Cajun Cooking That Everyone Will Love

Recipes for Gumbo, Jambalaya, and Shrimp Cakes

© Carol Rzadkiewicz

Oct 2, 2009

The South is noted for its hospitality and cooking, and nowhere in the South are both traditions more alive than in Lafayette, Louisiana, the “Heart of Cajun Country.” And, although there are many distinctly Cajun dishes, three classics that are especially popular with both locals and out-of-town visitors are gumbo, jambalaya, and shrimp cakes.

Recipe for Gumbo

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds boneless chicken meat
• 4 tablespoons shortening or butter
• 1 pound diced ham
• 1 medium sliced onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sliced okra (not too thick or too thin)
• 1 sprig thyme
• 2 dozen oysters (optional)
• 1/16 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 quart hot water
• Cooked rice for 6 to 8 people

Preparation:

1. Sauté chicken in shortening or butter until lightly browned, stirring frequently
2. Add ham and onions, and then sauté approximate 10 minutes
3. Add salt and water
4. Bring to a boil and simmer approximately 1-1/2 hours or until chicken is tender
5. Add okra and thyme then simmer approximately 1/2 hour or until okra is tender
6. Add cayenne and oysters (if using oysters); cook until edges of oysters curl
7. Sprinkle with pepper if desired
8. Serve hot over rice in a soup tureen or individual bowls

Recipe for Jambalaya

Ingredients:

• 3 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 2 cups canned tomatoes
• 1 medium chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Dash of pepper

Preparation:

1. Mix chicken or turkey with rice and tomatoes
2. Simmer 10 minutes on low heat
3. Remove from heat and set aside
4. Sauté onion and green pepper in butter or margarine for 5 minutes
5. Add prepared rice and the chicken to onion-and-peppers mixture
6. Add salt and pepper
7. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning and adding hot water as needed to keep rice moist
8. Serve hot

Recipe for Shrimp Cakes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh shrimp
• 3 1-inch thick slices of white bread (If unable to find bread that isn’t pre-sliced, use enough loaf bread to equal 3 inches)
• 2 tablespoons softened butter or margarine
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon mace
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Hot water

Preparation:

1. Cook shrimp in boiling salted water for 15 minutes or until shells turn pink
2. Drain shrimp and cover with cold water to chill
3. Once shrimp is cool to the touch, remove shells, legs, and black veins along the backs
4. Chop shrimp in small pieces or use a blender set on “dice”
5. Remove crusts from bread, cover with boiling water, squeeze dry, and then crumble
6. Add butter or margarine and seasonings to bread then mix well with shrimp
7. Shape mixture into flat cakes (about the circumference of a biscuit)
8. Place in greased shallow baking ban and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes, turning so both sides will brown; or if fried is preferred, sauté in a frying pan on medium heat, browning both sides
9. Serve with cheese sauce

With these three hearty dishes, anyone, from any area of the country, can experience a taste of the joie de vivre that is the hallmark of Lafayette, Louisiana, the Heart of Cajun Country.

Reference:

Favorite Recipes of America(1968) Favorite Recipes Press: Louisville, Kentucky

Cajun Cooking

Recipe for Gumbo

Recipe for Jambalaya

Recipe for Shrimp Cakes

Recipes from Cajun Country

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