I like to mix things up to keep weekday meals interesting. Taking one culture’s ingredients and combining it with cooking techniques and presentation of another culture’s dishes. This time, I am combining Cajun ingredients with a Mexican taco.
Karl’s Cajun Chicken Tacos
Filed under California Fusion, Chicken, Main Dishes
I had decided to blend Cajun and Mexican cuisines to make chicken tacos. Tacos call for salsa. I decided to make a salsa out of the “holy trinity” of Louisiana cooking—bell peppers, celery, and onions.
Karl’s Cajun Salsa
Filed under California Fusion, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian
My wife, Jan, is reading the Longmire mystery series. In the final book, Longmire has biscuits and Andouille sausage gravy. My wife came to me and said, “Make this.” Fortunately, I had some sausages left over from Fat Tuesday’s red beans and rice.
Karl’s Biscuits and Andouille Sausage Gravy
Filed under bread, Breakfast, Main Dishes
February 13th was Fat Tuesday and wife Jan asked for Louisiana food for dinner. As much as I try to avoid “add can A to can B” recipes, I will sometimes make do for a weekday meal. Of course, the brand of canned food matters.
Karl’s Red Beans and Rice
Filed under Beans, Main Dishes, Pork, Rice
Miriam was working in Rome this week and she was coming back through Chicago. Needless to say, it took her two days to get back and she is exhausted. As a result, the kids are not coming over this Sunday for dinner. Instead of my usual feast, I will be making a gumbo, a Louisiana signature dish.
Karl’s Filé Gumbo
(Andouille, Chicken & Shrimp)
The kids are not coming over this Sunday and Jan wants to go to a movie. Instead of my usual feast I will be making a late Sunday lunch. I finally settled on gumbo, a Louisiana signature dish.
Karl’s Creole Gumbo
Filed under Fish, Main Dishes, Sauces and Spices, Seafood, Shrimp
Eilene is having her horde of friends over for a Game of Thrones night. I thought I would go Cajun. I lived in Louisiana for a couple of years and I have been craving red beans and rice with hushpuppies.
Karl’s Louisiana Red Beans and Rice
Filed under Chicken, Main Dishes
I lived on the West Bank of New Orleans (Gretna) for a couple of years in the 70’s. I have eaten my fair share of real Cajun food, and I have a good idea what it should taste like. If I am just cooking a dish for a weekday meal I will usually just use a Paul Prudhomme’s “Magic” blend. One thing I will not be doing is using the Prudhomme recipe I saw him make on TV one time. While I am sure it was delicious, I am too much of a Californian to follow a recipe that starts, “when the two pounds of butter has stopped frothing, add the three cups of onions.”
Karl’s Cajun Spice Blend
Filed under Other, Sauces and Spices
Adapted from Jolinda Hackett, About.com Guide
For this Sunday’s feast I am making Jambalaya. Jambalaya is really a one pot meal, but it is heavy on the meats and starch. I wanted a green vegetable side dish to balance out my meal. Jan and I are in complete agreement about okra. It may be one of the classic Cajun/Southern vegetables, but despite our Southern roots (Virginia and Mississippi) we both dislike it. Many of the things calling themselves “Cajun vegetables” on the internet were just regular veggies with some Cajun spice thrown on top. I finally decided on collard greens, another classic Southern vegetable. I would not, however be cooking it in the Southern fashion, the way our mothers did, boiling it down to a sludge. California-Style, braising until just tender, is my plan, with a little red pepper for color.
Karl’s Braised Cajun Collard Greens
Filed under Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables
In the 1970’s I was working for a diving company based in Belle Chasse, LA. I have been thinking about that time lately (it probably has something to do with Lent and Mardi Gras). I can’t think about N’Orl’ns (one word) without thinking about the food. For two years I lived off of Muffulettas, Shrimp Etouffee, boiled crawfish, and Jambalaya. I have had a sudden desire for the flavor. Louisiana food generally falls into two main cuisines Creole and Cajun, which roughly corresponds to city and country.
Karl’s Cajun Jambalaya
Filed under Main Dishes, Pork, Poultry, Seafood
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Miriam
Jabberwocky Stew 