LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER!

Ok, friends, I’m well aware that Mardi Gras has come and gone, but that’s no reason not to talk about some of the best food – in my opinion – you can get in the South.  I am, of course, talking about the multifaceted, enigmatic, and myriad flavors that comprise…wait for it…CAJUN FOOD!

Make no mistake, friends, this isn’t for weak palettes.  Done correctly – again, in my opinion – the end result is a precision-guided flavor bomb that can rip your face off and leave you craving more.  The roots of Cajun food lead us back (as many foods do) to times when people used ingredients that grew or could be found near where they lived.  And in those times when people lived in cultural and ethnic pockets, they cooked communally, and the flavors and foods they produced came to define them in a culinary fashion.  That’s why when we think Cajun food, we immediately think New Orleans (or at least Louisiana), gumbo, jambalaya, etc.

When one considers the magnitude of culinary accomplishments we now enjoy – just open any cookbook of substance and flip thorough it – how we ended up with most of our gourmet cuisines is pretty amazing.  Cajun cooking is no exception.  As I mentioned before, we’re talking about small groups of people from common backgrounds making use of what they had available (and usually nothing more), and turning it into something amazing.  They didn’t set out to occupy a culinary niche in modern cookbooks, it just turned out that way.

And so, I will share what I know about getting into the Cajun spirit by providing some basic tips for how to get that huge mess of flavor all up in your business.

First, we have to get a handle on how to get to that flavor profile in the first place.  The best way to do that is to first break down the elements in what comprises Cajun seasoning.  The second thing we’ll go over is the aromatic flavor base called the Holy Trinity, which is nothing more than a “Cajun mire poix.”  And for those who don’t know what a mire poix (pronounced MEER-uh-pwah) is, it’s simply a combination of onion, celery, and carrot that form the flavor base for a lot of wonderful dishes.  In that same fashion, the Holy Trinity forms the flavor base for Cajun food.

Ok, so about that seasoning…

You can really go one of two routes with this: just buy your favorite Cajun blend and be done with it, or do what I do (which I firmly believe is dumb, but satisfying when you get it right), and that is the following:

·         Equal parts Kosher salt, cayenne pepper, paprika (not smoked), minced garlic (dry), and black pepper

·         Half the previous amount each of dried onion, dried oregano, and dried thyme

Now, not to insult anyone’s intelligence, but if you use a quarter cup of the first set, then use 2 Tbs. of the second set (1/4 cup = 4 Tbs.).  Mix thoroughly and store in a dry, airtight container until use.

Keep in mind that this is just one way to do it.  If you want more options – and I certainly encourage you to try a few to see which one you like best – just type “Cajun seasoning” into Google and start looking.

The second, and unequivocally most important, factor in making Cajun food is the Holy Trinity.  As I mentioned before, the Holy Trinity is the mire poix of Cajun food.  But instead of onions, carrots, and celery, the three components are onions, celery, and green bell pepper in equal quantities, diced and sautéed until their mystical flavor magic comes oozing out.  A technique that I personally use when sautéing is to use butter with 1-2 Tbs. of good olive oil to keep it from browning as fast.  I heat the oil/butter over medium-high heat and then toss the Holy Trinity in, stirring and tossing frequently to keep it from browning or burning.  The goal is to sweat the flavor out of the mix, not to just randomly apply heat to vegetables with no purpose in mind.

From here, you can really go a number of directions depending on which particular dish you have in mind.  Now, I could go into the culinary history of each dish (which I assure you is quite interesting), but I’ll leave that to Wikipedia since I’m already getting long-winded and in danger of climbing on the soap box.  A couple of easy ideas that come to mind are the following, all of which are delicious and will scratch that Cajun itch that you must have if you’ve read this far:

·         Gumbo

·         Jambalaya

·         Etouffee

Again, recipes abound on the Interwebs, so poke around and try a few.  I’d love your comments if you find a favorite.

And just to get you in the right frame of mind, here are a few ingredients you’ll absolutely want to have on hand for your excursion to Cajun country:

·         Good rice

·         Chicken and/or shrimp

·         Andouille sausage (pronounced “ahn-DOO-wee”) – a Cajun smoked sausage that’s out of this world!

·         Chicken stock - we make our own here at home, so just ask if you need pointers if you don’t feel like buying it

·         Onions

·         Celery

·         Green bell pepper

·         All the spices I talked about above for Cajun seasoning, or your favorite store-bought blend

·         Worcestershire sauce

·         Good Louisiana hot sauce

·         Fresh tomatoes – go the extra mile and get good ones on the vine if you can find them

·         Bay leaves

·         Fresh garlic – and don’t be afraid to use it…seriously

·         File powder (pronounced “FEE-lay”) – a thickener used in gumbo

Well, friends, that about covers the basics.  Don’t let the long bulleted lists scare you; it’s actually pretty simple when you get down to it.  The best way to do it is to just wade in and do it.  There are tons of great, authentic recipes online that can get you started, and I would love to hear about your experiences.

As always, shoot me a line at fearnotyourkitchen@gmail.com or post a comment if you found something you like, or if you have comments about this post.  Until next time, my friends!