Cajun/Creole Recipes - post 'em here

Cajun/Creole Recipes - post 'em here

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SVX

Original Poster:

2,182 posts

210 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
Okay, here are the recipes from GF&W II, but as I love Cajun and Creole style food, thought it would be a good idea to start a thread smile

Firstly, this is a shamelessly cribbed/adapted spice blend recipe:

1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp demerara sugar
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp freshly ground white pepper
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp ground smoked paprika
2 tbsp chilli powder
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp onion powder

Place all the ingredients into an air-tight container (a large glass jar is ideal) and give the bugger a good shake.

To make up into a paste, slowly warm a tablespoon per head, with a neutral oil such as sunflower, and a tablespoon of tomato purée until everything is properly re-hydrated - use this as the base for the Jambalaya recipe below:

Ingredients (serves 4-6):

4 chicken legs
2 large dried smoked pork sausages (kabanos or similar)
1 piece of dried chorizo (approx 100g)
1 large green pepper
1 large red pepper
1 large white onion
1 bunch spring onions
300ml tomato purée
2/3 125g pouches of easy cook American long grain rice
Fresh coriander
Fresh chives

Method:

Divide the chicken legs into thighs and drumsticks, removing the tendons from the drumsticks and trimming off any excess fat. You can choose at this point whether or not to keep the skin on the chicken. There is plenty of flavour here, but some people prefer to take it off. I tend to leave it on, but will render it off by sealing the meat in a hot griddle pan.

Finely dice the onions and peppers and sauté gently in a tablespoon of sunflower oil until translucent, do not over colour them;
then slice the kabanos and chorizo on the angle and set aside.

Next take a large 3 litre + casserole and assemble the base of the dish. Layer the onions, peppers, chicken and sausage(s) into the casserole, then dissolve the spice paste (above) with the tomato purée in 500ml of boiling water and add to the casserole.

Cook the base off in the oven at 175°C for 25-30 minutes, or until the oil begins to separate and the sauce is reduced, then add the rice to the pot and stir through. Reduce the heat and cover, at this stage you can slow things down until you are ready to eat. Using par-cooked (easy cook) rice will ensure that the rice stays al dente.

To finish, stir through the finely shredded spring onion, cover for 5 mins, then serve, garnishing with finely chopped coriander and chives.

You can add raw tiger prawns (shrimp) to enrich the flavours further; but I quite like serving them on the side deep fried (dusted with flour and cayenne) along with corn on the cob baked in the oven with garlic butter.

There it is, hope you enjoy giving it a try, perhaps the other regulars of FD&R could suggest any tips or embellishments smile










Cotty

39,389 posts

283 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
I have most of the spice blend, just need a couple of items. Definately going to try this again yum

SVX said:
regulars of FD&R
Food, Drink & rehabiltation? Oh you mean Food Drink & Resturants rather than GF&W redface

Edited by Cotty on Wednesday 29th September 22:20

Mobile Chicane

20,740 posts

211 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
SVX said:
Okay, here are the recipes from GF&W II, but as I love Cajun and Creole style food, thought it would be a good idea to start a thread smile

Firstly, this is a shamelessly cribbed/adapted spice blend recipe:

1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp demerara sugar
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp freshly ground white pepper
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp ground smoked paprika
2 tbsp chilli powder
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp onion powder

Place all the ingredients into an air-tight container (a large glass jar is ideal) and give the bugger a good shake.

To make up into a paste, slowly warm a tablespoon per head, with a neutral oil such as sunflower, and a tablespoon of tomato purée until everything is properly re-hydrated - use this as the base for the Jambalaya recipe below:

Ingredients (serves 4-6):

4 chicken legs
2 large dried smoked pork sausages (kabanos or similar)
1 piece of dried chorizo (approx 100g)
1 large green pepper
1 large red pepper
1 large white onion
1 bunch spring onions
300ml tomato purée
2/3 125g pouches of easy cook American long grain rice
Fresh coriander
Fresh chives

Method:

Divide the chicken legs into thighs and drumsticks, removing the tendons from the drumsticks and trimming off any excess fat. You can choose at this point whether or not to keep the skin on the chicken. There is plenty of flavour here, but some people prefer to take it off. I tend to leave it on, but will render it off by sealing the meat in a hot griddle pan.

Finely dice the onions and peppers and sauté gently in a tablespoon of sunflower oil until translucent, do not over colour them;
then slice the kabanos and chorizo on the angle and set aside.

Next take a large 3 litre + casserole and assemble the base of the dish. Layer the onions, peppers, chicken and sausage(s) into the casserole, then dissolve the spice paste (above) with the tomato purée in 500ml of boiling water and add to the casserole.

Cook the base off in the oven at 175°C for 25-30 minutes, or until the oil begins to separate and the sauce is reduced, then add the rice to the pot and stir through. Reduce the heat and cover, at this stage you can slow things down until you are ready to eat. Using par-cooked (easy cook) rice will ensure that the rice stays al dente.

To finish, stir through the finely shredded spring onion, cover for 5 mins, then serve, garnishing with finely chopped coriander and chives.

You can add raw tiger prawns (shrimp) to enrich the flavours further; but I quite like serving them on the side deep fried (dusted with flour and cayenne) along with corn on the cob baked in the oven with garlic butter.

There it is, hope you enjoy giving it a try, perhaps the other regulars of FD&R could suggest any tips or embellishments smile
Nope.

bow

Plotloss

67,280 posts

269 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
Jambalaya should have prawns.

Crayfish would be more authentic mind you. Langoustine tails also work, unbreaded obviously.

Mobile Chicane

20,740 posts

211 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
Plotloss said:
Jambalaya should have prawns.

Crayfish would be more authentic mind you. Langoustine tails also work, unbreaded obviously.
It did. (Have crayfish, I mean.)

Plotloss

67,280 posts

269 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
Etouffe is another good crayfish based cajun dish.


SVX

Original Poster:

2,182 posts

210 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
There is also a rich Louisiana style stew/thick soup with really small (5 pence piece size) meatballs in it, but it's not a gumbo; I had it when I was working in the US, and was pretty delicious - I'll do some googling and try to post a recipe if I can find one.

JonRB

74,402 posts

271 months

Thursday 30th September 2010
quotequote all
Mobile Chicane said:
It did. (Have crayfish, I mean.)
And very nice it was too.

It was just rather odd that everyone who had a hand in preparing and cooking it buggered off before it was served.

Still, Cotty ate enough for 3 so that was ok. hehe

Cotty

39,389 posts

283 months

Saturday 2nd October 2010
quotequote all
SVX said:
spice blend recipe

1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp demerara sugar
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp freshly ground white pepper
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp ground smoked paprika
2 tbsp chilli powder
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp onion powder
Thats a shed load of spices


I skipped the sugar



Edited by Cotty on Saturday 14th October 14:19

calibrax

4,788 posts

210 months

Saturday 2nd October 2010
quotequote all
Cotty, I love the way you've arranged the spices in the same order as the recipe. Nice to know I'm not alone in being that anal!!

Cotty

39,389 posts

283 months

Saturday 2nd October 2010
quotequote all
SVX said:
To make up into a paste, slowly warm a tablespoon per head, with a neutral oil such as sunflower, and a tablespoon of tomato purée until everything is properly re-hydrated - use this as the base for the Jambalaya recipe
Used a bit too much tomato puree but should even out when cooking it


Edited by Cotty on Saturday 14th October 14:21

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 2nd October 2010
quotequote all
Plotloss said:
Etouffe is another good crayfish based cajun dish.
This one is the best! though I have never managed to find 'Crayfish fat' so Ive always adapted my recipe a little using some homemade stock!

Cotty

39,389 posts

283 months

Saturday 2nd October 2010
quotequote all




Not sure I am doing it that well but giving it a go. Should have started it a LOT earlier

Cotty

39,389 posts

283 months

Saturday 2nd October 2010
quotequote all
Just out of interest this is what it costs (less spices):

Onion 15p
Peppers £1
Chicken £1.50
Spring onion 34p
Kabanos 75p
Chorizio 75p
Tomato puree 39p
Rice 66p
Coriander 40p

Call it £6.00, if you did it for two it would not be much more.


Cotty

39,389 posts

283 months

Saturday 2nd October 2010
quotequote all
Well that turned out VERY well thumbup


calibrax

4,788 posts

210 months

Saturday 2nd October 2010
quotequote all
Cotty said:
Well that turned out VERY well thumbup

That looks gorgeous! cool

Cotty

39,389 posts

283 months

Sunday 3rd October 2010
quotequote all
SVX said:
There is also a rich Louisiana style stew/thick soup with really small (5 pence piece size) meatballs in it, but it's not a gumbo; I had it when I was working in the US, and was pretty delicious - I'll do some googling and try to post a recipe if I can find one.
ears

Cotty

39,389 posts

283 months

Sunday 3rd October 2010
quotequote all
Jambalaya Mk2

Hell thats spicy

escargot

17,110 posts

216 months

Monday 4th October 2010
quotequote all
I am loving this thread. Bookmarked for future use.

smack

9,727 posts

190 months

Monday 4th October 2010
quotequote all
Cotty said:
SVX said:
spice blend recipe

1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp demerara sugar
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp freshly ground white pepper
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp ground smoked paprika
2 tbsp chilli powder
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp onion powder
Thats a shed load of spices

Cotty, take yourself down to an Asian Supermarket, and you can pick up bags of spices cheaper than one of those small glass jars (at 2 table spoons a go, they won't last long!). Even the supermarkets are getting in on the act, and I have seen them selling them in the bigger stores if they have an ethnic food section.