The "Cajuns" of Southern Louisiana originally obtained their name from their ancestors, a group of French peasants that settled in the "Acadian" region of the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia around 1604. By 1755 they had grown to a population around 15,000, and like most people in like regions lived on standard crops, garden variety vegetables and whatever livestock they could raise, wild game they could kill, and fishing.
Ultimately they were forced out of Nova Scotia by the British, and originally sent south to Maryland, some shipped off to France, and ultimately to Louisiana since it was predominately French owned at the time. The name "Acadian" was shortened to "Cajun" by the English people living in Louisiana at the time, and predominately treated as a unique ethnic group since they were primarily transplants and not locals.
The government in the area was Spanish at the time, and they opted to relocate the transplanted immigrants outside the populated areas more into the countryside. However, the Acadians had issues trying to grow the same crops in the river bottoms and heat of Louisiana. These settlers rapidly grew into a dual class system. The upper class being crop planters growing cotton and sugar, then rice. The lower class became more like small farmers. The upper class of "Creaoles" adopted slavery to maintain their large properties of farm land.
As the upper class became more prosperous, they squeezed the poorer Acadians out and forced them into the less desirable swamps of Louisiana. It was much more difficult to make a living and grow crops and livestock in these muddy lands and murky waters. But these waters held an abundance of wild game, and everything from Alligators to turtles, fish, crawfish, deer, squirrel and wild pigs were easy to harvest for sustenance. Since the Cajun kitchens were simple, most had a large pot that held a continuous storage of contributions that the family members and neighbors caught or killed in the course of a day that would simply be added to the pot. The addition of vegetables such as corn, beans, and rice when available were a welcome addition to any pot.
Eventually flour was introduced to the menu which allowed the introduction of a "Roux" to the mix. And since these people were far from central areas and townships, gatherings would often include dancing, drink, and the occasional brawl. Cajun food was a simple version of Creole. It was spicier as peppers were added to enhance the flavor of the wild meats and vegetables, and lack of natural spices were not available. Creole foods introduced some of the richer foods such as Shrimp Creole and Crawfish Etoufee. However, crawfish was really not introduced into the diet until sometime in the 1940's. Prior to that time, it was primarily used as bait. As people discovered the richness of the meat, they began to labor to harvest it and add to the menu.
New Orleans has always been the capital of Creole and Cajun cooking, and had established a reputation as such by the early 19th century. Antoine's Restaurant opened in the French Quarter in 1840, and is still located in the French Quarter today.
This brief history would not be complete without my own special offering recipe of Cajun Gumbo which I still make about twice a year. Each time I make it, I try to keep it down to one 3 gallon pot, but invariably, it grows to at least a 5 gallon pot, sometimes two.
2 lbs. fresh skinned chicken breasts
1 lb. andouille sausage (cubed)
1/2 lb. catfish or redfish
1/2 lb. crawfish
1 lb. Crab legs
1 lb. shrimp (large)
6 cups okra
3 cups rice
1 cup beans
Tbs. Salt
Tbs. Pepper
Tbs. Tabasco
1 bag seafood seasoning (this is a bag of seasonings, that you insert into the pot during cooking time) I generally remove about 3/4 through cooking so it doesn't over flavor.
First of all, brown the chicken in a black skillet, using a lot of shortening (about 1") remove chicken when browned, and set aside chicken to cut into bite sized chunks.
The fat used in roux should be shortening but you can use oil if trying to be healthy. Combine fat with an equal amount of flour, Melt the fat in a black skillet over low heat. When warm and fluid, sprinkle the flour in a little at a time, stirring. Stir constantly until brown (this may take 20 to 30 minutes, and has taken me an hour at times) immediately remove from heat or add ingredients your recipe calls for. If it burns even slightly, throw it out and start over again. I have used store bought Roux, but it never tastes the same.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the roux and stir thoroughly. Then put heat on slow simmer where it barely bubbles. Then add the meats. Hold off on the Shrimp and crab until an hour or so before serving, or you'll over cook it. Some people cook the rice separately and serve it on top of the Gumbo. I prefer to cook it in the Gumbo, but be careful because it is easy to over use, and soaks up all of the juice. I generally prepare the Gumbo the night before and let it simmer all night, but be VERY careful. I have woke up the next day to an entire scorched pot of Gumbo, and had to start over...
PS. Serve with large amounts of fresh bread and beer!
No comments:
Post a Comment