Come and discover the bold flavors of Louisiana and bring some of the best Creole and Cajun dishes to your table with these delicious recipes.

Southern Crab Cakes

Serves 4 | Prep. time 25 minutes | Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 pound lump crabmeat
• ½ cup green bell pepper
• ½ cup sweet yellow onion
• ¼ cup celery, diced
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons crème fraiche
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• ½ teaspoon cayenne powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ cup scallions, sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs, divided

Remoulade sauce

• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ cup scallions, sliced
• ½ cup red onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
• 2 tablespoons green olives, diced
• ¼ cup chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• ¼ cup whole-grain mustard
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. To make the remoulade sauce, place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until creamy and emulsified. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to three days
2. Add one tablespoon of olive to a skillet over medium heat. Add the green bell pepper, sweet yellow onion, and celery. Cook until lightly tender, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. In a bowl, combine the eggs, crème fraiche, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, cayenne powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, scallions, chives, and half of the bread crumbs. Mix well and then stir in the sautéed vegetables.
4. Gently fold the crabmeat into the mixture. Form 8 patties with your hands, taking care to not pack them too tightly.
5. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet over medium heat.
6. Lightly coat the crab cakes with the remaining bread crumbs, and place them in the hot oil.
7. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until crisp and nicely golden brown.
8. Remove from the heat and set aside for any extra oil to drain off before serving.

 

 

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

Serves 6-8 | Prep. time 15 minutes | Cooking time 2 ½ hours

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken thigh meat, cooked and shredded or cubed
• 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
• ½ cup sweet cream butter
• 1 cup red onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1 cup green bell pepper, diced
• ½ teaspoon cayenne powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper sauce
• 1 tablespoon filé powder
• Cooked rice for serving
• Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add the andouille sausage and season with the Creole seasoning. Cook until the sausage is browned and cooked through, approximately 7-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the slices. Remove the sausage from the heat and set aside.
3. Keep the skillet on medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the onion and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
4. Next, stir in the flour and cook, stirring frequently, until the floury paste turns a deep brown.
5. Add the celery and green bell pepper. Season the mixture with cayenne powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix well and cook an additional 3-5 minutes.
6. Slowly add the chicken stock, stirring with a whisk the entire time to prevent any lumps from forming.
7. Add the reserved sausage and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.
8. After an hour, skim any fat off the surface of the gumbo. Add the chicken and simmer for an additional hour.
9. Remove the gumbo from the heat and remove any fat on the surface and the bay leaves.
10. Stir in the cayenne pepper sauce and filé powder.
11. Serve immediately over cooked rice, garnished with fresh parsley.

 

 

Seafood Jambalaya

Serves 6-8 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 pounds shrimp, cleaned and deveined
• ½ pound redfish, cubed
• ½ pound smoked bacon, diced
• 1 pound pork sausage
• 1 pound andouille sausage
• ½ pound dark chicken meat, cubed
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1 cup green bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
• 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon celery salt
• 2 teaspoon thyme
• 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups seafood stock or fish stock
• 1 ½ cups stewed tomatoes in liquid

Directions

1. Arrange the bacon in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook until lightly browned. Add the pork sausage and andouille sausage and cook for approximately 10 minutes.
2. Remove the contents of the skillet with a slotted spoon and set them aside on paper towels to drain.
3. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
4. Melt the butter in the skillet. Add the onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic. Cook it for 5 minutes.
5. Next, add the rice and season with the paprika, celery salt, thyme, Creole seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Return all of the cooked meat to the skillet along and add the bay leaves.
6. Add the chicken stock and tomatoes to the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high.
7. Bring the liquid to a boil, and then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
8. Add the shrimp and redfish. Cover, and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
9. Remove from the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.

 

 

Muffulettas

Serves 4-6 | Prep. time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• ¼ cup green olives, chopped
• ¼ cup black olives, chopped
• ¼ cup carrots, finely diced
• ¼ cup roasted red pepper, chopped
• ½ cup cauliflower, chopped into very small pieces
• 1 large round loaf of thick-crust white or sourdough bread
• ¼ pound smoked ham, sliced thin
• ¼ pound hard salami, sliced thin
• ¼ pound mortadella, sliced thin
• ¼ pound cappicola, sliced thin
• ¼ pound provolone cheese, sliced thin
• ½ cup onion, sliced thin
• Bibb lettuce, optional

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, tarragon, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until thoroughly blended.
2. In another bowl, combine the green olives, black olives, carrots, roasted red pepper, and cauliflower. Toss to mix.
3. Pour the dressing over the olive mixture, and toss to coat.
4. Take the loaf of bread and slice off the top 1-1 ½ inches.
5. Scoop out the inside of the bottom part of the bread, leaving about ½ inch (or more, if desired) of bread along the bottom and sides. Do the same to the top that was sliced off.
6. Spread the olive mixture along the bottom of the bread bowl, reserving about ¼ of the mixture for the top.
7. Next layer in each of the meats, the provolone cheese, onion, and lettuce, if using.
8. Spread the remaining olive mixture onto the top piece of bread and replace it on top of the sandwich.
9. Cut and serve immediately or store it in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped, for several hours before serving.

 

 

Classic Beignets

Serves 12 | Prep. time 15 minutes, plus refrigeration | Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ teaspoons dry yeast
• 1 ½ cups warm water
• ½ cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 7 cups flour
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• ¼ cup shortening or butter
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Powdered sugar for garnish

Directions

1. Combine the yeast and warm water, stir gently, and set aside for 10-5 minutes for the yeast to dissolve.
2. Combine the dissolved yeast and water with the sugar, eggs, and salt. Mix well.
3. Add half of the flour to the mixture and stir until combined.
4. Add the evaporated milk and shortening or butter and mix well before adding the remaining flour.
5. Once a firm dough has formed, cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours.
6. Pour enough oil to completely submerge the beignets into a skillet or pot, and heat it over medium-high heat.
7. Roll the dough out into a rectangle and cut it into 2-inch squares.
8. Place the dough into the hot oil and fry, turning occasionally, until the pastries are golden brown, approximately 5 minutes.
9. Remove the beignets from the hot oil and set them aside on a paper towel to allow the excess oil to drain off.
10. Dust each pastry with sifted powdered sugar before serving.

 

 

 

**These recipes and more can be found in Sarah Spencer’s Louisiana Cooking: Easy Cajun and Creole Recipes from Louisiana. To get your copy, click on the cover or click here.

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