Cooking Terms Glossary

Cooking With Dee

Welcome to Cajun Country
Spring/Summer 2011

In this article we are going to look at food from New Orleans. It’s the perfect time to do that since Mardi Gras passed and what better food to celebrate with than a mixture of cultural influences that best describe food from New Orleans.

Cajun food is very much like the Mardi Gras celebration, a festival in your mouth. Full of bold spicy flavors that make you want to just keep eating. The Cajun style comes from the French speaking Acadian immigrants from Acadia Canada.

Known for its down home rustic type of cooking, the spices used start with what’s known as “The holy trinity of Onion, Bell Pepper and Celery”. Then it’s layered usually with the addition of Green onion, Bay leaf, Parsley and Cayenne Pepper.

  The first recipe we will talk about is Red Beans and rice using our Red Oak Grill Monster Jalapeno and Cheddar Bratwurst. Don’t let the word “Bratwurst” make you nervous here for Red Beans and Rice. Although Bratwurst is a German sausage our Jalapeno Cheddar Bratwurst has a wonderful Smokey flavor with a medium spice. It will pair very well with the Red Beans and Rice.

The other style of cuisine from New Orleans we are going to talk about is Creole.  While Cajun cooking is more rustic Creole cuisine is more of a Melting pot of European, African and Asian cooking. Creole was more for aristocratic tastes because it follows more of the European traditions than Cajun cooking does. 

The Spanish and Portuguese influence brings in more of the heat of the dishes, the beans, and the rice. Later Greek and Italian influence came in with the pasta and the Tomato sauces. The African and Indian influences were added from the style of cooking the servants used when cooking for the plantation owners.

There are so many things we can talk about food from New Orleans that we just can cover in one article. Using our products like our Red Oak Hickory Smoked Apple Bacon, Red Oak Grill Monster Jalapeno and Cheddar Brats, Painted Creek Farm Natural lean beef cuts and lean moist Red Oak pork you will be cooking like some of the famous chefs that make their home there. 

Now onto the recipes.

Cajun Red Beans and Rice

Prep time:  If soaking beans- 2 days,  if using canned beans 1 to 2 hours
Serves 8:

1 pound red kidney beans, dry (or 6 can kidney beans)
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
5 ribs celery, chopped
3 cloves of garlic minced
1 large smoked Red Oak ham hock, or 3/4 lb. Red Oak smoked ham,    diced, for seasoning
1 to 1-1/2 pounds Red Oak Grill Monster Jalapeño and Cheddar    smoked brats sliced on the bias
1/2 to 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed
1 or 2 bay leaves
As many dashes Crystal hot sauce or Tabasco as you like, to taste
A few dashes Worcestershire sauce
Creole Seasoning Blend to taste*
Salt to taste
Hot cooked Rice
1 bunch chopped scallions for garnish

Soak the beans overnight. Next day, drain the water and cover the beans with a double volume of fresh water in the pot. Bring the beans to a rolling boil. Make sure the beans are always covered by water, or they will discolor and get hard. Boil the beans for about an hour, until the beans are tender but not falling apart.

While the beans are boiling, sauté the onions, celery, bell pepper until the onions turn translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally. After the beans are boiled and drained, add the sautéed vegetables to the beans, then add the ham hock (or ham), smoked brats, seasonings, and just enough water to cover.

Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for 2 hours at least, preferably 3, until the whole thing gets nice and creamy. Adjust seasonings as you go along. Stir occasionally, making sure that it doesn't burn and/or stick to the bottom of the pot. (If the beans are old -- say, older than six months to a year -- they won't get creamy. Make sure the beans are reasonably fresh. If it's still not getting creamy, take 1 or 2 cups of beans out and mash them, then return them to the pot and stir.)

Serve generous ladles over hot white long-grain rice.

This is a dish that will certainly taste better the next day so if you choose to serve it later that is ok.

(If using the canned beans take care not to burn. You should reduce the cooking time. They won’t need as long)

*Creole Seasoning

2 tbs onion powder
2 tbs garlic powder
2 tbs dried oregano leaves
2 tbs dried sweet basil
1 tbs dried thyme leaves
1 tbs black pepper
1 tbs white pepper
1 tbs cayenne pepper
1 tbs celery seed
5 tbs sweet paprika

Combine in food processor and pulse until well-blended, or mix thoroughly in a large bowl. The recipe doubles or triples well. Give lots of it away as gifts to your family and friends.

Smothered Cabbage  (A simple Dish served for New Years)
6 - 8 Servings. Serve with a Pork roast and Black Eyed Peas
Prep time 1 hr

1 package Red Oak  Hickory Smoked Apple bacon, 12-16 ounces
1 large sweet onion, sliced
1 head of cabbage
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
Juice of 1/2 large lemon
1 oz cider vinegar
1/2 tsp ground allspice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cut the bacon into 1/2" pieces and place in a large pot. Cook over medium heat until crispy, then remove bacon and put aside. Reserve all the resultant bacon fat.

Cut the onion from pole to pole, cut off stem and root ends and slice the onion. Cook the onion in the bacon fat until it's translucent and tender. Add the apple and cook until tender.

Quarter, core and coarsely shred the cabbage. Add to the pot and toss with the onions and fat until coated. Add lemon juice, vinegar and allspice. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, then uncover, add bacon, toss again to mix and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook a minute or two more until the cabbage is barely tender.

Dirty Rice

Serves: 4   Prep time: 1 hour
1 1/2 cup long-grain rice
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 pound Red Oak Ground Pork
1/2 cup minced chicken livers
3 slices of Red Oak Hickory Smoked Apple Bacon, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper or 1-3 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
2 green onions, chopped

Cook the rice according to the package instructions; using 2 parts water 1 part chicken broth. Once cooked remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Turn the rice out onto a sheet pan and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over it. Mix to combine and let cool.

While the rice is cooking, mash and finely chop the chicken livers, or purée briefly in a blender. In a large pan that can eventually hold the rice plus everything else, put 1 tablespoon of oil plus the bacon in and cook over medium-low heat until the bacon is crispy.

Add the ground pork and increase the heat to high. Allow the meat to brown before stirring. As soon as the pork starts to brown, add the final tablespoon of oil and add the celery, jalapeños/green peppers, and onions. Brown them all over medium-high heat. You may notice the bottom of the pan getting crusty. Keep it from burning by lowering the heat if needed. Add the minced liver and cook for a few minutes more.

Add the remaining cup of chicken broth and deglaze the pan by scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the Cajun seasoning and turn the heat to high. Boil away most of the chicken stock and then add the cooked rice. Toss to combine.

Turn off the heat and add the green onions. Toss once more to combine and serve hot.

Creole Beef over Rice
4 to 6 servings Prep Time: 30 min.

1 1/2 pounds Painted Creek Farm Round steak, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning, or Cajun seasoning
2 (14.5 ounces each) cans stewed tomatoes
hot cooked rice

Heat oil in skillet and brown beef cubes for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add onion, pepper and celery and sauté for 3 minutes longer. Add seasoning and tomatoes; cover and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes, stirring frequently.
Serve over hot cooked rice.

Grilled Cajun Beef  Kabobs
Prep time: Marinade 1-4 hrs. Prep 15min Cooking 15 min
Serves 4

Place steak pieces in a large bowl. Add all ingredients into bowl except, red bell pepper and onion. Mix well and cover. Place in refrigerator and allow to marinate for 1-4 hours. Preheat grill for medium heat. Thread beef, red bell pepper, and onion pieces alternately onto skewers. Place on grill and cook for 15-18 minutes, turning once. Remove from heat and serve.

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