Dennys: News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food

Showing posts with label Acadian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Acadian. Show all posts

21 August 2009

Recipe: Simple Authentic Cajun Shrimp Creole

Dishes typical of w:Louisiana Creole cuisine.Assortment of famous Louisiana dishes like gumbo, jambalaya, crawfish bisque and more Image via Wikipedia




From Denny: Cajun cooking has evolved over 244 years since the first Acadian settlers arrived in Louisiana. They were originally deported by the English from Nova Scotia and it was ten years later they migrated to Louisiana. For generations the French and English have carried on a cultural clash and divide so this deportation came as no surprise even in the New World. It did bring terrible hardships to the Acadians as they strove to develop a new life in an inhospitable environment.

The lines between Cajun and Creole cuisine have blurred over the past few decades ever since Justin Wilson popularized Louisiana cuisine back in the 1970's with what was locally known as "good hunting and fishing camp food." Wilson also was a fan of hot sauces and so the idea of Cajun food as "hot and spicy" stuck in the national mind ever since. The reality is that Cajun did not originate as one with fiery pepper sauces, cayenne pepper and spices but rather, to this day with the oldest generation, was a savory and flavorful cuisine style.

The authors of this regional cookbook offer up insight into the subtle differences from region to region in Louisiana because Louisiana is a lot like France in that respect. The 22 counties considered as Cajun Country (which includes some of the state of Texas), known as parishes here, are divided into cultural regions: Acadian Coast, The Wetlands, Upper Prairie, Lower Prairie, the Bayou Region, Southwest Louisiana and the Marshes and Coast.

French onion soupFrench Onion Soup Image via Wikipedia



This regional, simple, 100 recipe cookbook (lots of illustrations but without photos) offers recipes from each region, so you get a look at six different versions of the celebrated and widely known gumbo dish. They include side dishes, traditional French soups like Belle Rose French Onion Soup and then on to desserts too, one known as Dark Sugar Pralines.

The cookbook has lots of great Cajun resources like listings for food festival events, Cajun web sites for food and events and tourism.

What this cookbook is all about is easy comfort food made by real people for home style cooking. It's also an easy pleasurable way to learn about a different culture through food!

*****



Photo by afagen @ flickr

Lily B's Shrimp Creole

From:Cooking in Cajun Country” new cookbook by Karl Breaux with Cheré Dastugue Coen (Gibbs Smith, $16.99, paperback)

My Amazon store has the book for $12.74 and available for free shipping too! Check it out, go here.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 small green bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 tsp. dried basil

2 cups chopped tomatoes or 1 can diced tomatoes, with juice

1 lb. fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined or 2 cups frozen shrimp*

(* Health Warning: try to buy Louisiana or American shrimp as Chinese and other Asian shrimp lives in heavily polluted waters, polluted with heavy metals! Check your package for country of origin before purchase.)

1/2 to 1 cup water

Cajun/Creole seasoning, to taste

2 cups cooked Louisiana rice

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium to medium-high heat. Sauté the onions, celery and bell pepper until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sauté 5 minutes more.

2. Add salt, pepper, basil and tomatoes and stir; add shrimp. If using frozen shrimp, add 1/2 cup water and simmer for 10 minutes. If using fresh shrimp, add shrimp and 1 cup water and simmer until shrimp turn bright pink, about 15 to 20 minutes. Do not overcook.

3. Add Cajun/Creole seasoning to taste.

4. Serve over 1/2 cup cooked rice per serving.


Have a great weekend, everyone, and thanks for visiting! Good eating!


Cajun, Creole, Louisiana, shrimp creole, Society and Culture, Soups and Stews, Justin Wilson, Acadian, Cajun cuisine, Nova Scotia, Cook, Home

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

24 February 2009

Introduction to Common Cajun Instruments -- Part IV -- The Triangle or Ti-fer (and other)



Introduction to Common Cajun Instruments -- Part IV -- The Triangle or Ti-fer (and other): "In the history of traditional Cajun music, the loud and attention getting 'triangle or ti-fer' (little iron) is often an overlooked part of the sound and feel of this musical genre (pronounced tee fair)." 6 videos.

By Jerilee Wei

22 February 2009

Overview of Common Cajun Instruments -- Part II -- The Cajun Fiddle



Overview of Common Cajun Instruments -- Part II -- The Cajun Fiddle: "The backbone of any Cajun music, is the Cajun fiddle. Basically, any violin is technically called a fiddle, no matter what genre of music is being played. The difference with Cajun fiddling is that traditionally, there are two fiddlers. One Cajun fiddler plays the melody, while the other echoes with the rhythmic complement (sometimes called bassing or seconding).



The Cajun fiddle came to Louisiana with our Acadian ancestors. In reality, it was the only instrument used in our early music." 4 videos.

by Jerilee Wei

21 February 2009

Overview of Common Cajun Instruments - Part I -- The Cajun Accordion



Overview of Common Cajun Instruments - Part I -- The Cajun Accordion: "In the beginning, Cajun music originated in the late 1800s, in South Louisiana. I'm not going to rehash the whole story of how our Acadian ancestors came to Louisiana, here in this hub. Let's just say our ancestors transported many pleasing ballads of old Acadian stories. Some of those songs came from Old World France. They are the foundation of Cajun music.



Our neighbors, other settlers to Louisiana, were primarily German settlers. They were the ones that gave us the Cajun accordion. It wasn't always a part of our music, just a delightful addition to it. In the days before amplifiers, no doubt it's popular addition to Cajun bands had a lot to do with it's ability to be played loud over the noise of a typical dance hall." 8 videos.

By Jerilee Wei
Related Posts with Thumbnails

Ratings and Recommendations by outbrain