Real Cajun Cooking - Pure and Simple show

Real Cajun Cooking - Pure and Simple

Summary: Learn how to cook like a Cajun and develop your own style with the help of someone who has been cooking great Cajun foods for nearly 50 years. You will learn short-cuts and great tips on preparing fabulous Cajun dishes like gumbos, seafood, jambalaya, stews, salads and deserts – the way they were originally prepared – pure and simple. Besides great original recipes, along the way you will discover a hodgepodge of stories, recordings, music and videos to entertain. So enjoy! ... Ahheee!!

Podcasts:

 Scary Stories | Loup Garou | Cajun Werewolf | File Type: application/x-shockwave-flash | Duration: Unknown

A Haunting We Will Go. Please Don't Forget the Garlic. The four Cajun fur trappers in this bloodcurdling story eventually found themselves trapped (like rats) in an old hunting and fishing cabin deep in the dark and foreboding swamps of south Louisiana. The date was October 31, 1969 -- Halloween night. Place: Indian Bayou, Louisiana. Follow along as the unsuspecting Cajun quartet leads us on a journey of unimaginable freight as they experience, first hand, the full meaning of what it feels like to be truly terrified. Forget the popcorn, but NOT the garlic. TASTE FOR THE BIG RATSIt was a long day and hard work running and setting rat traps for miles along the mosquito infested water's edge of the winding bayou.It was also a few minutes before nightfall when the four trappers gathered at an old fishing camp where they planned to spend the night.The cabin was an inheritance and now belonged to Gaspard, one of the members of the trapping party. His deceased uncle left it to him several years earlier. The small weather-beaten shack had not been used by anyone since the old man's death.The inside of the old fishing cabin had a tight seal to prevent mosquitoes from entering.Old army cots,  which were still folded in place against one of the inside walls,  provided the trappers instant access when it came time to get some shut-eye.Despite the harsh weather conditions it had experienced through the years, the old shack was still in good shape. Good enough to serve as a temporary shelter for the night.No one wants to be caught outdoors in a south Louisiana swamp after the sun goes down.A warped overhead sign hanged above the door of the small fishing camp. The crooked hand-painted letters spelled, "TIDE OVER" and was almost illegible because, like the old cabin, it too had weathered many violent gulf storms over the years.Like boats, Cajuns traditionally give their fishing camps names. Most names have a story behind it, but no one knew why Gaspard's dead uncle gave his camp the name "TIDE OVER".Behind the camp, catercorner to the porch, was a walk-way which jutted several feet out onto the waters of the bayou. Gaspard's uncle had built a make-shift dock about mid-way and that was the place where the trappers safely secured their boats. The bounty of nutria was stored in a large metal cooler near the back door.The quartet had settled in for the night. They had already bagged a couple dozen large rats so now it was time to pop-a-top on a few cold ones. After skinning and tanning the animal skins, Cajun trappers would sell their hides to a French consortium who made fashion products with them. The meat of the large rats was sold to the locals for consumption or for crawfish bait.Soon the screened windows of the little camp were aglow and casting feeble yellow light into the labyrinthine darkness of the surrounding swamp. Insects buzzed against the window screen and now and then a big moth would flutter there for a while before the darkness would swallow it up again. The men made a quick meal of some catfish they had caught earlier in the day and washed it down with ice-cold beer. Soon the lights were dimmed and the tired trappers contentedly took to their beds.From outside, amid the comforting chirping of the crickets and katy-dids, the familiar snuffling of the raccoon and the possum could be heard. Every now and then a little “plunk” from the still bayou water meant a fish was jumping or a frog had caught a meal.Surrounded by the all encompassing darkness and the hypnotic symphony of sounds from the insects and bull-frogs, the trappers were soon asleep.Baudier was the name of the first man to wake up, jolted, all of a sudden, but by what he did not know?Blinking in the darkness, he listened. He sat up. And, he listened some more. He heard nothing ... absolutely nothing ... not a sound. Not a cricket, not a katy-did, not a snuffle or a plunk, or a croak. He heard nothing.“Chotin!” he whispered to the man on the cot next to him.

 Braised Beef Short Ribs and Mushrooms | File Type: application/x-shockwave-flash | Duration: Unknown

YouTube Video Background music entitled "Jole Blon" by Harry Choates 1946 -- Rayne, Louisiana. When it came to cooking (during my growing-up years on the farm) my grandma kept everything fairly simple. Since we raised all of our own foods, including beef, mutton, pork, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese and loads of fresh vegetables from the garden, everything she needed to prepare some mighty fine meals was at hand. She knew exactly what to do to get the tougher cuts of meat tender. I especially enjoyed the taste of the braised beef short ribs which she cooked to perfection -- without all the exotic add-ins which you might find in today's recipes. After browning the ribs on all sides she would then slow cook them in a cast iron Dutch oven pot on medium heat for a couple hours or so. The dark gravy it produced was great over long grain white rice. This recipe makes 6 - 8 servings. Enjoy! Ingredients 4 lbs. beef short ribs, boneless2 Tbs. peanut oil8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced3 cups of beef broth1 packet Lipton's Beefy Onion soup mix1 onion, chopped1 stalk celery, chopped1 carrot, finely chopped3 cloves garlic, crushed and minced1 Tbs. Worcestershire saucesalt and black pepper to taste Instructions generously salt and pepper the beef short ribsadd the oil in a skilletbrown the ribs on medium-high heat on all sides then remove from skillet and set asidenext, add 2 cups of broth, vegetables, Worcestershire sauce and boil until reduced to halfstrain the liquid through a colander, discard the vegetables then return the liquid to the skilletadd one packet of Lipton's Beefy Onion soup mix and stir in wellreintroduce the ribs to the skilletcover and slow cook on medium heat until the ribs become tenderadd the sliced mushrooms and continue cooking for about 10 - 15 minutesserve over cooked long grain white riceNote: Add the remaining third cup of beef broth 1/4 cup at the time as needed to replace the liquid which will evaporate during the cooking process. Enjoy! Please visit Real Cajun Cooking - Pure and Simple to see our complete recipe collection!

 Shrimp Au Gratin | File Type: application/x-shockwave-flash | Duration: Unknown
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2 lbs. shrimp 1 large onion, chopped 3 ribs celery, chopped 1/2 lb.butter 4 Tbs. flour 1 large can milk (12 oz.) 2 egg yolks 10 oz. mild cheddar cheese Peel uncooked shrimp. Sauté onions and celery in butter. Add milk and blend. Remove from heat then add egg yolks and blend. Now add shrimp and cook for 5 minutes. Next, add cheese, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture into a casserole and top it with more cheese. Bake long enough to melt cheese. Serves 6 to 8. This can be served over cooked rice or toasted bread. KT Please visit Real Cajun Cooking - Pure and Simple to see our complete recipe collection!

 Beefy Cabbage Rolls | File Type: application/x-shockwave-flash | Duration: Unknown
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This recipe is unlike traditional cabbage rolls recipes because it demonstrates how to prepare them sans les tomate,  (without tomatoes), except toward the end when spaghetti sauce is poured on top. Ingredients: 1 head of cabbage, large 2 lbs. lean ground beef 1 1/2 cups long grain rice 5 cups beef stock 4 Tbs butter 1 medium onion, diced 1 bell pepper, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 measure of DIY Cajun Seasoning 1 measure of DIY Real Beef Onion Soup Mix 1 can spaghetti sauce I began preparing this meal with a large head of cabbage, cored and trimmed. I like to trim the cabbage down to the 2nd or 3rd leaf layer because this usually illiminates those leaves which are damaged or blemished. Next, I steamed the intact head of cabbage in a programmable 20 qt. portable oven for 20 minutes at 300 degrees F. until all its leaves were wilted. I would rather steam than boil because of taste. Before using the portable oven I added about a pint of water to create the steam I needed to wilt the cabbage head. After 20 minutes of steaming I removed the cover and allowed the cabbage to cool. In a heavy cast iron skillet the vegetables were sautéed in butter until a translucent texture was reached then they were set aside in a bowl for later use. With the same skillet, the ground beef was fully cooked on medium heat with the DIY Cajun Seasoning. Next, the previously cooked vegetables, 2 cups of beef stock and the DIY Real Beef Onion Soup Mix were added after which I continued to simmer and stir for about 10 minutes. The cooked meat and vegetables were set aside and allowed to cool, also. I boiled 1 1/2 cups of uncooked long-grain white rice with 3 cups of beef stock for 20 minutes (on low simmer) and then thoroughly mixed the beef and cooked rice together. I placed a lid on the pot, this time, to keep the mixture warm. Notice that no tomato products were included in the stuffing. I didn't want to compromise the desired heavy beef flavor I was aiming for. The leaves were then stuffed with the beef/rice mixture. One large spoonful of mixture (about a cup) was used in each leaf. The cabbage leaf was then tucked-in at the sides and rolled; (for safety reasons I don't use toothpicks). I layered the rolls starting at the bottom of the slow cooker and while working my way up I positioned each roll with the leaf flap down. At serving time I was careful to remove each roll from the cooker without spilling its contents. Finally,  much to my chagrin, I poured some spaghetti sauce on top of the rolls. The red color of the sauce was pleasing to the eye and looked similar to traditional cabbage rolls but without interfering with the beefy taste of the filling inside. This is the only time a tomato product is used in this recipe. You don't get as many complaints from the traditionalist this way. Since the beef/rice mixture was already cooked I confidently set my slow cooker dial on low heat for several hours until my guests arrived. One large head of cabbage yielded around a dozen rolls. This method takes a little more time to prepare than traditional cabbage rolls. But, if you are a beef lover like I am then you will discover it is well worth the extra effort. Bon Appetite! ... Enjoy! Please visit Real Cajun Cooking - Pure and Simple to see our complete recipe collection!

 Cajun Meatballs Sauce Piquant | File Type: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAfP7miIhPA | Duration: Unknown

View the written version of this recipe here. Please visit Real Cajun Cooking - Pure and Simple to see our complete recipe collection!

 Molly Maguires Irish Beef Stew | File Type: application/x-shockwave-flash | Duration: Unknown

Molly Maguires Irish Beef Stew has always been a favorite of mine during the annual Saint Patrick's Day celebration. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Ingredients Irish Stew2 lbs. beef chuck, cubed3 Tbs. all-purpose flour2 Tbs. olive oil1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into chunks6 med. potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks1 onion, cut into chunks2 cloves garlic, minced2 cups beef broth                                                1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste1 (12 oz.) can Irish stout beer1 Tbs. corn starch 3 Tbs. cold water Directions heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heatdredge beef chunks in the all-purpose flour until they are well coatedfry in the hot oil until brownedput carrots, potatoes, onions and garlic in a large slow cookerlayer the browned meat on top of the vegetablesmix together the beef broth and tomato pastepour into the slow cooker along with the beercover and cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 8 hoursduring the last hour of cooking (before serving), dissolve the cornstarch in the cold water and stir it into the broth to thicken the stew.Makes 6 - 8 servings. Irish PunchIrish Whiskey Punch  (borrowed from: (World's Best Bars) This is the genuine Irish beverage. It is generally made with one-third pure whiskey, two-thirds boiling water, in which the sugar has been dissolved. If lemon punch, the rind is rubbed on the sugar, and a small proportion of juice added before the whiskey is poured in. 69th Regiment Punch Recipe: (In earthen mug.) 1/2 wine-glass of Irish whiskey. 1/2 do. do. Scotch do. 1 tea-spoonful of sugar. 1 piece of lemon. 2 wine-glasses of hot water. This is a capital punch for a cold night. In his 1863 book, Cups and their Customs, George Edwin Roberts paid a loving tribute to Whiskey Punch when he wrote: “This is said to be the most fascinating tipple ever invented; and, to quote the words of Basil Hall, ‘It brightens a man's hopes, crumbles down his difficulties, softens the hostilities of his enemies, and, in fact, induces him for the time being to think generously of all mankind, at the tiptop of which it naturally and good-naturedly places his own dear self.’” While virtually every recipe book that mentioned Irish whiskey contained Irish Whiskey Punch, during the early 1800s variations had already cropped up. Oxford Night Caps, first published in the 1820s, and considered the first book devoted entirely to drinks, included this Leander Punch: And, for those of us who would like to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in style here are a couple ways to do it: Waterford Irish Lace 10-Inch Bowl  and Godinger Dublin 6-Piece Crystal Whiskey Decanter Set. **********************Who remembers the 1970 film "The Molly Maguires" starring Sean Connery and Richard Harris? Here is the movie trailer. Please visit Real Cajun Cooking - Pure and Simple to see our complete recipe collection!

 Cajun Hobo Dinner Recipe|Slideshow Instructions | File Type: application/x-shockwave-flash | Duration: Unknown

The reason I called this meal a Cajun Hobo Dinner is because I added the vegetable 'trinity' to the meal, i.e., onions, bell pepper and celery, as well as the other vegetables and seasonings outlined in the list below. I wrapped all of the layered ingredients in aluminum foil and cooked the hobo dinners for 45 minutes at 400 degrees F. This is a very simple and gratifying meal to prepare. Ingredients ground beef, (1/2 lb. for each meal)slice of onionslice of potatoslice of bell peppercarrot slicescelery slicesDIY Cajun seasoningIt is best to not exceed 1/2 inch on the sliced vegetables so they can have a chance to fully cook during the allotted time (45 minutes). Of course there are other methods of cooking the same meal at different temperatures. You can prepare this in the oven at 350 degrees F. for about an hour, or you can stack your hobo dinners in a slow-cooking crock pot and cook it for several hours. It's your choice. Bon Appetit! KT Please visit Real Cajun Cooking - Pure and Simple to see our complete recipe collection!

 Boudreaux and His Mule - Audio (Cajun humor) | File Type: application/x-shockwave-flash | Duration: Unknown

Audio In court, Mr. Boudreaux tries to explain his side of the story concerning a major vehicle accident involving a trucking company, himself and his mule, Clotile. Please visit Real Cajun Cooking - Pure and Simple to see our complete recipe collection!

 Shrimp Cocktail | File Type: application/pdf | Duration: Unknown

12 Colossal wild shrimp, cleaned and deveined (leave tails on) 2 cups water1 Tbs Zatarain's Shrimp & Crab Boilicecocktail sauce 1/2 lemon, cut into 4 equal wedges Add 1 Tbs. Zatarain's Concentrated Shrimp & Crab boil to 2 cups water. Bring to boil. Add shrimp and cook for 3 minutes. Immediately put them on ice to stop the cooking process. Make a cocktail sauce by mixing 2 parts catchup; 1 part prepared-horseradish, a few drops of lemon juice and a couple shakes of Tabasco sauce. Mix well and serve in dipping bowl. You can make your own shrimp boil by using red or cayenne pepper, bay leaves, cloves, powdered garlic and celery salt. (In the old days we used only cayenne pepper, quartered lemons and salt.) Arrange the lemon wedges equal distant around the dip bowl with 3 large shrimp between each. Place bowl on a bed of ice on top of fresh lettuce. Serves 2 - 4. This specialty dish can be prepared faster than a cat can lick its ... uh ... tail. It don't get no better than this. Mes amis--Enjoy! Wild Gulf of Mexico White Colossal Shrimp Whew! That was a mouth full--and so were the U/15 count shrimp, (meaning under 15 per pound), which I used in this easy to prepare shrimp cocktail recipe. Shrimp are decapod crustaceans (ten legs). Like lobsters, crabs, and crayfish, shrimp are fascinating and busy underwater workers and a delightful addition to the culinary desires and tastes of diners throughout the world. Out of the nearly 5 million tons of shrimp harvested annually, the largest importer is none other than the United States. Americans, no-doubt, love to eat shrimp. Worldwide there are about 300 known species of shrimp ... but the world's best eating variety (the Wild Gulf of Mexico White Shrimp), is highly coveted for its firm texture; its uniquely delicate taste, and ease of preparation. Today's chefs purchase shrimp and other seafood in an IQF state (Individually Quick Frozen), with convenience and preservation being the main consideration. By stocking an inventory of IQF shrimp, restaurant cooks (and home cooks, too) can remove as much as needed from the freezer, individually. They are not all stuck together. Large shrimp boats are able to venture farther out in the waters these days to discover shrimp because they utilize spacious on-board arctic blast freezers. These blast freezers can render the entire catch into a sub-zero rock-hard state within moments after hitting the deck. In this highly frozen state, the shrimp are less likely to attract harmful bacteria. Some boats stay out on the waters for weeks and months at the time before returning to dock with the knowledge that their seafood are as fresh as the moment they were harvested. The quality and freshness have been cryogenically frozen in time. In the past decade or so, discussions on health-safety issues and the consumption of imported farm-raised shrimp (especially the popular Asian Black Tiger variety often seen in U.S. supermarkets and restaurants) have been swimming around in a sea of controversy. The main issue seems to be the negative environmental impact created when foreign shrimp ponds are abandoned or misused versus harvesting the shrimp (in the wild) from the world's oceans, gulfs and bays. Since the U.S. is the world's largest importer, any embargo or strict import regulations would present serious problems to the consumer by driving the prices up sky-high. To cover the present demand, should the foreign farm-raised shrimp become unavailable for any reason, would be practically impossible. The void could not be filled solely with "wild" shrimp. The oceans could become depleted in record-time. The other concern has to do with the quality and safety of consuming overseas products which are not under the direct auspices of our own federal regulatory agencies. We are all privy to some of the tainted Chinese products (like animal foods, baby formulas and toys) that have been recently discovered and subsequently banned from the U.S. market place. In ot

 Crock Pot Pork Loin Chops - Cajun Style | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

Cajun Style Crock Pot Pork Loin Chops Pork loin chops are tender and very tasty, especially when slow-cooked in a crockpot with a medley of fresh vegetables, herbs and seasonings which bring out the savory flavor of the meat. This is a simple recipe that is sure to please even the more finicky taste buds. Ingredients: 4 loin pork chops, 3/4" to 1" thick1 can cream of mushroom soup 2 med. onions, sliced1 med. bell pepper, diced2 stalks celery, chopped1 Tbsp butter1 unit of DIY Cajun seasoning salt to taste  Evenly spread a layer of sliced onions on the bottom of your crock pot then place the loin chops on top. Next, add the remaining onions, diced bell peppers, and celery on top and all around the chops. Sprinkle with the DIY Cajun Seasoning and salt. Add 1 can of cream of mushroom soup on top of it all and spread out evenly. Place butter on top and cook on LOW heat for 6 to 8 hours -- or until chops are tender and onions are done. Can be served over buttermilk mashed potatoes or cooked long grain rice. Yield: 6-8 servings. Enjoy! Please visit Real Cajun Cooking - Pure and Simple to see our complete recipe collection!

 How to Filet a Redfish | File Type: text/html | Duration: Unknown

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