Cajun and Creole Food

[Pearl]

Sofrito = the Holy Trinity!
Onions, peppers and celery

I thought that was MANDATORY in all southern cooking

 

[Supervisor42]

I had the recipe show in a printout form and here it is. I want some! I do have dried small red beans. I got them specifically for red beans and rice. I have a few packages of Andouille sausage in the freezer.

Sofrito: sofrito is used in Puerto Rican cooking and I had some in the freezer that was old. I threw it out. I just looked for a recipe for sofrito, but there are different versions of it. Puerto Rico has their own version.

Creole Red Beans and Rice

Use dried beans (begin the evening before) to create the most flavorful red beans and rice this side of New Orleans.

Canned Beans instructions can be found in the notes.

CourseEntree
CuisineCreole, North American
Keywordbeans and legumes, rice

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
soaking time (or anywhere from 6-12 hours)6 hours
Total Time9 hours 15 minutes

Servings8
Calories732kcal
AuthorMarta Rivera
Equipment

• 4-quart dutch oven

Ingredients

• 1 pound (454 grams) dark red kidney beans sorted and rinsed clean
• 1/2 pound (170 grams) bacon diced
• 12 ounces (340 grams) andouille sausage (or up to 1 pound), sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
• 1 1/4 cups (65 grams) yellow onion diced
• 1 cup (149 grams or 1 medium) green bell pepper diced
• 1 cup (100 grams or 4 stalks) celery diced
• 1/4 cup (8 cloves) garlic minced
• 1/4 cup (1 medium) jalapeño pepper seeded and minced (optional)
• 1/4 cup sofrito optional
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning (Tony Cachere's), plus more to taste
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (optional)
• 6 cups (1 1/2 litres) ham broth (or chicken broth)

To serve

• 8 cups steamed white rice
• jalapeño pepper sliced
• green onions sliced
• cornbread or corn muffins

Instructions
Soak the Red Beans (Begin at least 8 hours ahead)

• Add the sorted and rinsed beans to a large bowl.
  
  Cover the beans in the bowl with at least 4-inches of cold water. Soak the dried beans at room temperature for no less than 6 hours but no longer than 12.
• Once the soaking period is over, strain the water from the beans before giving them another rinse under cold, running water.
  
  Set aside while you begin the flavoring base.

Render the Fat and Sauté the Aromatics

• Add the bacon to a 4-quart dutch oven.
  
  Heat the pot over medium-high heat to slowly render the fat from the bacon. After 2-3 minutes of cooking, there should be about a tablespoon of bacon grease in the bottom of your pot.
• Add the andouille sausage to the pot. Stir the sausage and bacon together, then brown the sausage for 2-3 minutes, or until it takes on a little color.
• Stir the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, jalapeño, and sofrito(if you're using it) into the pot with the sausage and bacon.
  
  Sauté the veggies for 3 minutes, or until they begin to look glossy.
• Add the tomato paste, cajun seasoning, bay leaves, cumin, thyme leaves, pepper, and allspice to the pot and stir to incorporate everything.

Add, then Simmer the Beans

• Add the soaked, drained beans to the pot. Stir in the ham broth.
  
  Bring the liquid in the pot up to a rolling boil. Boil the beans for a 10 full minutes, stirring them occasionally to keep beans from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• After boiling the beans for 10 minutes, reduce the temperature to medium-low and allow the beans to simmer for 2 1/2 hours, or until just tender. The beans should offer a bit of resistance when bitten into, but shouldn't be crunchy.
  
  If they are still too hard, continue simmering for another 15-20 minutes, or until tender.

Serve and Garnish

• Portion 1/2-3/4 cups of the prepared white rice into your serving bowls.
  
  Surround the rice with a generous serving of red beans. Garnish the assembled dish with thinly sliced jalapeños, green onions, or nothing at all.
  
  Serve with a slice of cornbread or a cornbread muffin (or two).

Notes
An important note about red bean lectin:
The soaking, and 10-minute boiling the beans later on in the recipe is not optional. The toxic lectin in the beans is removed during these steps. Pork Alternatives:

• Turkey bacon (or oil) and chicken andouille or beef polish kielbasa (odesskie) can replace the bacon and the andouille sausage.
• Replace the ham broth with chicken broth.

To Use Canned Beans Instead of Dried:

1. Drain and rinse 2 16-ounce cans of dark red kidney beans.
2. Add the beans to the pot with 3 cups of ham broth instead of 6 cups.
3. Simmer the beans for only 45 minutes.

Make-Ahead Instructions:

1. Prepare the Creole red beans and rice as instructed.
2. Transfer them to a food storage container.
3. Freeze the beans for 2 months or refrigerate them for up to 3 days.

Storage Instructions:

1. Transfer the cooled red beans and rice to separate storage containers. You can also combine the two into one large container.
2. Refrigerate the leftovers for up to 3 days.
3. Sometimes, as the beans sit, the sauce thickens. If you find your sauce is more of a thick paste, thin it with a bit of ham or chicken broth or water as you reheat it.
4. Remove the servings of beans you want to eat and reheat them in the microwave or on the stovetop until piping hot.
5. Spoon the beans over the warmed rice.

Freezer Instructions:

1. Transfer the cooled beans to a freezer storage bag. Freeze the bag lying flat, so it takes up less space when you stand it up after it freezes solid.
2. Freeze the rice in a separate bag.
3. Red beans and rice freeze exceptionally well for 2 months.
4. Thaw the beans (and rice) under refrigeration.
5. Reheat the beans thoroughly in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Nutrition
Calories: 732kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 1136mg | Potassium: 856mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 863IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 4mg

Of course, everyone will scream: "That's too much work!"
You have to realize that most Creole women had little else to do all day except cook.
(I know, I'll get in trouble for that)
Glad the recipe includes instructions for freezing it because you're gonna have a bunch!
Yes, it is very filling and will quieten down even the most-hungry people.
And per-serving, it is pretty cheap.

 

[Weedygarden]

So, which dish has dog in it, and which one is cat?
You think I'm lying?

Neighbor had two small white fluffy dogs. One died and he thought he would give the other one to the shelter since it was a highly sought after breed and they could find a good home for it. I didn't fully understand his thinking. The shelter told him that Koreans like to eat dogs and his dog would probably make a meal for a family. He took the dog home. I think the shelter used this technique on purpose. Now adopting a dog has fees: spay or neuter, updated immunizations, and chipped. I think this was a good idea to include these fees to help reduce dogs being taken for food.

 

[Supervisor42]

Neighbor had two small white fluffy dogs. One died and he thought he would give the other one to the shelter since it was a highly sought after breed and they could find a good home for it. I didn't fully understand his thinking. The shelter told him that Koreans like to eat dogs and his dog would probably make a meal for a family. He took the dog home. I think the shelter used this technique on purpose. Now adopting a dog has fees: spay or neuter, updated immunizations, and chipped. I think this was a good idea to include these fees to help reduce dogs being taken for food.

On topic: Fortunately no Cajun or Creole recipes to cook 'fluffy'.
...Now, don't let no 'gator wander into the back yard!

We got 700 ways to roast, toast, grill & fry those things!
*Ok that's an exaggeration, but you get my drift.

 

[Magus]

I confess it is.
I mentioned boudin above.
You got anemic kids? People with 'iron-poor' blood?
The right boudin can fix that, it is called 'blood boudin'.
Still sold EVERYWHERE down here! (don't worry, the vast majority of boudin sold in stores is 'regular').
@Magus said 'everything but the squeal', he was right. You don't think that hog's blood falls on the ground, doya'?
https://mulates.com/2019/07/22/what-is-blood-boudin/
(Yes, I have eaten at Mulate's dozens of times )

We raised hogs, granny had a recipe for "black sausages" Like I said, nothing but the squeal. and if you're a barnyard romeo, not even that! (ever see Deliverance? )

 

[Magus]

I had the recipe show in a printout form and here it is. I want some! I do have dried small red beans. Did I get the right kind of beans? I got them specifically for red beans and rice. I have a few packages of Andouille sausage in the freezer.

Sofrito: sofrito is used in Puerto Rican cooking and I had some in the freezer that was old. I threw it out. I just looked for a recipe for sofrito, but there are different versions of it. Puerto Rico has their own version.

Creole Red Beans and Rice

Can I substitute the red beans? I'm allergic.

 

[Weedygarden]

https://www.thespruceeats.com/basic-sofrito-recipe-2138283
Sofrito

Ingredients

• 1 head garlic, peeled
• 2 medium onions, peeled
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded
• 2 green bell peppers, stemmed and seeded
• 2 large tomatoes
• 1 bunch cilantro leaves
• 1/2 bunch fresh parsley leaves

Gather the ingredients.

Chop the ingredients small enough sizes to fit into a food processor or blender. You don't have to dice them finely, as you will be processing them. Focus on removing the seeds and any tougher stems that might leave grit in the finished sofrito.

Place the chopped ingredients into a food processor or blender. You can process in batches if your food processor isn't big enough to accommodate everything at once.

Blend all ingredients well so the finished sofrito is finely processed. If you're not familiar with sofrito, it should be the consistency of pesto, a thick paste.
Once blended, your sofrito is ready for immediate use. Store the sofrito in a glass container. Plastic containers are not ideal because plastic will absorb the odor of garlic and onions.

Use the sofrito with rice, stews, beans, or a protein, and enjoy.

Tips

• If the sofrito needs liquid, you may add water or olive oil, a tablespoon at a time, while blending. Use as little as possible because you don't want the sofrito to be too runny. The tomatoes will provide some juice, so you may want to ensure they have been added before adjusting the liquid.
• You can freeze sofrito. Depending on how much you use in a recipe, you can freeze it in 1/4- to 1/2-cup portions or in an ice-cube tray for 2-tablespoon cubes. Once the cubes are frozen, transfer to a freezer bag for up to a year.

 

[Supervisor42]

We raised hogs, granny had a recipe for "black sausages" Like I said, nothing but the squeal. and if you're a barnyard romeo, not even that! (ever see Deliverance? )

Did you get to see the uncut version of "Southern Comfort"? (speaking of 'our people' misbehaving) yes, they did actually shoot those hogs.
As for substituting on the red beans and rice, you would be better off starting with a different Cajun/Creole dish, plenty of other recipes out there.

 

[Weedygarden]

We raised hogs, granny had a recipe for "black sausages" Like I said, nothing but the squeal. and if you're a barnyard romeo, not even that! (ever see Deliverance? )

I don't think that this is not too uncommon, but for those of us Bible believers and followers, Exodus 22:19 ESV
“Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death."

When I was in junior high, you could tell that our male classmates were all about sex. So many things happened that were memorable, not always in a good way. There was lots of talk among these young men about going to Eddie's house after school to visit his goats.

 

[Tim Horton]

It has been almost 40 years now since I have been around any of my red neck Cajun, swamp savage cousins different places along the Gulf coast... I do miss that cookin' .....

My Sweetie has never been exposed to any of that... All I can think to tell her is, just try it, but don't question what all is in it....

 

[Tim Horton]

Black Pudding, black sausage...... There are a number of different blood sausage recipes.. The sort of British version I tried was good, but could have been made better.. I would love, love to try other versions.. I'm told there is a Mexican version that is outstanding...

I

 

[Supervisor42]

It has been almost 40 years now since I have been around any of my red neck Cajun, swamp savage cousins different places along the Gulf coast... I do miss that cookin' .....

My Sweetie has never been exposed to any of that... All I can think to tell her is, just try it, but don't question what all is in it....

It's all your fault!!!
You of course know that Cajun was the short version of Acadian, which meant the immigrants that moved down here from Canada.
I'd bet the roots of that food are still planted up there somewhere.
...And even today, all the signs at every festival here are in French first, with an English translation below.

 

[Spikedriver]

I love Cajun, but I have a difficult time eating it anymore. Rice elevates my blood glucose through the stratosphere. Beans I can handle in smaller doses though. It sucks, because jambalaya is one of my favorite things!

 

[Tim Horton]

It's all your fault!!!
--- ---
Yes and no.... Sweeties ancestors moved from the Maritimes to the west coast about the turn of the century.. Mine moved to the prairies about that time..

WW1 and WW2. People with skills and where skills were needed are the biggest reason family is so spread out.. Good excuse for them to cook what they do best, and we make moose and bear that they don't have...

I hate 2 languages on product labels... Makes the print so small it is too hard to read..

 

[Frodo]

I love Cajun cooking
first things first
ya gotta make a rue
Cup each of the trinity
1/2 cup bacon grease
YES you can use butter, or oil, and your rue is not going to be a worth a damn but thats ok, if you do not know the difference then it will not matter
1/2 a cup flour, toss a tablespoon pepper and a teaspoon salt off in that flour. rummage around in the spice rack, look for some garlic powder, creole seasonings toss some of that in their also.
you gota use a cast iron skillet, do not use a teflon coated skillet, we are gong to be stirring and scraping. I do not want any teflon in the rue
toss the trinity into the skillet and the bacon fat, get the grease hot then turn it down to medium, stir them veggies add the flour a little at a time. and constant stir. constant stir. if the phone rings ignore it
after about 5 minutes add a cup of beef stock or chicken stir stir stir let it cook for about 15 minutes it it gets thick add some stock. it should be a nice dark color
turn the fire off. pour the rue into a dutch oven
This is the foundation of just about anything you make

 

[Heartbroken]

Looking back to the first post, not only have I never eaten of those things, I hardly know what most of them are and never heard of some of them!
I have gotten a little bit of education watching Swamp People. I could never survive down there but I admire the toughness and tenacity of those folks that got transplanted to the swamp from Canada. They must have thought they'd been forcibly moved to another planet!
Watching the show, it looked to me like the folks learned to eat most anything that could be caught and stuffed in a pot. Later on I found one of the guys went from alligator hunter to having his own cooking show. I can't understand half of what he does but I should would like to try eating it some day! And what the heck is in a box of "shrimp boil", anyways?

 

[Supervisor42]

Looking back to the first post, not only have I never eaten of those things, I hardly know what most of them are and never heard of some of them!
I have gotten a little bit of education watching Swamp People. I could never survive down there but I admire the toughness and tenacity of those folks that got transplanted to the swamp from Canada. They must have thought they'd been forcibly moved to another planet!
Watching the show, it looked to me like the folks learned to eat most anything that could be caught and stuffed in a pot. Later on I found one of the guys went from alligator hunter to having his own cooking show. I can't understand half of what he does but I should would like to try eating it some day! And what the heck is in a box of "shrimp boil", anyways?

They did.
Some still do. We do just fine down here .
Answer to your question:
https://www.mccormick.com/zatarains/products/spices-and-seasonings/seafood-boils/crawfish-shrimp-and-crab-boil-in-a-bag

ZATARAIN'S® CRAWFISH, SHRIMP & CRAB BOIL​

INGREDIENTS:​

Mustard Seed, Coriander Seed, Cayenne Pepper, Bay Leaves, Dill Seed, Allspice.

You will definitely want that, it removes the 'natural taste' that you won't like and makes it delicious.

 

[Magus]

I like boiled shrimps.

 

[Proud Prepper]

I don't know the difference between these two types of food, cajun and creole. I'd bet a few of you do.

I saw this on a meme and thought it would be fun to see how many of these foods each of us have eaten. And then, how many have you cooked?

New Orleans Food Test. Give yourself one point for everything you’ve eaten.

Gumbo
Etoufee
Jambalaya (edit added, thank you Wingnut!)
Red Beans and Rice
Muffulettas
Beignets
Poboys
Snoballs
Bananas Foster
Crawfish
Pralines
King Cake
Oysters
Boudin
BBQ Shrimp
Soft Shell Crab
Fried Chicken
Turtle Soup
Alligator
Shrimp Remoulade
Thin fried Catfish
Bread Pudding
Frog Legs
----------------
I've eaten gumbo, red beans and rice, Beignets, Bananas Foster, Alligator, frog legs, catfish (can someone tell what makes New Orleans catfish different, if it is?)

That's an easy 23 points for me.

 

[joel]

I have eaten 12 of them, well the food I was served went by that name.
May have eaten other, but do not know the names.
No turtle soup or turtle anything as of yet.

 

[jishinsjourney]

I don't know the difference between these two types of food, cajun and creole. I'd bet a few of you do.

I saw this on a meme and thought it would be fun to see how many of these foods each of us have eaten. And then, how many have you cooked?

New Orleans Food Test. Give yourself one point for everything you’ve eaten.

Gumbo
Etoufee
Jambalaya (edit added, thank you Wingnut!)
Red Beans and Rice
Muffulettas
Beignets
Poboys
Snoballs
Bananas Foster
Crawfish
Pralines
King Cake
Oysters
Boudin
BBQ Shrimp
Soft Shell Crab
Fried Chicken
Turtle Soup
Alligator
Shrimp Remoulade
Thin fried Catfish
Bread Pudding
Frog Legs
----------------
I've eaten gumbo, red beans and rice, Beignets, Bananas Foster, Alligator, frog legs, catfish (can someone tell what makes New Orleans catfish different, if it is?)

I’m not familiar with snoballs, and I haven’t had turtle or boudin. I have had a Vietnamese blood sausage, does that count?

Everything else I’ve had and am delighted to eat. Pass all of that right over here. Yum!

Alligator is a little odd though, it tastes like a cross between chicken and catfish, with a texture to match. Not bad, just different.

 

[Magus]

Our local BBQ specializes in Cajun catfish, its so spicy its like getting sprayed with mace but so good you can't stop eating! I've had about a third of that menu, but I had a friend who was a saucia' or however you spell it. I, unfortunately have tried turtle three times in my life, I hated it each time.

 

[Weedygarden]

I’m not familiar with snoballs, and I haven’t had turtle or boudin. I have had a Vietnamese blood sausage, does that count?

Everything else I’ve had and am delighted to eat. Pass all of that right over here. Yum!

Alligator is a little odd though, it tastes like a cross between chicken and catfish, with a texture to match. Not bad, just different.

I've had alligator. I believe this place had another location downtown that some friends and I went to after seeing some performance at DCPA.
The Pappadeaux Difference: Fun, Festive & Always Original

 

[jishinsjourney]

Oh yum, Pappadeaux. That’s our go-to at the Houston airport. Their redfish is excellent!

 

[Pearl]

Oh yum, Pappadeaux. That’s our go-to at the Houston airport. Their redfish is excellent!

There is one in Ft. Worth, YUM! Haven't been in a while!

 

[Supervisor42]

Oh yum, Pappadeaux. That’s our go-to at the Houston airport. Their redfish is excellent!

Yep! We got lots of dem!

 

[SoJer]

19 out of 23.

I'm slackin' at 18.. Absolutely Love both-styles of cooking, and yeah - Thermonuclear-spiced is just about right.. My Grandfather used to quip: 'If yer Baldy (top of head) isn't sweating within 1 min - send it back! But - it's gotta be spice with Flavor / personality - not just "heat"..

Also, I respectfully submit Fried Okra to that list. Then I'll be at "19"..

jd

 

[Weedygarden]

Yep! We got lots of dem!

Is that you in the photo?
Any idea how much that fish weighed? Lots of meals from a fish that big!

 

[Grimm]

15 points out of 23.

I am ashamed!

How many points if we have cooked these from scratch?

 

[Grimm]

I'm slackin' at 18.. Absolutely Love both-styles of cooking, and yeah - Thermonuclear-spiced is just about right.. My Grandfather used to quip: 'If yer Baldy (top of head) isn't sweating within 1 min - send it back! But - it's gotta be spice with Flavor / personality - not just "heat"..

Also, I respectfully submit Fried Okra to that list. Then I'll be at "19"..

jd

K recently got a set of spices from the Dirty Santa game at work during the holidays. Heard of them?