wild Game Sauce Piquante

Ingredients

• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 stick butter
  
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 medium bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup green onions, chopped
• 1 can mushrooms (optional)

Instructions

In a heavy skillet make a golden-brown roux with the oil and flour (or you can substitute 6 - 8 Tbs. of powdered gumbo roux and set aside.

In another skillet cook the trinity of onions, bell pepper and celery in the butter until tender. Next, add any wild game of your choice (rabbit, squirrel, duck, goose, alligator or venison) and continue to cook for approximately 10 more minutes. Finally, add the roux, 1 small can tomato sauce, 1 small can Rotel tomatoes, 3 cups water, salt and pepper.

Continue cooking on medium heat while stirring occasionally until the meats are tender. More water may be added if required. Optionally you can add one can of drained mushrooms and cook for 5 more minutes. Serve over cooked long grain white rice.

Cajun Romaulade Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups tartar sauce
• 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup celery, chopped
• 1 tsp Tabasco sauce
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend well.
KT

Salad Dressing

Ingredients

• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 2 Tbs. sweet relish
• 1 Tbs. catchup
  
• 1 Tbs. Tony’s Chachere’s seasoning
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp Tabasco
• 1 boiled egg
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 Tbs. mustard

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend well.
KT

Remoulade Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 pt. mayonnaise
• 1 pt. Creole style mustard
• 1 cup salad oil
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1/2 tsp paprika

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend well.
KT

How to Cook Long Grain Rice

Ingredients

• 1 cup long grain rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 Tbs. oil or butter
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a heavy metal two quart sauce pan and bring to a boil. Boil rapidly for 3 minutes while constantly stirring. Place cover on top of pan. Turn heat off but leave pan on burner. Do not lift the lid and peek for at least 20 minutes. Perfect rice every time.

Note: For every cup of long grain rice that is cooked always add double the water.
KT

Cajun Fried Rice

Ingredients

• 1  1/2 cups long grain rice (do not wash)
• 3  1/4 cups water
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/3 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 3 Tbs. tomato sauce

Instructions

Pour water in pot. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cover tightly and bring to a boil. In a frying pan heat oil then add rice and stir until brown. Next add onions, bell pepper and tomatoes. Stir well then add mixture to boiling water. Stir for 10 seconds, place lid on tight, lower heat and simmer 20 minutes

Do not remove lid until ready to serve.

Corn Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 can whole kernel corn
• 1 can cream style corn
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 1 pimento, chopped
• 1 cup green onions, chopped
• 1 tsp flour
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Beat eggs and add to all ingredients. Season to taste. Bake in greased baking dish at 350°F. for 1 hour.

Baked Beans

Ingredients

• 3 large onions, chopped
• 2 lbs. ground meat (pork or beef)
• 1 gallon pork and beans
• 1 cup catchup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3 Tbs. mustard
• red and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook meat and onions for 20 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bake for 1 hour at 375°F. This recipe is designed to feed several folks at a time. We used it in restaurants, for re-unions, parties, fund-raisers, etc.  

Tip: if you want to give these beans a smokey flavor, add a couple tablespoons of Colgin liquid smoke. Enjoy!

Baked Zucchini

Ingredients

• 3 cups sliced zucchini
  
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup canned tomatoes, pureed
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes, pureed
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 Tbs bread crumbs
• 2 lbs. Provolone cheese, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Layer ingredients in greased baking pan. Top with bread crumbs. Bake at 350°F. for 25 to 30 minutes.

Country Spoon Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups warm water
• 1 Tbs. sugar
• 1 package yeast
• 1/2 cup cooking oil
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 4 cups self rising flour

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Cover and let the dough set in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Spoon into a greased muffin pan. Bake at 450°F. until golden brown.

Hush Puppies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups corn meal
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
• milk

Combine all dry ingredients. Add eggs, onions and enough milk to make a thick batter. Drop teaspoons full in 5 inch deep hot oil. Fry until golden brown.

Legend has it that the origin of name Hush Puppies (corn fritters) came into existence somewhat by accident. The story goes that many years ago, when both sides of a Cajun family would get together once a year for a family reunion, the men would venture off into the woods and along the bayous to procure wild game and fish. Before leaving they would butcher a few domestic animals for the women to process and prepare meals while they were away.

Upon their return, the men would clean and fry the fish first because fish had a tendency to spoil quickly. Refrigerators and freezers back in the old days were a little scarce.

The hunting dogs were tied a few feet away from camp and were always barking because they were hungry, too. So the men, after frying the fish, would add some milk and baking powder to the cornmeal and flour batter and make corn fritters. To quiet the dogs they would toss them a few bite-size morsels of the fried fritters while saying ..."hush puppy".

That's our story and we are sticking to it.

Carrot Fritters

Ingredients

• 2 bunches carrots (10 medium)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 Tbs. salt
• 1 Tbs. sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 small can crushed pineapple

Boil raw carrots in 1 quart water until tender. Drain and mash well. Mix flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Blend with beaten eggs and pineapple. Add the carrots and mix well. Drop spoonfuls of mixture in deep fat and fry until golden brown. 350°F.

Ma's Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 4 cups milk
• 8 slices stale bread
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 Tbs. sugar (to be added later)

Heat milk, pour over bread and mash. Add evaporated milk, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and mix well. Bake uncovered in buttered pan at 375°F. for approx. 1 hour.

Beat egg whites until very stiff. Add 4 Tbs. sugar and beat until dissolved. Pour over pudding. Return to oven and brown at 350°F.

Old South Carrot Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups grated carrots

Combine eggs and oil and beat well. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Pour into a well greased pan. Bake at 350°F. until done (when inserted toothpick comes out clean).

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 eight ounce package cream cheese

Mix well and use as a topping.

Rum Sauce

This rum sauce recipe is easy to make and goes well with our Simple Cajun Bread Pudding | When Grandma Ruled the Kitchen. Try it--you will love it.

Ingredients

• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
• 3 Tbs.butter
• 2 oz. rum
• 3 or 4 drops food coloring

Instructions

1. in a double boiler add milk, butter, sugar and heat to almost boiling
2. dissolve cornstarch in a small amount of cold water and add to the hot mixture
3. continue cooking until mixture thickens, then remove from fire
4. add rum and food coloring
5. stir together well

Enjoy! Bon Appetit!
KT