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What do you think of when you think of Mardi Gras food? Do you visualize crawfish gumbo, etoufee, and jambalaya? Those are all traditional Louisiana foods—Mardi Gras staples. Cajun foods are considered the backwoods, hardy fare of the Louisiana bayou area. Cajun food is usually cooked all in one pot.
There's another type of Lousisiana food you may encounter at the Mardi Gras, too. It's Creole cooking—the more elegant Spansih and French-style cooking. Between Creole and Cajun, though, Louisiana's unique food styles shine through bright and strong!
Cajun and Creole styles of cooking often feature the same dish—gumbo, for example—but their methods of preparation are what set it apart. Creole dishes often feature heavier sauces and tomatoes, where Cajun foods emphasize strong spices. And to complicate matters further, both styles of Louisiana cooking have melded together a bit, so sometimes it's hard to tell which is which. And when that happens, it's best to skip the definition and just dive in for some good Louisiana food!
Crawfish Gumbo Recipe
Ingredients: 1/2 lb smoked sausage 1 onion, chopped 1/2 lb fresh or frozen okra 1 lb crawfish, cooked & cleaned (available in the frozen meats aisle) 2 cups half & half
Directions: Cut sausage into bite sized quarters. Brown with the onions in a large skillet until tender, stirring often.
Stir in tomatoes corn, parsley, cayenne, okra water, and creole or cajun seasoning. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the crawfish and half-and-half. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
Serves 8
--Recipe courtesy of Louisiana Cooking website: www.louisianacooking.com
Published 01/11/08
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