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…
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…
Chicken-Stuffed Bell Peppers with Maque Choux Sauce
When I saw the bin of ripe green bell peppers at my local farmer’s market, I immediately thought of stuffing them. In Cajun country, stuffing sweet peppers with ground anything is a basic Cajun recipe that every home cook knows by heart. Usually it’s a mixture of beef and pork sausage with just the right…
Roast Beef Po’boy
Growing up in South Louisiana, po’boys were just about as common as hamburgers are today. In small towns back then, we didn’t have a burger chain on every corner. It was mostly mom-and-pop sandwich shops and greasy spoon cafés that put out their home-cooked specialties, especially a down-home Louisiana roast beef po’boy. I grew up…
Tomahawk Ribeye
Now and then, I must seek out the thickest cut of beef I can find for a manly meal. It is a primal urge. Cooking steaks portioned in gargantuan slabs are not really about the quantity of the meat, but rather it is all about the quality of the outcome. Let me explain. Over the…
Orzo, Shrimp and Kale Salad
More and more, I see orzo pasta showing up on the Acadiana table of folks who didn’t even know it existed a few years ago. Cajun and Creole home cooks are a stubborn bunch who hold to Cajun recipe tradition more so than most cultures. But in my Orzo, Shrimp and Kale Salad recipe, this ingredient…
Cream of Cauliflower, Garlic and Fennel Soup with Goat Cheese Crouton
These days, home cooks are moving toward freshly prepared, light, and healthy dishes. However, Louisiana cooks don’t always follow conventional wisdom. This time of year, you are just as likely to see a hearty etouffée or a platter of steak, rice, and gravy on the dinner table. But with my Cream of Cauliflower Soup, you can…
Perfect Herb-Roasted Chicken
Roasting a whole chicken is as basic to French Acadian cooking as it is to French Provencal cooking. Although the spice blends vary and most Louisianans would be stumped at the thought of trussing a bird, the two cultures still elevate the lowly poulet to a stellar dish. It seems these days that roasting a…
Shrimp and Okra Gumbo
Just last week I was telling a good friend that I had plans to make Shrimp and Okra Gumbo for the weekend. Without hesitation, she asked, “Cajun gumbo or Creole gumbo?” Oh, here I go again. After a 10-minute explanation, I could see my friend regretted even asking the question. But, it is a difficult…
Lard of the Rings: Crazy-Crisp Cajun Onion Rings
For me, onion rings are a weakness bordering on obsession; a perfectly fried o-ring is a thing of beauty. When dining out, I order them constantly and will even pay a couple of bucks more to substitute onion rings for fries. While some are good, and others just acceptable, I am mostly disappointed. Even at…