Creole Cooking
According to Louisiana Chef John Folse, Creole cooking is representative of the variety of ethnic backgrounds that Creoles enjoy, with French, Spanish, German and Italian cooking influences readily apparent. Gumbo, for example, is a Louisiana tradition whose origins are based in the French soup, Bouillabaisse. The Spanish contributed spice to Creole food, as well as paella, the rice dish which evolved to become another of the region's favorites, Jambalaya. Ancestral Germans brought pigs, chickens, and cattle to the region, which provided a regular supply of ingredients that are now considered staples in Creole cuisine -- milk, butter, and sausage. Native Americans introduced new settlers to local produce such as corn, as well as other ingredients like sassafras leaves (which, when ground, makes filé powder) and bay leaves. Africans contributed "kin gumbo " (okra), which they brought with them to the new land. Each ethnic group made a contribution in the form of ingredients and cooking methods, which have together created one of the most unique and flavorful cuisines in the world. Creole dishes are typically thought to be more "aristocratic" or "continental" than Cajun cuisine, using local produce in combination with other ingredients that were not originally found in Louisiana.
Cajun cooking also reflects a strong heritage -- specifically, the ability of the Acadians to creatively "make do" with what little they had. By the time they made it to Louisiana, the Cajuns had acquired a vast amount of knowledge, skill and experience in the art of basic survival, which led to the creation of a purely local cuisine, using ingredients that were native to the region.
Cajuns made their homes in the swamps and bayous in the southern part of Louisiana, where an abundant supply of fish, shellfish, and wild game became their dietary staples. In Louisiana, as in Nova Scotia, Acadians befriended local Native Americans and took advantage of the many lessons they were able to learn about local ingredients and how to use them.
The Cajun's black iron pots were filled with a variety of seafood, wild game, wild vegetation, and herbs gathered from the area's woods and waters to create simple, one-pot meals such as soups and stews, fricassees, and, of course, like the Creoles, gumbos and jambalayas. The trademark of a Cajun meal? One pot, hearty, often spicy-hot...and no two recipes the same!
Quick Links
» Cajun & Creole Cooking -
An Introduction
» Cajun or Creole?
» Defining Cajun & Creole Cooking
» Key Ingredients in Cajun Cuisine
» Traditional Cajun & Creole Recipes
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Cajun/Creole Pantry
Cajun and Creole dishes are often prepared using what's on hand at the time, but there are a few key ingredients that help recreate the distinctive flavors of the Louisiana region:
Vegetables: Onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, okra, chile peppers
Oils: Butter, bacon fat, lard, peanut oil, or vegetable oil
Flours, Meals, Grains & Beans: White flour, corn flour, cornmeal, rice, and dried or canned beans (red beans and black-eyed peas are a must)
Meat & Seafood: Crab, shrimp, catfish, redfish, oysters, sausage (especially Creole boudin, a highly seasoned pork and rice sausage, and Cajun andouille, a spicy smoked sausage made with pork and garlic), rabbit, chicken, and smoked tasso (a dried, heavily smoked pork or beef seasoned with cayenne pepper, garlic and salt that's used as an hors d'oeuvre or to season vegetables, gumbos, and soups.) You can add a special touch of authenticity with regional fare like crawfish, frog legs and alligator.
Herbs, Spices & Thickeners: Allspice, bay leaves, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, dill seed, filé powder (called Gumbo Filé Powder at Frontier), garlic, lemon, mustard seed, nutmeg, onion, oregano, paprika, parsley, peppercorns, red hot chiles (a wide variety of dried peppers are available from Frontier), salt, Tabasco Sauce or other hot pepper sauce, and thyme.
High-quality Frontier and Simply Organic herbs, spices and peppers will ensure the best results.
