Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Post
  • Reply
That Works
Jul 22, 2006

Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy



Redfish Courtboullion


This thread was inspired by Wrinklepuff’s original thread on making gumbo:

Cajun and Creole Food

This thread is a brief introduction on Cajun and Creole cuisine for goons! I’ll do my best to demonstrate differences between the two and to point out the significant amount of overlap as well. Inevitably, people come out of the woodwork to bash recipes as not being “authentic” or “Cajun only” as opposed to Creole. I am a native of South Louisiana and I learned how to make most of the standard dishes at the foot of dozens of fishermens wives at our Sunday church potluck, picking up recipes and tips from women cooking seafood and produce off of their husbands boats and out of their own gardens. They don’t give a poo poo about what was “authentic” or not and neither should you. Good food is good food, and in Louisiana only the end result will matter.

Cajun and creole cuisine encompass a wide variety of ingredients and culinary styles. Despite the broad range of influences to create these novel and arguably most American :911: of cuisines most of the standard recipes can be distilled down to a few base ingredients common to almost all recipes. Once you master the base recipe, most any element can be substituted depending what is in season or available. One of my most favorite things about cooking is adapting each recipe to the season and the company kept. I urge you to experiment with any recipe you find and never be afraid to add or replace something.

:france: A brief history :eng101:

To understand a cuisine, knowing a bit of its history helps. The introduction of certain ingredients and methods all accumulated as cultures merged and shifted.
A long time ago (1699) a lot of French people came across the Atlantic and were really nice to the Indians. A bunch of them went straight to a mosquito and plague infested swamp known as Canada, and the rest went to Louisiana. Louisiana was named in honor of King Louis XIV by Robert LaSalle in 1662. Louisiana thrived as a colony with the exception of mass dieoffs due to cholera, malaria, yellow fever, fires and an influx of Spanish :ese: and Germans :godwinning:. Louisiana was inhabited by Spanish after ceding part of its area after the 7 years war in 1763. In 1765 badass Frenchmen :quebec: got RUN OUT OF CANADA :canada: from Acadia (now Nova Scotia) and ended up moving to a warmer mosquito and plague infested swamp near present day Lafayette, Louisiana in a region quite originally titled Acadiana. Eventually the Spanish hosed off back to Spain :byewhore: or wherever and Napoleon set up shop. However, after getting run out of Canada, these guys failed to conquer Haiti and sold the Louisiana territory to the upstart Americans starting a long tradition of America fleecing foreign nations for profit :patriot:.

Cajun vs Creole :argh:

In a nutshell, Cajuns are descendant from the Acadian exiles that settled in central to western Louisiana. Creole are French and Spanish immigrants (and later African and Haitian). The cooking styles have been roughly described as “country food” for Cajun and “city food” for Creole. Rumor has it that Creole was primarily spawned in rich New Orleans family kitchens where French and Spanish cuisine were blended with the influences of African slave cooks. Thus, Creole cooking will have a broad variety of (at the time) more costly ingredients and often a spicy profile. Cajun cuisine is continental French cooking, adapted for ingredients available in the Louisiana ecosystem. A good rule of thumb is that you will almost never see tomatoes in Cajun food, but you will in Creole. Also, a roux might be made with butter and flour in an uppity rich Creole kitchen, but made with lard or other oil and flour in a Cajun kitchen. People who argue at length on the subject however are human filth and should never taste the pleasures of either cuisine. Many old French dishes like numerous types of Fricassee or Bouillabaisse can be found in a Cajun kitchen albeit with Gulf fish instead of Sturgeon and Conger. One of the more common and frustrating misnomers is that Cajun and Creole food is *spicy*. Cayenne features prominently in several dishes, and a pickled Tabasco sauce is often used as a topping, but neither of these dominates the flavor profiles of their dishes. For dishes that feature a spicy note, you should add just enough heat to notice that it's there, then just a tiny bit more. Anything else takes away from the end result.



(Shrimp Etoufee, this goons personal favorite)

The Basics :eng101:

Just as continental French cuisine starts with a mirepoix, Cajun and creole typically start with The Holy Trinity. Cajun dishes especially use this bastardized mirepoix replacing Carrots for Bell Pepper along with Celery and Onions. Many Creole dishes also include elements of sofrito along with the trinity, namely garlic and tomato. Some recipes will also include corn and/or Okra, which are American Indian and African influences (Maque Choux and Gumbo are notable examples). Basically, you're going to almost always be starting with onion, celery and bell pepper (aka green capsicum).

Many recipes (but not all) will start with a roux. Roux is simply flour browned in fat (in a 1:1 ratio in almost all cases). Typically, stock is added afterwards and roux becomes a potent flavoring and thickening agent. The thickness of the dish is controlled by the ratio of roux to stock added at the end. For example, an etoufee will use a large amount of a blonde or light roux with a small proportion of stock and will result in thick light colored gravy. Gumbo will use a very dark roux with a large amount of stock resulting in a much more watery but dark and rich colored stew.

Effortpost by Hollis on roux: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3570811&pagenumber=2#post420749574

Many dishes will come in seafood and terrestrial varieties. These varieties are made at different times of the year when things are in season. Crawfish etoufee is popularized around the USA, but crawfish can only be harvested for a few months in the spring. The rest of the summer we would make shrimp etoufee and in later autumn / winter switch over to making chicken and andouille or a tasso etoufee instead. When changing from seafood to terrestrial, typically you will shift from a shrimp stock to chicken stock. Other stocks can be used, but these two are by far the most common.

Rice features prominently in most recipes, either being cooked into the dish (in Jambalaya) or used as a base (etoufee) or just a bit added into the rest (gumbo). In all cases long grain rice is typical. I’ve substituted jasmine rice at times, and nearly any other variety *could* be used although in some recipes this can be complicated (see below for Jambalaya).

In most cases you'll be using bay, thyme, parsley and green onion as your major herb additions. I almost always have bay and thyme prepped in a bouquet garni ready to throw into anything.


Recipe resources

This has been one of my favorites for New Orleans-centric recipes.
http://www.nolacuisine.com/

Alleric posted this for his homemade Andouille recipe and others.
http://www.gumbopages.com/food/

More TBA

I'm visiting New Orleans. Where should I eat?
OP suggestion - Tujaques prix fixe dinner
http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3570811&userid=110909#post442470036
2019 update - https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?noseen=0&threadid=3570811&perpage=40&pagenumber=33#post497996621

I have these bottles :kimchi:



Tony Chachere's. Easy seasoning. You'll find this in almost anyones kitchen back home, but no one with a good deal of experience uses it unless they are in a rush. If you're quite new to cooking, use this (It's also awesome on buttered toast). Otherwise, salt your dish and add black pepper as needed, then add cayenne until you reach the desired amount of hotness.



McIlhenny's Tabasco. A staple in every kitchen. This provides a good degree of heat but with a very sour note. I only use this on redbeans, raw oysters and occasionally gumbo. It is perfect for beans.



What you should be using. Crystal hot sauce. A cayenne based hot sauce that is distinctly different from Tabasco. Not as sour, not as spicy. This is awesome for finishing just about any dish without overpowering it in heat. If you find this in someones kitchen outside of Louisiana, chances are they know what they are doing. Trust this person.


Phil Moscowitz posted:

If you're up for it, make your own Creole seasoning!

Here's what I do:

2 Tbs celery salt
2 Tbs fresh ground pepper
1 Tbs paprika
1 Tbs kosher salt
1 Tbs garlic powder
1 Tbs onion powder
3 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground thyme

Feel free to double the recipe. Way less salty than Tony's and great for marinades.

That Works fucked around with this message at 16:36 on Sep 3, 2019

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

That Works
Jul 22, 2006

Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy


Gumbo

There are infinite variations on this theme.

An excellent effort post on gumbo: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3570811&pagenumber=48#post534331432
A nice visual primer for gumbo https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3570811&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=46#post529931030

Fuckabees posted:

Gumbo is misrepresented everywhere. Creole to gumbo to jambalaya (I think the first vowel is a 'u' but but loving rich guys disagree) to mudbugs. This is now a Creole food thread. Which is the french when the had yet to do the Louisiana purchase thing...with mixed results. Both parties moved on.


If you have ordered gumbo at a restaurant anywhere except for a few places in Louisiana you have been lied to horribly. But good news is, you can remedy whatever gastronomical injustices wreaked upon you by mastering gumbo. You will need patience and lots of it, but you will not need zydeco, because it sucks.

I learned how to make gumbo on thanksgivings growing up and was taught by a reformed (or ex) black panther in pasadena CA. He was also an actor who shot JJ walker in good times in Season 2, Episode 10: The Gang: Part 2 if you care. This man could make a mean gumbo and did so every year as his contribution to our thanksgiving pot luck. He was black, I am white and we knew each other through church.

Gumbo is a traditional creole dish with the signature ingredient being sassafras, and ground root that in french is known as "file" pronounced (fee-lay). The word gumbo is an african word that in many dialects means "Okra", another traditional gumbo staple. It is in the Mallow family. There are several other ingredients that make it specific, but most of the time what you'll get is Jumbalaya which is a bold faced goddamned lie and gently caress that. Don't even get me started on Goulasch. Here we go.

You will need:
1.5 cups Lard/butter/oil (any but come the gently caress on...choose lard)
2 cups White Flower
1 medium yellow onion
1 green bell pepper
5 celery stalks
Coupla things of chicken stock. I like those boxes cause you can squeeze them and that is vaguely erotic to me. Quit the judging. Making your own is good but off topic. If you like fish tastes ( I don't) use fish stock. Like 3 of the boxes.
~12 fresh okra (round eye stores rarely have this...hit up the asian market, always around yet curiously am aware of no asian dishes that have okra in it, but they always got it). Or File (spice shops or online...large stores never have it.
1 lb andouille sausages (you may need to go to a specialty shop for this)
1 lb chicken thighs...anything will work but the bones are big and have good fat content.
1 lb Shromps. If you can get them with heads, all the better (if so ignore peeling) peeled and de-pooped...unless you are a fecal freak...disgusting.
Some pre cooked crab appendages
2 cups uncooked long grain white rice. You can cook it on its own, or throw it in with everything else the last 20 mins. I do the former.
2-3 tbsp File

In general as far as the seafood goes...you can go nuts, whatever you want so long as you know the cooking times for each. poo poo goes south when you under/overcook things. I like to add mussels, clams, or mudbugs if I can get them.

I use like a 10 quart le cruset pan, but I've done it loads of times in a pot like a spaghetti cooking pot. This I think, makes the roux more challenging. To the roux (like kangaroo)!

Roux is a french thing that requires some patience. Basically you are slowly browning flour in hot oil. Melt your lard (its the nineties, get over it) on low and stir in the flower. The proportions will just determine the thickness, so eye ball it. You need to stir this bitch all the time. Like every 5 seconds. So not all the time, but a goddamned lot. You will think it isn't hot enough and not doing anything, but this, like the jumbalaya you call gumbo is also a lie. 25 minutes minimum. Slowly it will become brown and aromatic. Keep going, you want a nice dark brown (dark chocolate colored) roux. If at any point you see so much as one teensy black flake in there, congratulations you have ruined it. Throw it out and look at yourself in the mirror and ponder the fact that you hosed up due to lack of attention and are now down like 13 whole cents.

This next part I screwed up a lot. A ton. And I'm not sure exactly why. But take the roux off the heat. You should always anyway pre-prep all your things. So I am not covering it. Chop your poo poo up at least for this part. The combo of onion, celery and bell pepper is referred to as "the trinity" in creole food and goes in most signature dishes. The problem is, somehow the addition of the vegetables when the roux is hot, tends to desiccate the roux and causes it to burn...if so, ded. You are now up to like 3 bucks in waste. There are hungry kids in africa poo poo dick. I attribute this to the fact that the surface area increases and therefore is thinner and more conductive to heat and it suuuucks. So take it off, and add those three things (diced) and wait for the onion to get translucent.

By now most rear end in a top hat cooks will add tomato. But why would they do that? Cause they are lazy and didn't make a loving roux. They eat it in New Orleans and say huh...that looks red, must be tomatoe. And boy they are wrong as santa in a bikini. You will find recipes with tomato, and they are full of loving poo poo and holocausts. Its the rich roux that does it. Stop the lies, 911 was an inside job. Sweat that poo poo down.

No throw in the stock and bring to the boil...the gumbo is pretty much un-ruinable at this point, so you are out of the woods. Great job Ramsey. Bring to a boil, season the chicken with salt/pepper and plop in. Reduce and simmer. Go watch a movie and drink things.

Now its just gonna do the slow cook thing. I like to let it go for about 4 hours, returning to stir about about once per hour. The smell will give you a perma boner.

About 1 hour before meal time chop the sausage however you want and plop it in. It'll get tough if boiled for too long and lose a lot of its nice paprika and smokey flavor.

Rinse and cook the rice. you wouldn't be here if you couldn't cook rice.

Now the Okra. Cut it into rings. You have a choice here. Okra has this odd attribute that when you boil it, it emits a very snot like substance. It is probably ectoplasm and will invite a demonic presence into your home. So you can boil it in water in a separate pot, skimming off the scum. This is wrong, but its not so loving egregious as the jumbalaya who's makers need to go to guantanamo, but if it grosses you out, fine. The slime however assists in thickening the gumbo to a wonderful velvety texture. Some will say that its either Filet or Okra boogers but not both, I do both. Just takes a few minutes to cook, and can't really over cook. I do a few mins, because I like it al dente crunch style.

Seafood cooks fast, so just like last couple mins. Bear in mind that the crab is already cooked, you are just bringing it up to temperature...anymore than this and it will fall apart in the shell. If you can do a whole dungeness, you loving do it. Thems the rules.

Fish out and remove chicken bones, won't be hard, meat will fall off.

File is often served at the table and left up to the consumer's preference, but for reference, I put in about 2-3 tablespoons before serving.


Congratulations. You have now made one of the most difficult, misunderstood, complex, and delicious misnomers in southern cuisine.

There are many variations from kitchen to kitchen...some are real specific, others want to play with it. I strongly suggest you to try it, its a very old dish with lots of room for improvements. Let others know how it goes! Pics and poo poo.

Black power.

That Works fucked around with this message at 20:38 on Sep 3, 2023

That Works
Jul 22, 2006

Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy


Red Beans and Rice

This dish is commonly made on Mondays as a way to utilize leftover ham and pork bones from Sunday dinner. This is a customary dish as Ham is typically served on Sundays and you can find this on special for Monday lunches all over the region. This dish is distinctly Creole, if you were wondering about that.


Sevryn posted:

Here's a recipe I've used for several years now for Red Beans and Rice. I can't speak for its authenticity but its always gone over well for me and my friends. Truth is, I don't remember where I got it from, but I'm almost sure it got it from here.

I'm always open to improvement ideas.

Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients:

1 pound dry red beans
3 quarts water
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
4 bay leaves
1 cup chopped sweet green pepper
4 tablespoons chopped garlic
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 teaspoons dried thyme - crushed
1 pound andouille sausage - cut into 1/4 in.pieces
1 good ham bone and small chunks of ham
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
Tabasco, if desired.


Instructions:

Pick through beans to remove bad beans; rinse thoroughly.
In a 10 quart pot combine beans, water, ham bone with ham, andouille
sausage, onion, celery, and bay leaves.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat.
Cove and cook over low heat, for about 1&1/2 hours or until beans are tender.
Stir and mash beans against side of pan.
Add green pepper, garlic, parsley, thyme, salt, and black pepper.
Cook uncovered, over low heat until creamy, about 30 minutes.
Remove bay leaves.
Serve over hot cooked fluffy rice.
Tabasco to taste.

The red beans used in Louisiana are not the same as kidney beans,but
if you can't get any thing else the kidney beans will work.

Makes 8 servings

Fo3's no meat Red beans and rice: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3570811#post419688274

That Works fucked around with this message at 00:52 on Nov 5, 2015

That Works
Jul 22, 2006

Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy


Jambalaya

This is my go-to, always have ingredients on hand for, type of dish. It can be dressed up or down and can be made on a budget. The recipe is highly resilient and will accept a lot of leeway with ingredient choices. It's fantastic for scaling up or down, I've made a small pot for me and friends just for a single dinner, and I've also scaled this up at tailgates and made enough for 40 people at once.

The biggest problem with this dish is that the rice can get mushy if you add too much water or if you overcook it. Don't fret if this happens, it will still be delicious, just learn from it and try to either cut down the water or the cook time next time you make it.

The most "pure" Jambalaya recipe popularized around Gonzalez, LA (Which has a Jambalaya Festival every Memorial Day) is a Creole version using tomatoes with chicken as the meat included. It can just as easily be found elsewhere made only with Andouille and no tomatoes, or with just shrimp, or with any mixtures of the above. Shrimp stock will be used when shrimp are added, chicken stock otherwise.

Ingredients
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 Bell pepper, chopped
1 lb sausage, chopped (Andouille if you got it, even cheap kielbasa works if not, don't fret)
1 lb chicken, (can be bone in thighs, chopped breasts, separated leg quarters, whatever. I like using dark meat for this)
2-4 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 can tomato paste (3-4 Tbls)
1.5 cups long grain rice
1.5 cups stock
1 bunch green onion, chopped green ends, one handful
1 bunch parsley, chop one handful

Bay Leaves
Thyme sprigs (or ground thyme)
salt
black pepper
cayenne pepper



This is from an old batch, knives and cutting board have improved since then, not pictured is celery and chicken.

Use an oven safe pot / dutch oven.
Preheat your oven to 300-350F.

1. Start by browning your chicken in a dash of butter, lard or peanut oil, remove then lightly brown the sausage.
2. I sweat the onions briefly, then add celery, when both start to soften salt briefly and add in the bell pepper.
3. Add in the chicken and the rice, keep cooking on medium high and allow the rice to pick up some of the oil from the sausage and chicken, toast the rice a bit, but don't go nuts and bother with trying to brown up all of it, never been worth the trouble.
4. Add in the chopped tomatoes (this will halt the rice from burning on the bottom)



5. Stir, add thyme, bay leaves and tomato paste, add in a few dashes of cayenne and black pepper
6. Keep stirring, add in 1.5 cups stock (A cheap bitter pilsner beer works great too)


Sometimes I add in some chopped parsley at this point, sometime just at the end as a garnish.

7. Keep heating on medium-high stirring occasionally just to keep anything from burning on the bottom, until the liquid just starts to boil. During this phase taste and see if salt / cayenne levels are sufficient, season to taste.
8. Cover pot and transfer to oven, bake at 300-350F for 45m.
(Option: Cover and set burner to low, simmer on stove for 45m, I like the oven because less burns on the bottom of my dutch oven, to each their own).

9. Remove from oven, check rice consistency, if the rice seems underdone / crunchy and the dish seems dry after stirring, add 1/4 cup or so of stock/beer/water, cover and let cook for another 10m. If the rice is mushy take it out immediately. If the rice is of good consistency but there is excess liquid, remove cover and place on a medium burner, stir sparingly and hope that you can cook off some of the excess liquid without overcooking the rice. (Anyone elses tips here would be appreciated).

10. Fold in the green onion and parsley, don't stir too often as you'll overwork the rice and mush it up. remove Bay leaves and thyme sprigs. If you had bone-in chicken, fleck the meat off with a fork and stir back in, removing the bones as you go. Additional salt or cayenne can be added if desired.


(Chicken free version)

Enjoy. I serve this most often with a cucumber / tomato / feta salad and a square of cornbread.

That Works fucked around with this message at 14:43 on Sep 18, 2013

Lawman 0
Aug 17, 2010

Cool thread dude im looking forward to learning more about cajun cooking. :)

That Works
Jul 22, 2006

Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy


Thanks! Added in my typical Jambalaya recipe. I've always struggled a bit with finding the right consistency of rice with water:rice ratio vs cooking time. Anyone got a trick for this? Through years of experience I can get it right more often than not, but I can't say that I get it right every time now.

Defiance Industries
Jul 22, 2010

A five-star manufacturer


I've always found that having enough water to float a little bit of rice but hide the main body of the dish is pretty sufficient. Time for me usually entails waiting like 35 minutes and then lifting the corner of the lid just a little to check how much water is left, and then going from there. You need to be real quick with your peek, though.

Incidentally jambalaya makes great breakfast burritos for leftovers the next day. I like to cook up some breakfast potatoes to add in there, but I realize that's basically heresy.

That Works
Jul 22, 2006

Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy


Defiance Industries posted:

I've always found that having enough water to float a little bit of rice but hide the main body of the dish is pretty sufficient. Time for me usually entails waiting like 35 minutes and then lifting the corner of the lid just a little to check how much water is left, and then going from there. You need to be real quick with your peek, though.

Incidentally jambalaya makes great breakfast burritos for leftovers the next day. I like to cook up some breakfast potatoes to add in there, but I realize that's basically heresy.

Hahah I've never tried that but it sounds like it would be good. Thanks for the tip, will try that next batch.

bolo yeung
Apr 23, 2010
I'd love to contribute some recipes when/if I get some time to.

On your jambalaya recipe, you can get a looser texture by using parboiled rice, if that's something you'd want. I grew up eating brown Cajun jambalaya. As such, I have a really hard time with the red stuff. Usually in Cajun country a jambalaya involves smoked pork sausage, pork and/or chicken.

Also, another common Cajun thing, at least from what I experienced growing up, is not mixing mammals/birds with seafood. It was always either a seafood gumbo or sausage and chicken/duck, for example.

Where do you find chicken etouffee? Is that a New Orleans thing? I've only ever had it with shrimp, crawfish, or occasionally crab.

Red beans and rice pro tip: in addition to the sausage and hambone, some chopped up tasso makes it pop.

Crusty Nutsack
Apr 21, 2005

SUCK LASER, COPPERS


Yay Cajun! I've got one of Prudhomme's older cookbooks and it's got the best BBQ shrimp recipe in it. But, it's not BBQ like smoked meats, thick sauce, etc. I don't really know why he calls it BBQ...but whatever, it's seriously delicious. Fresh shrimp cooked in a spicy, garlicy beer broth. When I get really good, fresh shrimp, I'll eat a pound of this with a big chunk of crusty French bread for dinner.

~1 lb large (I usually use 16-20s) shrimp, preferably head on, but it's ok if you can't get them
13 T butter
1.5 t minced garlic
1 t worcestershire
1/2 c shrimp stock
1/4 beer

1 t cayenne
1 t black pepper
1/2 t salt
1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 t dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1/8 t dried oregano

Pinch off the portion of the head in front of the eyes forward (the spiny parts). The idea is to leave the shrimp fat in the head because it will melt out into the sauce.
Melt 1 stick of the butter over medium high, add garlic, worcestershire and seasonings. Add shrimp, cook for a couple minutes, shaking the pan. Add the stock and beer, and the rest of the butter, shaking constantly to emulsify the butter into the liquids. Cook for a few minutes longer until the shrimp is opaque.

Now, holy poo poo that's a ton of butter. I can't bring myself to use more than a few tablespoons and it's still plenty rich and delicious. I also never have shrimp stock laying around, so I just replace that with more beer. Still freaking amazing, so make this. Make it right now.

Defiance Industries
Jul 22, 2010

A five-star manufacturer


Crusty Nutsack posted:

Yay Cajun! I've got one of Prudhomme's older cookbooks

I hope it's this one.



It has a real soft spot in my heart. Back when I was learning to cook this stuff, it was my first step in reference before I called my dad (who got me started cooking) for advice.

Rapman the Cook
Aug 24, 2013

by Ralp
So...whats the deal with this thread then?


http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3570118

That Works
Jul 22, 2006

Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy


Defiance Industries posted:

I hope it's this one.



It has a real soft spot in my heart. Back when I was learning to cook this stuff, it was my first step in reference before I called my dad (who got me started cooking) for advice.

:stare:

Holy nostalgia. I haven't seen that book cover in almost 20 years!

I've got the Picayune cookbook (an amalgam of Picayne recipes put together in 1901 and reprinted in paperback).

And Justin Wilson's Homegrown cookbook which I inherited somewhere along the way.

Both have a lot of funny and / or silly writing in them. I highly encourage anyone to take a look at the Picayune cookbook as the recipes are written in units common to 1901 (drams, gils, etc) and most of the ingredients are written in french and english as well as many of the recipes featuring lard and other ingredients used less in modern kitchens. Fun stuff.




I PM'd Fuckabees and he was cool with merging that thread into a more comprehensive cajun and creole thread, as there surprisingly wasn't one in GWS.


bolo yeung posted:

I'd love to contribute some recipes when/if I get some time to.

On your jambalaya recipe, you can get a looser texture by using parboiled rice, if that's something you'd want. I grew up eating brown Cajun jambalaya. As such, I have a really hard time with the red stuff. Usually in Cajun country a jambalaya involves smoked pork sausage, pork and/or chicken.

Also, another common Cajun thing, at least from what I experienced growing up, is not mixing mammals/birds with seafood. It was always either a seafood gumbo or sausage and chicken/duck, for example.

Where do you find chicken etouffee? Is that a New Orleans thing? I've only ever had it with shrimp, crawfish, or occasionally crab.

Red beans and rice pro tip: in addition to the sausage and hambone, some chopped up tasso makes it pop.

I have used parboiled rice for it, I used to only use that but now I've gotten a little better at using regular long grain, parboiled is a good tip though and maybe should be encouraged for a 1st timer to the recipe?

You're right on about not mixing mammals and seafood, except in Gumbo at least, I've seen anyone and everyone just use whatever the gently caress was in the fridge / freezer for that. I've gotten into mixing things more usually because I live out of the area now and don't always get either good seafood or good sausage.

Not sure about the source of chicken etoufee, but it's always chicken and sausage together. I remember us making it out of the shrimping season later in the winter through to early spring (when crawfish came into season). Usually during the winter all jambalaya, gumbo, etoufee and other stuff was duck, chicken, sausage or turkey. We cooked lots of pork, tasso etc in Maque choux during that time.

Since moving to New England I have no idea where to get tasso :smith:.

Crusty Nutsack
Apr 21, 2005

SUCK LASER, COPPERS


Defiance Industries posted:

I hope it's this one.



It has a real soft spot in my heart. Back when I was learning to cook this stuff, it was my first step in reference before I called my dad (who got me started cooking) for advice.

That's the one :) I got mine a couple years ago on Amazon for like $3. It's in really good shape, too.

Kenning
Jan 11, 2009

I really want to post goatse. Instead I only have these🍄.



I find the secret to truly phenomenal red beans and rice is pickle meat. It really takes thing to the next level. Gumbo Pages is an awesome resource.

C-Euro
Mar 20, 2010

:science:
Soiled Meat
Cajun/Creole food rules and getting down to Louisiana to try some authentic stuff is #1 on my food bucket list.

I mentioned in the other thread that I made red beans and rice last weekend. I use this recipe from the GWS wiki and it's pretty good. My girlfriend who has never had this cuisine before (and isn't even from this country) loved it too. Two things I might change are to add more meat and get a bigger blender to make them a little more creamy. In fact my GF suggested taking all the beans and blending them before adding to the whole pot for the four-hour simmer, but you'd probably have to stir it a lot more than once or twice an hour unless you want to burn it.

Also I found the following recipe for "cajun seasoning" in my recipe folder-

quote:

2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

OR

2 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground black pepper

Fo3
Feb 14, 2004

RAAAAARGH!!!! GIFT CARDS ARE FUCKING RETARDED!!!!

(I need a hug)
I don't know if they first mix list is authentic, but I'm totally using 2t of that spice mix in the beans and rice I'm cooking right now, (along with some cumin, a bay leaf and extra chilli). E: Giving it a try with smoked paprika as a veg beans and rice needs all the help it can get. :(

Fo3 fucked around with this message at 03:57 on Sep 20, 2013

That Works
Jul 22, 2006

Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy


Fo3 posted:

I don't know if they first mix list is authentic, but I'm totally using 2t of that spice mix in the beans and rice I'm cooking right now, (along with some cumin, a bay leaf and extra chilli). E: Giving it a try with smoked paprika as a veg beans and rice needs all the help it can get. :(

I've never seen much consensus in a general mix apart from black pepper, cayenne pepper and salt, but I've seen the other spices used in plenty of the dishes.

I started adding cumin into my redbeans and rice recipe too, it owns. I think cajun, like good italian, should be adapted to what's in season and what's available to make the dish good. At least that's how I feel about it and no one should apologize for changing around a recipe some.

Edit: I've made redbeans and rice that were completely vegan and tasted great, just get the beans creamy and lots of bay+thyme and a little garlic in there and they are pretty awesome, cumin only helps.

Force de Fappe
Nov 7, 2008

Vinegar, MSG and lots of lovely fat = good meatless red beans & rice. Hey, if you're a skinny vegan type you need some triglyceride action anyhow.

Fo3
Feb 14, 2004

RAAAAARGH!!!! GIFT CARDS ARE FUCKING RETARDED!!!!

(I need a hug)
Yeah, I put in a little maggi seasoning for MSG, and finished it off at the end with a Tbs of apple cider vinegar.
Late edit after a nap: My recipe FWIW:

No Meat Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients:
2t cajun seasoning*
1 tin diced tomatoes (I used one 440g can, if money is no object, double that)
2 cups dried beans (fast soaked, ie boiled 10min, let rest 1 hr, then drained and rinsed)
2 sticks celery, diced
1 brown onion, diced
1 green capsicum, diced
1t cumin seeds
2 Bay Leaves
3 mild/medium dried chillies (I used medium 'topaz' that I grew and dried, about 10000 SHU)
2T tomato paste
2-4 cups water (as needed)
3T oil
salt, pepper to taste

Optional Ingredients:
1T apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice, wine vinegar)
Small bunch of parsley (4-5 stems)
1 cinnamon/cassia stick
1t maggi sauce, or 1T tamari or soy sauce.

Directions:
1. Toast cumin seeds and chillies in dry pan, remove and grind. Set aside with 2t cajun seasoning*.
2. Add oil to pan, saute onion alone 5min
3. Add celery and green capsicum further cook 10 min.
4. Add all spices, mix to coat veg.
5. Add tomato paste and fry (stirring) for 1min, then deglaze pan with a 1/4c of water.
6. Add tomato, beans, bay leaves, cinnamon stick(opt), and enough water to cover, add the (opt) soy, tamari or maggi if using it.
7. Simmer covered until beans cooked and softened (2hrs), adding extra water if necessary.
8. Remove lid and cook uncovered if the sauce needs thickening. Remove bay leaves, and cinnamon if used.
9. Add 1T apple cider vinegar(opt), parsley(opt), extra chilli powder(opt) if required, and salt/pepper to taste.

*Cajun Seasoning (courtesy C-Euro):
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 ½ teaspoons (smoked) paprika
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon white pepper (or just use an extra ½ teaspoon ground black pepper)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 ¼ teaspoons dried oregano
1 ¼ teaspoons dried thyme

Fo3 fucked around with this message at 00:32 on Sep 21, 2013

Cactus Ghost
Dec 20, 2003

you can actually inflate your scrote pretty safely with sterile saline, syringes, needles, and aseptic technique. its a niche kink iirc

the saline just slowly gets absorbed into your blood but in the meantime you got a big round smooth distended nutsack
Is cornbread Creole/Cajun? Or is that more of an inland/Appalachia thing? Either way, goddamn I want some jambalaya. My buddy's dad used to make it growing up. This thread has given me a hankering to make it; thanks for the recipe.

Cactus Ghost fucked around with this message at 16:10 on Sep 21, 2013

Randyslawterhouse
Oct 11, 2012

C-Euro posted:

Cajun/Creole food rules and getting down to Louisiana to try some authentic stuff is #1 on my food bucket list.

Do it. Me and the wife went to New Orleans & around Louisiana last year and I can hand on heart say that we didn't have a single meal that wasn't absolutely awesome the whole time we were there.

Crawfish étouffée, barbecue shrimp, seafood boil, red beans and rice, turtle soup, roast beef po-boys, homemade andouille for breakfast and oysters every way imaginable...

Fuuuuuck, I'm hungry now and nothing in the whole of the UK is going to cut it!

Seriously, you won't regret it. Abita beer is also delicious and if anyone knows of a way to get it in the UK that doesn't involve me mortgaging the first-born, I'd be eternally grateful.

me your dad
Jul 25, 2006

For anyone in the DC metro area, Logan's Sausage in Alexandria makes a pretty good Andouille. I've also gotten a good Andouille from the butcher shop 'Let's Meat on the Avenue' in Del Ray, but his stock is unpredictable.

I grew up visiting New Orleans and greatly value good creole cooking. It's easily overdone but when done right it's sublime. And it's nearly impossible to find 'real' creole/cajun cooking outside of Louisiana. I don't know what element is lost, but once it's brought out of that environment, something is lost.

My go-to jambalaya recipe follows Emeril Lagasse's instruction. It turns out good every time. The key is a high quality Andouille sausage.

TychoCelchuuu
Jan 2, 2012

This space for Rent.
Here's a vegan red beans & rice recipe from this website. It differs from Fo3's in a few respects - most notably, no tomatoes. Tomato-less red beans and rice is how I liked it. I don't know if these proportions are right or anything - they're from the original recipe but I mostly just eyeball it so, I dunno, adjust to taste after you've made it once or something. My notes are in brackets.

quote:

1 pound red kidney beans, dry
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped [green obviously]
5 ribs celery, chopped
As much garlic as you like, minced (I like lots, 5 or 6 cloves)
1/2 to 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed
1 or 2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp liquid smoke
As many dashes Crystal hot sauce or Tabasco as you like, to taste [you don't have to bother if you don't want to]
A few dashes Worcestershire sauce [this makes it non-vegan so I leave it out]
Creole seasoning blend, to taste; OR,
red pepper and black pepper to taste
Salt to taste

It's not necessary to soak the beans overnight, but you can if you want to. If you do, drain the water and cover the beans with a double volume of fresh water in the pot. (This helps reduce the, um, flatulence factor.) Bring the beans to a rolling boil. Make sure the beans are always covered by water, or they will discolor and get hard. Boil the beans for about an hour, until the beans are tender but not falling apart.

While the beans are boiling, sauté the Trinity (onions, celery, bell pepper) until the onions turn translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally. After the beans are boiled and drained, add the sautéed vegetables to the beans, then seasonings, the oil, the liquid smoke, and just enough water to cover.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for 2 hours at least, preferably 3, until the whole thing gets nice and creamy. Adjust seasonings as you go along. Stir occasionally, making sure that it doesn't burn and/or stick to the bottom of the pot. (If the beans are old -- say, older than six months to a year -- they won't get creamy. Make sure the beans are reasonably fresh. If it's still not getting creamy, take 1 or 2 cups of beans out and mash them, then return them to the pot and stir.)
I've grown up about as far from Louisiana as it's possible to get in the continental United States so I have little to no experience with Cajun and Creole food, aside from a gumbo and jambalaya my mom used to make which I guess are pretty authentic judging from the recipes in this thread. Unfortunately neither of those are much without the meat. Anyone have any favorite vegan recipes?

forbidden dialectics
Jul 26, 2005





The last 6 or so hours have yielded my first gumbo, following the recipe in the OP:





I used an entire dungeness crab but I extracted all the meat then added it in at the end, since I didn't feel like getting cajun napalm all over my fingers while eating. I used okra and file, because I like it on the slimy side. The only andouille I could get was a pork/alligator mix, which I figured would be even better. I managed to find file powder at Ralph's, supposedly Alberson's carries it as well. It's in a small, unassuming bottle with the Zatarain's brand.

I used the Alton Brown baked roux method, only with this much flour it took more like 3 hours to get brick. When I added the trinity vegetables it became really dark, really quickly, so I'm glad I pulled it out of the oven at the "milk chocolate" stage rather than the "dark chocolate" stage.

I did add some red pepper because I like it a little spicy. A+++++++++ would gumbo again.

forbidden dialectics fucked around with this message at 07:15 on Sep 22, 2013

That Works
Jul 22, 2006

Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy


Nice! Color looks spot on there.

If you're reheating more you might try garnishing with a little green onion and parsley. Usually adds a nice flavor with it.

HClChicken
Aug 15, 2005

Highly trained by the US military at expedient semen processing.
Robert Irvine came to Afghanistan (while I was there) and made crawfish etoufee. First time having it and I feel really shameful about that fact. I loved the poo poo out of it and am wondering if there are any versions you'd recommend.

That Works
Jul 22, 2006

Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy


HClChicken posted:

Robert Irvine came to Afghanistan (while I was there) and made crawfish etoufee. First time having it and I feel really shameful about that fact. I loved the poo poo out of it and am wondering if there are any versions you'd recommend.

Personally I make one similar to this:

http://www.nolacuisine.com/2009/07/01/crawfish-etouffee-recipe/

but I add in tomato with my sauce. Crawfish stock may not be possible to make depending on how you get your tails. If not either make shrimp stock, or if that is difficult I use a fairly light beer, actually sometimes I prefer using beer over regular stock, gives a nice sour/bitter note that can be excellent.

bolo yeung
Apr 23, 2010

HClChicken posted:

Robert Irvine came to Afghanistan (while I was there) and made crawfish etoufee. First time having it and I feel really shameful about that fact. I loved the poo poo out of it and am wondering if there are any versions you'd recommend.

My crawfish etoufee is as follows:

1/2 stick butter
1 14 oz. pack of frozen crawfish
1 whole large onion
1 whole bell pepper
1 whole celery stalk
1/2 head garlic
1 bunch green onions
1 tablespoon flour
crawfish stock/shrimp stock/water/veg stock
cayenne pepper
black pepper
salt
hot sauce

1) Melt butter in heavy (cast iron) skillet over medium low heat
2) sweat onion, bell pepper, celery, and the white part of the green onions for at least 15 minutes. Let it go SLOW.
3) Once the veg is very soft, add garlic and sweat for another 10 minutes or so over that low heat
4) add your flour and mix until well incorporated
5) add liquid and raise heat; let boil for a bit
6) season with salt/pepper/cayenne/hot sauce
7) add thawed crawfish and crawfish fat to the etoufee; lower heat to an easy simmer
8) simmer for a few minutes and add sliced green part of green onions right before turning heat off
9) serve over hot white rice

Shooting Blanks
Jun 6, 2007

Real bullets mess up how cool this thing looks.

-Blade



Loving this thread, gonna have to try a few of these recipes over the next couple weeks.

GEEKABALL
May 30, 2011

Throw out your hands!!
Stick out your tush!!
Hands on your hips
Give them a push!!
Fun Shoe

bolo yeung posted:

My crawfish etoufee is as follows:

1/2 stick butter
1 14 oz. pack of frozen crawfish
1 whole large onion
1 whole bell pepper
1 whole celery stalk
1/2 head garlic
1 bunch green onions
1 tablespoon flour
crawfish stock/shrimp stock/water/veg stock
cayenne pepper
black pepper
salt
hot sauce

1) Melt butter in heavy (cast iron) skillet over medium low heat
2) sweat onion, bell pepper, celery, and the white part of the green onions for at least 15 minutes. Let it go SLOW.
3) Once the veg is very soft, add garlic and sweat for another 10 minutes or so over that low heat
4) add your flour and mix until well incorporated
5) add liquid and raise heat; let boil for a bit
6) season with salt/pepper/cayenne/hot sauce
7) add thawed crawfish and crawfish fat to the etoufee; lower heat to an easy simmer
8) simmer for a few minutes and add sliced green part of green onions right before turning heat off
9) serve over hot white rice

I'm going to try this with shrimp. Is this what is called a blond etoufee? Is that even a thing or am I mis-remembering? I've had darker etoufee and thought it was wonderful. If I wanted to make it darker, would I add the flour to the butter and make a roux first and then sweat the veg in the roux (like starting a gumbo) or would it then no longer be an etoufee? I especially like blackened redfish stuffed with etoufee :swoon:.

bolo yeung
Apr 23, 2010

GEEKABALL posted:

I'm going to try this with shrimp. Is this what is called a blond etoufee? Is that even a thing or am I mis-remembering? I've had darker etoufee and thought it was wonderful. If I wanted to make it darker, would I add the flour to the butter and make a roux first and then sweat the veg in the roux (like starting a gumbo) or would it then no longer be an etoufee? I especially like blackened redfish stuffed with etoufee :swoon:.

I've personally never had an etouffee made with dark roux, but if you want it dark then, yes, you would make the roux first then cook the veggies in the roux before adding the stock. I would add another tablespoon or two of flour if you're doing it this way as flour thickens less the longer you cook it in the fat.

That Works
Jul 22, 2006

Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy


GEEKABALL posted:

I'm going to try this with shrimp. Is this what is called a blond etoufee? Is that even a thing or am I mis-remembering? I've had darker etoufee and thought it was wonderful. If I wanted to make it darker, would I add the flour to the butter and make a roux first and then sweat the veg in the roux (like starting a gumbo) or would it then no longer be an etoufee? I especially like blackened redfish stuffed with etoufee :swoon:.

Blonde roux is a common term. And yeah what the post above mine said.

I run my roux medium-dark for my etoufee as I like the flavor. A very blonde roux will be mixed just until you start to notice it darken. If you go a little longer you get a nice nutty flavor from the flour. Blonde roux are typically just to use as a thickener for gravy, dark ones impart a lot of their own flavor like what you want in a good gumbo.

Present
Oct 28, 2011

by Shine
OP I'd love to try making these but there are no quantities listed for your spices for the most part. Can you please add them in?

That Works
Jul 22, 2006

Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy


Present posted:

OP I'd love to try making these but there are no quantities listed for your spices for the most part. Can you please add them in?

Salt and pepper should be to taste, bay leaves usually just 1-2. Cayenne is going to be different for each person. I'd start with 1/2 a teaspoon which will be almost undetectable unless you're very sensitive to it. I probably end up with 2-3 tsp? I can't say that I've properly measured it. I generally shake in a bit and stir, let that cook for a bit and then taste it then season as I go.

I never make Gumbo or Jambalaya too spicy, just enough to know its there. I will make etoufee a little more spicy than those two though, just seems to work well.

Hecuba
Jul 20, 2005

What we do is invent our images. And we build them.
One thing I only recently realized is how crucial a generous dose of black pepper is to really get that Cajun flavor right. I grew up in Louisiana with a real traditional family and moved to the North in my 20's, only to realize that the food of my homeland wasn't as easy to recreate as my Maw-Maw made it look. It wasn't until I started adding an extra eight or ten cranks of the peppermill to everything that I could actually take a bite and say "mmm... tastes like Cajun." Trinity + good hot sauce (anything besides Crystal is blasphemy :colbert: ) will get you a long way there, though.

TychoCelchuuu, you could veganize maque choux pretty easily: http://www.gumbopages.com/food/veg/maque-choux.html Also if you're in an area where you can get mirliton/chayote, try dicing it and sauteing with trinity + garlic + s&p + hot sauce. Top with oiled breadcrumbs, chopped green onion and a few dots of your favorite vegan butter and bake til it's all soft and creamy. Dems some good eats. Also, regular old stewed okra n' tomatoes isn't exclusively a Cajun country thing, but it's a Southern classic for a reason.

That Works
Jul 22, 2006

Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy


Hecuba posted:

One thing I only recently realized is how crucial a generous dose of black pepper is to really get that Cajun flavor right. I grew up in Louisiana with a real traditional family and moved to the North in my 20's, only to realize that the food of my homeland wasn't as easy to recreate as my Maw-Maw made it look. It wasn't until I started adding an extra eight or ten cranks of the peppermill to everything that I could actually take a bite and say "mmm... tastes like Cajun." Trinity + good hot sauce (anything besides Crystal is blasphemy :colbert: ) will get you a long way there, though.

TychoCelchuuu, you could veganize maque choux pretty easily: http://www.gumbopages.com/food/veg/maque-choux.html Also if you're in an area where you can get mirliton/chayote, try dicing it and sauteing with trinity + garlic + s&p + hot sauce. Top with oiled breadcrumbs, chopped green onion and a few dots of your favorite vegan butter and bake til it's all soft and creamy. Dems some good eats. Also, regular old stewed okra n' tomatoes isn't exclusively a Cajun country thing, but it's a Southern classic for a reason.

You got any other good recipes for Mirliton? I've cooked with it now and then but I don't have much written down for it. Was always a bonus when it came in season.

Hecuba
Jul 20, 2005

What we do is invent our images. And we build them.

Breaky posted:

You got any other good recipes for Mirliton? I've cooked with it now and then but I don't have much written down for it. Was always a bonus when it came in season.

My go-to is pretty much the same chop + trinity + saute + breadcrumbs + bake technique I outlined above, but with a generous amount of crabmeat and/or chopped shrimp folded into the mix before baking. Don't forget lots of butter and parsley. Alternatively, you can boil them whole, allow to cool and halve, scoop the guts out, give them the same treatment, then spoon the stuffing back into the shells before topping and baking. Makes a great Christmas dinner side dish.

One thing I forgot to mention — if they're on the hard side, it's useful to dribble some water or stock into the pan to hurry up the softening process.

TychoCelchuuu
Jan 2, 2012

This space for Rent.

Hecuba posted:

TychoCelchuuu, you could veganize maque choux pretty easily: http://www.gumbopages.com/food/veg/maque-choux.html Also if you're in an area where you can get mirliton/chayote, try dicing it and sauteing with trinity + garlic + s&p + hot sauce. Top with oiled breadcrumbs, chopped green onion and a few dots of your favorite vegan butter and bake til it's all soft and creamy. Dems some good eats. Also, regular old stewed okra n' tomatoes isn't exclusively a Cajun country thing, but it's a Southern classic for a reason.
Tremendous, thank you! I'll report back whenever I get around to doing this. And yes, we're swimming in chayote 'round these parts so I should have no issues except I don't have a favorite vegan butter. I'll just use olive oil.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Big Beef City
Aug 15, 2013

Breaky posted:

Thanks! Added in my typical Jambalaya recipe. I've always struggled a bit with finding the right consistency of rice with water:rice ratio vs cooking time. Anyone got a trick for this? Through years of experience I can get it right more often than not, but I can't say that I get it right every time now.

Sorry if I misunderstand how you intend to cook rice, as in, 'in with the food itself' or just on its own, but if on it's own, this method works perfectly for me every time. I omit the salt he mentions.

edit: durp, looks like I did misread your intention...ah well, leaving it here because it works real well for anyone interested.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Post
  • Reply