It’s Crawfish! (not crayfish) A guide to cooking Table of Contents Cooking Tips...... 3 Cooking Tips Cajun Mirepoix ()...... 4 Basic Creole ...... 4 Dry Volume Liquid Volume Best Cajun/Creole Measurements Measurements Brands ...... 5 MEASURE EQUIVALENT MEASURE EQUIVALENT PRODUCT BRAND ...... 7 1/16 Tony dash 8 fluid ounces 1 cup seasoning mix ...... 7 teaspoon Chacherie’s Crawfish Boil...... 8 1/8 teaspoon a pinch 1 pint 2 cups Tabasco

crawfish/crab Étouffée...... 9 3 teaspoons 1 tablespoon 1 quart 2 pints Zatarain’s boil

Jambalaya...... 11 injection 1/8 cup 2 tablespoons 1 gallon 4 quarts Cajun Injector seasoning Dirty ...... 12 1/4 cup 4 tablespoons Crab Cakes...... 13 Recipe Sites/Food Blogs 5 tablespoons Cochon de Lait...... 15 1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon Cajun Mama Cooking Red Beans...... 16 1/2 cup 8 tablespoons Cajun Delights ...... 17 12 RouxBDoo’s 3/4 cup tablespoons Beignets...... 18 Real Cajun Recipes 16 1 cup Pecan Pralines...... 19 tablespoons Real Cajun Cooking

Creole Cream Cheese...... 19 1 Pound 16 ounces Nola Cuisine

2 3 Crawfish Pie

INGREDIENTS • ½ cup salted butter • 1 large onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups) • ½ bell pepper, seeded and diced (about 1/2 cup) • 4 , minced • 1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup • 1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk • 1 teaspoon • ¾ teaspoon ground Cajun Mirepoix Basic Creole • ½ teaspoon • 3 tablespoons cornstarch (Holy Trinity) Seasoning mixed with ¼ cup cold water • 2 pounds crawfish tail INGREDIENTS INGREDIENTS • ½ cup chopped green onion • 2 tablespoons chopped • equal proportions of chopped , green bell • 2 teaspoons pepper, and onion • 2 teaspoons • 1 (14.1-ounce) package • 2 teaspoons sweet powder Pillsbury Ready-Made Pie Crust • 1½ teaspoons dried USES (2 crusts) • 1 teaspoon dried The Holy Trinity of Cajun and Creole cooking • 1 teaspoon dried consists of onions, celery and green bell peppers. • 1 teaspoon INSTRUCTIONS The amount of onions is not as much as the classic • ¾ teaspoon salt French Mirepoix, which uses carrots instead of bell • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Preheat oven to 400°. pepper. In Cajun preparations typically it is an In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat; add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook until equal portion of each ingredient in a 1:1:1 ratio. USES softened. Add soup, evaporated milk, salt, and peppers. Add cornstarch mixture. Reduce heat to low, and The Cajun Holy Trinity can be found in recipes cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Fold in crawfish, green onion, and parsley; cook 5 minutes. for most , etouffees, ’s, sauce Use this mix when a recipe calls for cajun or Place bottom crust in a deep-dish pie plate, and bake, using pie weights, until lightly browned, 7 to 10 piquants, , crab soup, oyster artichoke creole seasoning (in place of brands such as Tony minutes. Fill with crawfish mixture, and place top crust on pie. Bake until browned, 25 to 30 minutes. soup, , and the list goes on. Chacherie’s or Zatarains).

4 5 Seafood Gumbo

INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS • 1 cup oil In an 8-quart stockpot, heat oil over medium heat for about • 1 cup all-purpose flour 5 minutes; add flour, and stir together to form a . Cook, • 1 1/2 cups chopped onion stirring often, until roux is the color of peanut butter, about 20 • 1 cup chopped green bell pepper minutes. • 1 cup chopped red bell pepper Add onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and . Cook • 1 cup chopped celery , stirring often, for 5 minutes. • 3 tablespoons minced garlic Add beer, stock, file powder, bay leaves, Cajun seasoning, • 3 cups chopped okra crab claw meat, Worcestershire, salt, and cayenne. • 1 1/2 cups beer, such as Abita Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium, and simmer Amber for about 1 hour. • 6 cups seafood stock Add shrimp, fish, oysters, and lump crabmeat to mixture. • 2 tablespoons file powder Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until seafood is cooked through; • 2 bay leaves add parsley. • 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning Serve with rice, and garnish with green onion, if desired. • 1 (8-ounce) container crab claw meat, picked free of shells • 3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce TIP • 2 tablespoons kosher salt • 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper • 1 pound medium fresh shrimp, peeled Plan on giving the roux your and deveined • 1 pound red snapper fillets, chopped undivided attention from start • 2 (8-ounce) containers shucked oysters • 1 (8-ounce) container jumbo lump to finish. An unattended roux crabmeat, picked free of shells • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley can burn in a second. • Hot • Garnish: chopped green onion

7 Crawfish Boil Étouffée

INGREDIENTS INGREDIENTS • 36 ounces Zatarain’s • 2 sticks butter Crawfish, Shrimp and Crab • 2 medium onions chopped Boil • 1/2 cup green onions scallions • 40 ounces liquid Zatarain’s chopped Concentrated Shrimp and • 1/4 cup parsley minced Crab Boil • 1/2 cup flour • 4 lbs powdered Zatarain’s • 4 stalks celery chopped Crawfish, Shrimp and Crab • 2 cloves garlic minced Boil • 1 -14 ounce can diced • 18 ounces table salt tomatoes • .36 ounces bay leaves • 1 can chicken broth • 1.75 ounces cayenne pepper • salt, cayenne, and black • 7 large onions quartered pepper to taste • 12 lemons • 1 pound crawfish or shrimp • 6 heads of garlic cut in half peeled and deveined horizontally INSTRUCTIONS • 2 large bags of celery with Prep ingredients: wash celery and cut into thirds, rinse potatoes and leaves cut into thirds INSTRUCTIONS mushrooms, cut into bite size pieces, cut garlic and lemons in • 5 pounds smoked sausage half horizontally, and quarter onions. Saute’ onions, garlic, and celery • 9 lbs small red potatoes (left in Rinse crawfish several times until the water runs clear. in butter until soft. the mesh bag if possible) Fill 120 quart stock pot about 60% of the way with cold, fresh water Add flour, tomatoes, chicken • 48 ounces of fresh mushrooms and turn on burner. broth, salt, peppers, and parsley, • 2 sacks of live crawfish (60-65 Add all Zatarain’s products, salt, cayenne and bay leaves. then simmer for 20 minutes in lbs) Squeeze lemons into the pot and add the halved lemons as well. heavy iron pot. • Desired amount of frozen corn Add onions, celery and garlic to pot and bring to a boil. Add crawfish or shrimp and on the cob (usually 2 pieces Add potatoes and cook for approximately 5-7 minutes. simmer until it is cooked about 10 per person) Add sausage and mushrooms and cook another 2 minutes. minutes or until it is pink. Add crawfish and bring pot back to a boil. If gravy is too thick, add a little Add corn. hot water or chicken broth. Once the pot begins to boil turn off the heat and soak up to 30 Serve over rice and Tabasco minutes tasting in 5 minute intervals for desired amount of . sauce on the side. Recipe can Remove from the pot onto a large table covered with newspaper and easily be doubled to feed a enjoy! crowd.

8 9 Jambalaya

INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS • 2 tablespoons butter Place the chicken in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the Creole • 1 pound chicken breast, cut into bite- seasoning. Set aside. sized pieces Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and • ½ pound andouille sausage, sliced in brown the chicken on all sides. Add the andouille sausage and ¼ inch slices cook for another 3 minutes or so until the sausage begins to • 1 yellow onion, chopped brown. • 3 cloves garlic, minced Add the onion, garlic, celery, and bell pepper and cook • 1 green bell pepper, diced for 3-4 minutes. Add the rice, diced tomatoes, remaining • 1 stalk celery, diced tablespoon of Creole seasoning, hot sauce, Worcestershire • 1 cup white long grain rice sauce, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add the chicken • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes broth and bay leaves. • 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning (see Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and recipe below) simmer for 15 minutes, giving it one stir around the halfway • 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce point. Add the shrimp, cover, and simmer for another 10 • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce minutes or until the rice is tender. • 2 cups chicken broth Serve sprinkled with some sliced green onions. • 2 bay leaves • ¾ teaspoon salt • ½ pound medium raw shrimp, TIP deveined (optional: tails removed) • 4 green onions, thinly sliced Jambalaya is best cooked in For the Creole Seasoning: • 2 teaspoons garlic powder a cast iron pot. Cast Iron is • 2 teaspoons onion powder • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika powder • 1½ teaspoons dried thyme preferred because it distributes • 1 teaspoon dried oregano • 1 teaspoon dried basil the heat evenly, and holds the • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper • ¾ teaspoon salt heat after cooking. • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

11 Crab Cakes

INGREDIENTS INGREDIENTS • 3 slices of , chopped • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter • 1 cup chopped onion • 1.5 tablespoons finely • 1/2 cup chopped green bell chopped green onion pepper • 1.5 tablespoons finely • 1/4 cup chopped celery chopped bell pepper • 3 toes of garlic, chopped • 1.5 tablespoons finely • 2 tablespoons of chopped chopped celery jalapenos • 1 pound lump crab meat • 1 pound of mixed chicken • 2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs livers & gizzards (or a • 2 tablespoons finely chopped combination of giblets), fresh trimmed, rinsed and ground or • 2 eggs, beaten finely chopped • 2 tablespoons lemon juice • 1 pound of ground beef or INSTRUCTIONS • salt and black pepper to taste pork • cornmeal • 1-1/2 teaspoons of kosher Saute the bacon pieces in a cast iron pot until cooked but not crisp. • olive oil salt, or to taste Remove the bacon and set aside. In the bacon drippings, add the • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons of onion, bell pepper and celery, cooking until softened, about 5 minutes. INSTRUCTIONS freshly cracked black pepper, Add the garlic and jalapeno and cook for another minute or so. Add or to taste all of the ground and cook until lightly browned and cooked Combine all ingredients • 1 teaspoon of Creole or Cajun through. Do not drain. Add the salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning and except the pecans in a heavy seasoning or to taste return the bacon to the pot; reduce heat to medium low, cover and let saucepan. First, make the sauce Cook for 1-2 minutes to soften large crab cakes, measuring with • 4 cups of leftover cooked rice simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a small amount by combining the yogurt, hot the vegetables, then remove from 1/2 cup measuring. • 1/4 cup chopped green onion of water only if needed to prevent sticking. pepper, bell pepper, and . heat and set aside to cool. Heat a generous layer (¼ - ½ Add the rice and green onion, stir together, cover and reduce heat Add your Tony’s in 1/2 teaspoon Beat the chopped herbs and inch thick) of olive oil in a pan to a medium low simmer. Heat through, stirring occasionally. Taste and increments to taste, whisking to TIP lemon juice into the eggs. Add large enough to easily fit all 4 adjust . May also be kept covered on very low heat and combine after each addition. the crab meat, the bread crumbs, crab cakes over medium-high allowed to continue to steam until needed. Refrigerate while cooking the crab Save time by using the and the reserved onion-chile- heat. cakes. seasoning blend (typically butter mixture. Mix to combine all Gently coat each crab cake in Variation: You can eliminate the gizzards and add in additional Melt the butter over medium ingredients. cornmeal. When the oil is rippling onion, bell pepper and beef or pork, or a combination of the two. Substitute pork sausage high heat. Add the onions, celery, Taste a bit of the mixture and hot, carefully add the crab cakes (seasoned raw pork) for part of the ground beef. Make it Creole Dirty and bell pepper, then stir once celery) available fresh in adjust seasoning, if necessary. to the pan. Cook until golden Rice by adding 2 cans of drained Rotel diced tomatoes and 1 (8 to coat the vegetables in melted the produce section. ounce) sauce. Form the mixture into 6 or more brown, about 3-4 minutes per butter. side.

12 13 Cochon de Lait

INGREDIENTS length, or else it may fall apart is out of the heat. You can use a when it gets tender. small electric rotisserie like those • 25 to 100 pound young pig The pig needs to be injected available for gas barbecue pits. • injecting marinade (see recipe with a marinade, stuffed with The pig needs to be hung from below) garlic, and coated on all sides a rotisserie so it constantly turns • cajun seasoning mix with a seasoning mix. at a slow speed. This method (homemade, Chachere’s or About a quart of marinade is requires a lot of logs because the Zatarain’s) injected into all parts of the pig. fire has to burn for a half day or • several heads of garlic Use an injector needle that has more, so be prepared. • cooking shed holes on the side. Start the fire in the back of the • lots of wood Peel the cloves of garlic. shed. Let the fire burn until you Cut cloves in half lengthwise. have good coals to keep the logs For the marinade: Moisten and coat the cloves in burning. Hang the pig and start • 6 oz liquid garlic cajun seasoning mix. With a the rotisserie. • 6 oz liquid onion slender, sharp knife, cut small Keep enough wood on the fire • 3 oz liquid crab boil slits in the skin and into the meat. so it is hot enough that you can • 6 oz Worcestershire sauce Insert a 1/2 garlic in each stand or hold your hand by the • 6 oz slit. Insert garlic into all parts of pig for only 5 or 10 seconds. • 6 tbsp cajun seasoning the pig. Flip the pig and hang it from Coat all surfaces with a good the other side every couple of INSTRUCTIONS cajun seasoning mix. hours so the pig will cook evenly. Allow the pig to marinade Cook the pig until the skin is Obtain a 25 to 100 pound in a cooler or on ice at least golden brown, starts cracking, young pig. The pig needs to be overnight, and longer if possible. and the meat starts drawing butchered by scraping and not Make a cooking shed out of tin. away from the bones. This can skinning. The skin needs to be on The shed needs to be about 4-6 be anywhere from 6 to 12 hours, the pig so the meat does not dry feet wide, about 6 feet tall, and depending on how hot you kept out. 6-8 feet deep. You can build the the fire and the size of the pig. Prepare a sturdy frame to three sides and top as panels, Insert a meat thermometer into spread and the pig. You so the shed can be quickly the hind quarter to check the will have to partially split the assembled and disassembled. A internal temperature is between backbone of the rib cage from rotisserie needs to be mounted 155 and 170 degrees fahrenheit the body cavity side in order above an opening at the front of before removing from heat. to spread the pig flat. The pig the shed, and above the tin so it Slice and serve. needs to be supported for its full

15 Red Beans Maque Choux

INGREDIENTS • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter • 1/4 cup tasso, finely diced • 3 ears of corn • 1/2 cup onion, finely diced • 1/4 cup celery, finely diced • 1/2 cup green pepper, finely diced • 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves • 1/8 cup garlic, minced • 1 cup tomato, diced • 1/2 cup green onions, sliced • salt, black pepper and cayenne to taste INSTRUCTIONS INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS Cut the corn off the cobs using a very sharp knife. Reserve the corn • 1 pound dried red beans, rinsed Place clean dried beans in a medium pot and cover with milk. • 1/3 cup diced pancetta room temperature water. Allow to soak overnight before Melt the butter in a two quart TIP • 1 large yellow onion, diced making the beans. sauce pan, add the Tasso and • 3 celery stalks, chopped In a large soup pot over medium heat, cook pancetta until cook on medium-high heat until • 1 green or red bell pepper, diced very well crisp, about 6 minutes. Add the onions, celery, and slightly brown. Add the corn, The trick to cutting fresh corn is • 1/2 teaspoon salt bell pepper and cook until vegetables are very well done, onion, celery, bell pepper, Thyme • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper about 8 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne and stir to and a healthy pinch of salt and to cut about half way through the • pinch cayenne pepper combine. reduce the heat to medium. Cook • 3 cloves garlic, minced Stir in the garlic, parsley, thyme, and sliced sausage. stirring often for about 15 minutes, • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped Increase heat to medium-high and cook until the sausage is or until the vegetables are tender. kernels, then go back and scrape • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme chopped well browned, about 5 minutes. Stir frequently. Add garlic, tomatoes, corn milk • 1/2 pound cooked smoked sausage Add the softened beans to the pot, the stock, and bay and another pinch of salt. Cook the cobs with your knife to extract • about 10 cups chicken stock leaves. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for about 2 for another 15 minutes, stirring • 2 bay leaves hours, uncovered, until the beans are well softened. Taste and occasionally. all of the corn milk into a bowl. • 6 cups cooked white rice season with more salt or pepper. Add green onions, salt, black • chopped green onions, garnish Serve beans with white rice and green onions. pepper and cayenne to your taste.

16 17 Beignets

INGREDIENTS • 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water • 1 cup all-purpose flour • 1 envelope active dry yeast • 2 eggs, slightly beaten • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt • 1 cup evaporated milk • 7 cups bread flour • 1/4 cup shortening • Nonstick spray • Oil, for deep-frying Creole Cream • 3 cups confectioners’ sugar Pecan Pralines Cheese INSTRUCTIONS INGREDIENTS INGREDIENTS Mix water, sugar, and yeast in • 2 cups granulated sugar a large bowl and let sit for 10 • 1 cups half-and-half • 2 gallons skim milk minutes. • 1/3 stick butter • ½ quart buttermilk In another bowl, beat the • 1/8 teaspoon soda • ½ rennet tablet (available at cheese specialty eggs, salt and evaporated milk • 1 1/2 cups whole pecans stores) together. Mix egg mixture to the • half & half (optional) yeast mixture. In a separate bowl, INSTRUCTIONS measure out the bread flour. Add INSTRUCTIONS 3 cups of the flour to the yeast Combine all ingredients except the pecans in a mixture and stir to combine. Add towel. Let rise in a warm place 1-inch squares. Deep-fry, flipping heavy saucepan. Over medium heat stir mixture Combine skim milk, buttermilk, and the ½ rennet the shortening and continue to for at least 2 hours. constantly, until they become a until it comes to a boil. Turn heat down to medium- tablet in a stainless steel pot. Using a thermometer, stir while adding the remaining Preheat oil in a deep-fryer to golden color. low and continue to stir. Spoon mixture up on sides bring the temperature of the milk to 80 degrees, flour. Remove dough from the 350 degrees F. After beignets are fried, drain of pan to melt any sugar that hasn’t melted. stirring constantly and hold for five minutes. Remove bowl, place onto a lightly floured Add the confectioners’ sugar them for a few seconds on paper Cook until mixture reaches 238 to 241 degrees from heat, cover tightly and allow to sit 3 hours. surface and knead until smooth. to a paper or plastic bag and set towels, and then toss them into F on a candy thermometer or soft ball stage. Stir Drain off the whey (liquid remaining after the curds Spray a large bowl with nonstick aside. the bag of confectioners’ sugar. in the pecans. Remove from heat. Stir until the are formed) discarding this liquid. Pack the solids spray. Put dough into the bowl Roll the dough out to about Hold bag closed and shake to mixture begins to thicken and becomes creamy and in 8-ounce portions topping with equal parts of half and cover with plastic wrap or a 1/4-inch thickness and cut into coat evenly. cloudy. Drop onto parchment paper, buttered pan and half cream. Chill and serve with sugar or fruit. or buttered marble slab, using a spoon or ice cream Creole cream cheese is excellent in ice creams and scoop. Let cool. pastries.

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