Here’s the thing–okra is a vegetable of extremes. For the most part, folks tend to categorize okra as a “love it or hate it” relationship. It’s hard to be indifferent about okra. True Southerners, and especially good Cajun cooks, identify strongly with okra. But, even within okra circles there are those that love it in…
Crawfish and Pumpkin Bisque
This hearty Crawfish and Pumpkin Bisque defines the holiday season in Acadiana for me and represents the best of rural farm-to-table sourcing. Combining the sweet tail meat of crawfish and fresh seasonal corn cut from the cob, it is certainly a winning combination. But, when you introduce pumpkin along with curry powder and cane molasses,…
A Christmas Tradition: Crown Roast of Pork
Christmas dinner menu planning is underway, and on my Acadiana table, there is no more dramatic presentation than a crown roast of pork in all its regal glory. This cut of meat always wows your guests for several reasons. Beyond the center-of-the-table showcase for the roast, the meat surrounding the bone is always juicy and…
The Italian Side of Cajun
There’s no appetizer more dramatic than an Italian Stuffed Artichoke in all its regal glory. Each tender olive oil-laced leaf holding onto a treasure chest of Italian ingredients, and all baked just long enough to meld those exotic tastes together. This simple Cajun recipe version makes a culinary statement and packs a wallop of flavor. I’ve…
Creole Shrimp Dip – A Holiday Tradition
There are certain traditions that make the holidays special, and of course, in the Graham family, those traditions usually involve food–turkey and cornbread dressing for Thanksgiving and a regal crown roast of pork for Christmas Day. Oh, and of course, a Christmas Eve gumbo with friends and family after church services the night before. For…
Cane-Brined Roast Turkey
I love turkey. It is dependable, versatile, affordable, and delicious cooked in so many great Cajun and Creole interpretations. But for many cooks, a turkey sandwich is about as close as they get to the bird all year long. And anxiety sets in as the calendar rolls around to September, October, November, and finally the…
Cajun Cracklins
I admit it. Cajun cracklins are addictive, I am a recovering cracklin’ addict and am now in a 12-step program on the way to enlightenment. Okay, so I am embellishing a bit. But, just a bit. Hear my story. I was first grabbed by the demon porcine pleasure at a later stage of life when…
Les Oreilles De Cochon – Pig’s Ear Pastry
I love hometown cookbooks. You know the kind I’m talking about. Not the glossy, full color, celebrity chef-endorsed titles that scream from the shelf of the big box bookstores. No, these are the quiet, little regional books–usually comb-bound with no photographs–tucked neatly in rows far from the main displays. These are the cookbooks that define…
Sugarcane-Glazed Spareribs
“Low and slow, son,” that’s what my daddy always told me was the key to cooking ribs. He’d fire up the pit on a Saturday morning and by the time the afternoon sun was setting, we’d be in pig heaven. Growing up in small town Louisiana, pork ribs–especially spareribs (my father’s favorite)–was the only barbecue…
Scuppernong-Glazed Bourbon Beef Ribs with Tasso Potato Gratin
I am a meticulous planner by nature as well as by profession. That attention to detail has served me well these many years, but truth be told, I’ve grown tired of it. It seems that as I’ve aged, I’ve let loose of the need to fastidiously program every waking minute of my life. Except for…
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