recipes from real cajun by donald link

872019 Recipes from Real Cajun by Donald Link

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullrecipes-from-real-cajun-by-donald-link 17


httpslidepdfcomreaderfullrecipes-from-real-cajun-by-donald-link 27114 REAL CAJUN

Fried Chicken and Andouille GumboSERVES 10 TO 12

Where I grew up in Louisiana there were only two kinds of gumbo chicken and sausage and

seafood I love both of course but this recipe in particular holds a special place because itrsquos

similar to my grannyrsquos Unabashedly rustic this gumbo has chicken bones and skin in the pot two

ingredients essential for depth and flavor (trust me on this Irsquove tried leaving them out) Frying the

chicken first seasons the oil for making the roux adding another layer of flavor

The choice of sausage is important because the gumbo takes on its character I use spicy

andouille sausage or another smoked sausage as long as it isnrsquot overly smoky You can use anysausage that you like but yoursquoll want to adjust the seasonings accordingly (be sure to taste it

before adding it to your gumbo)

1 (3- to 4-pound) chicken

Chicken seasoning

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

frac12 cup all-purpose flour

1frac14 cups plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1frac12 cups all-purpose flour

1 medium onion cut into small dice

3 celery stalks cut into small dice

1 poblano chile stemmed seeded and cut

into small dice

1 green bell pepper cored seeded and cut

into small dice

1 jalapentildeo pepper stemmed seeded and

finely chopped

3 garlic cloves minced

1 tablespoon salt

1 frac12 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1frac12 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1frac12 teaspoons fileacute powder

3 quarts chicken broth

1 pound andouille sausage sliced into

frac12-inch half-moons

3 cups sliced (frac12-inch slices) okra

(about 1 pound)

Cut the chicken into eight pieces with the skin on Cut the breast meat from the

bones and chop into 2-inch pieces Lay the chicken on a plate or sheet pan and season

evenly on both sides with salt and pepper Dust with flour and shake off excess

Heat 1frac14 cups of the oil in a large cast-iron skillet to 350degF over medium-high

heat (a pinch of flour should sizzle in the oil when itrsquos ready) Fry the chicken in

batches so as not to overcrowd the pan about 3 minutes on each side until light

golden (the chicken does not need to cook all the way through it just needs to color)

Transfer the chicken to a plate lined with paper towels


httpslidepdfcomreaderfullrecipes-from-real-cajun-by-donald-link 37FAMILY GATHERING S 115

Add the flour to the oil and stir gently with a whisk preferably one with a long

handle (see Note) Leave the heat on medium-high for the first 10 minutes As theroux starts to darken lower the heat in increments When the roux reaches a light

brown color reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until it takes on a smooth

dark brown color about 40 minutes total

Carefully and slowly stir the onion celery peppers garlic salt black pepper

cayenne chili powder white pepper paprika and fileacute powder into the roux and stir

with a wooden spoon (Donrsquot use the whisk because the roux will be very thick at

this point) Be careful when adding the vegetables to the roux because it will create

a burst of steam Allow the roux to cool briefly

Transfer the roux to a large soup pot Heat the roux over medium-high heat stirin the chicken broth and bring to a boil Whisk the stock frequently as it comes to a

boil because roux can stick to the bottom of the pot Reduce heat to low and simmer

for about 30 minutes Every now and then skim off the oil that rises to the surface

a good bit will float to the top as the soup cooks

Add the chicken and continue to simmer stirring occasionally for 45 minutes

Add the sausage and simmer very slowly for about 1 more hour skimming all the

while until the chicken falls away from the bones Taste the stock If it still has a

strong roux flavor add a few more cups of stock or water

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium-high

heat Add the okra and sauteacute stirring or flipping the okra in the skillet for about8 minutes until itrsquos lightly browned and the gooey slime has cooked out Add the

okra to the gumbo and simmer an additional 15 minutes

The gumbo is finished when there is no more oil rising to the top As with all

soups and stews gumbo is always better the second day so yoursquoll be happy to have

plenty of leftovers

NOTE Although you can stir the roux with a metal spoon I highly discourage it A

spoon collects liquid and makes it easier to splash out of the pan and burn you By

contrast a whisk allows the roux to pass through it and reduces the possibility ofsplashing as well as getting into the sides of the pan Itrsquos important that you whisk

the entire bottom of the pan when cooking roux if you miss a spot the flour can

stick and burn which will give the entire pot an acrid flavor Remember to stir

slowlymdashroux has been called ldquoCajun napalmrdquo because if it gets on your skin it

sticks and burns Roux will catch on fire if left unattended




httpslidepdfcomreaderfullrecipes-from-real-cajun-by-donald-link 57ALL THE FIXINrsquoS 167

Cast-Iron HushPuppiesSERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH

When I was attending Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge there was (and still is) a restau-

rant on campus called The Chimes where you could get a bowl of shrimp and corn soup with a

side of hush puppies for about five dollars which left us enough money to get a pitcher of beer

For a poor college student thatrsquos a pretty good deal They were the best Irsquod tastedmdashuntil these

The addition of pureed ldquogreenrdquo flavors like jalapentildeos scallions and parsley adds a fresh brighttaste and gives them a cool color too

frac12 small onion chopped

1 small jalapentildeo pepper stemmed seeded

and chopped

1 bunch scallions (green and white parts)

thinly sliced

2 tablespoons minced parsley

1 cup yellow cornmealfrac12 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

2frac12 teaspoons baking powder

frac12 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried thyme

frac14 teaspoon cayenne pepper

frac34 cup whole milk

1 eggVegetable oil for frying

Combine the onion jalapentildeo scallions and parsley in a food processor or blender

and pulse to a rough puree

Whisk together the cornmeal flour sugar baking powder salt thyme and

cayenne in a small bowl

In a separate bowl whisk together the milk and egg Add the vegetable puree and

stir to combine Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until com-

bined For the best results refrigerate the batter for at least 30 minutes before frying

Heat 3 inches of oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot (preferably cast-iron) over highheat until it reaches 350degF

Working in batches of six carefully add the batter to the hot oil 1 heaping

tablespoon at a time use another spoon to scrape it off keeping it in a ball shape

Fry turning until golden 2 to 3 minutes then transfer with a slotted spoon to

paper towels to drain briefly Transfer the hush puppies to a shallow baking pan and

keep hot in a 200degF oven while frying remaining batter (bring the oil back to 350degF

in between batches)





Excerpted from Real Cajun by Donald LinkCopyright copy2009 by Donald Link Excerpted bypermission of Clarkson Potter a division ofRandom House Inc All rights reserved No partof this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted

without permission in writing from the publisher



Fried Chicken and Andouille GumboSERVES 10 TO 12

Where I grew up in Louisiana there were only two kinds of gumbo chicken and sausage and

seafood I love both of course but this recipe in particular holds a special place because itrsquos

similar to my grannyrsquos Unabashedly rustic this gumbo has chicken bones and skin in the pot two

ingredients essential for depth and flavor (trust me on this Irsquove tried leaving them out) Frying the

chicken first seasons the oil for making the roux adding another layer of flavor

The choice of sausage is important because the gumbo takes on its character I use spicy

andouille sausage or another smoked sausage as long as it isnrsquot overly smoky You can use anysausage that you like but yoursquoll want to adjust the seasonings accordingly (be sure to taste it

before adding it to your gumbo)

1 (3- to 4-pound) chicken

Chicken seasoning

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

frac12 cup all-purpose flour

1frac14 cups plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1frac12 cups all-purpose flour

1 medium onion cut into small dice

3 celery stalks cut into small dice

1 poblano chile stemmed seeded and cut

into small dice

1 green bell pepper cored seeded and cut

into small dice

1 jalapentildeo pepper stemmed seeded and

finely chopped

3 garlic cloves minced

1 tablespoon salt

1 frac12 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1frac12 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1frac12 teaspoons fileacute powder

3 quarts chicken broth

1 pound andouille sausage sliced into

frac12-inch half-moons

3 cups sliced (frac12-inch slices) okra

(about 1 pound)

Cut the chicken into eight pieces with the skin on Cut the breast meat from the

bones and chop into 2-inch pieces Lay the chicken on a plate or sheet pan and season

evenly on both sides with salt and pepper Dust with flour and shake off excess

Heat 1frac14 cups of the oil in a large cast-iron skillet to 350degF over medium-high

heat (a pinch of flour should sizzle in the oil when itrsquos ready) Fry the chicken in

batches so as not to overcrowd the pan about 3 minutes on each side until light

golden (the chicken does not need to cook all the way through it just needs to color)

Transfer the chicken to a plate lined with paper towels

























plenty of leftovers




















and chopped


thinly sliced



1 tablespoon sugar




















in between batches)































plenty of leftovers




















and chopped


thinly sliced



1 tablespoon sugar




















in between batches)



















and chopped


thinly sliced



1 tablespoon sugar




















in between batches)







recipes from real cajun by donald link

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