Lately, I’ve gotten lots of questions from folks outside of Louisiana who want to know more about the restaurant scene in South Louisiana. Well, I could write volumes on the subject and still not cover it all. The pages of Acadiana Table are a good start, but I have a continually growing backlog of eclectic,…
Oysters Supreme
David Bertrand runs Shucks seafood house in Abbeville, Louisiana with an eye for detail. Along with his partner Bert Istre, they share a keen understanding of the tastes of their South Louisiana customers. This is not a tourist haunt, and it’s not an upscale, white-tablecloth eatery with a big-name chef. In fact, David is quick…
Cajun Crawtator Casserole
Smashed Yukon Gold potatoes infused with fresh herbs, Cajun spice, and creamy Greek yogurt reaches new culinary heights with the addition of rich Louisiana crawfish tail meat. And the crunch of Zapp’s Crawtator kettle-fried potato chips is the pièce de résistance. It’s pure comfort in a casserole dish. I first crossed paths with the late…
Comfort in a Casserole: Seafood Mac and Cheese
There is nothing more comforting than a bowl of macaroni and cheese. Spending more time at home these days, it’s time to kick back and relax. And every family loves mac and cheese; it’s time to indulge that mac obsession, but with a twist. No processed and packaged noodles here, I decided to up the…
Crawfish Étouffée
Just think of it: Fresh Louisiana crawfish tail meat swimming in a lightly thickened butter sauce infused with spices and aromatics over a mound of white rice. This is the purest expression of Cajun cooking I know and love. It’s that time of year, and in case you missed it, here is my recipe. But…
Baked Oysters with Collards and Cajun Hollandaise
With this Baked Oysters with Collards and Cajun Hollandaise, the salty Gulf oyster hides underneath cloaked in a Rockefeller type covering of bacon-infused greens and a spicy hollandaise for a perfect one-bite dish that will send you back for more. Another dozen, please. If you’ve never been to the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama,…
Cheese-Crust Shrimp and Mushroom Pizza
This carb-friendly Cheese-Crust Shrimp and Mushroom Pizza is the best thing since sliced you-know-what. The crackle of the cheddar crust is the first signal that this is no ordinary pizza dough. As the ooze of the melted mozzarella cloaks the earthy and ocean combo of Gulf shrimp and button mushrooms, this simple (and quick) recipe…
Salmon and Shrimp Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette
For a born and fed bayou boy like me, eating light in the summer makes up for the countless pounds of boiled crawfish I consumed this spring. And it gives me pause for the endless bowls of gumbo to come this fall. That’s why today’s fresh Salmon and Shrimp Salad featuring poached salmon and sautéed…
Two-Step Boiled Louisiana Crawfish
Just think of it: With my recipe for Two-Step Boiled Louisiana Crawfish, it’s whole crawfish boiled to perfection and then drenched in a spicy cauldron of Asian flavors. Ginger, orange, garlic, peppers and lemon with a velvety cloak of rich butter sizzling in a wok filled with three pounds of boiled crawfish just sucking up the…
Shrimp and Artichoke Sauté
Take briny Gulf shrimp from the coast of Louisiana, dredge them in seasoned flour, and sauté them ever so gently in butter. Got your attention? That’s the introduction to my Shrimp and Artichoke Sauté, an easy one-skillet dish that is sure to become one of your favorite Cajun recipes. Add artichoke hearts and a splash of…