Cabbage Rolls to bring in the New Year!

1 large loose leafef cabbage
1 cup of uncooked rice
1 lb ground chuck, raw
1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon of Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 cup of water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Immerse whole cabbage in cold water with stem side up. Bring to a boil, turn off heat and cover letting the cabbage steam. The cabbage is ready when you can push a fork through the stem. Be sure to lift gently out of the hot water into a colander to drain.

Carefully pull the whole leaves apart and place on cutting board. Lay each leaf out on another cutting board and cut out a pie shaped wedge where it was attached to the stem. Position cut wedged side nearest you.

Mix uncooked rice, raw beef, salt, black pepper, cayenne and garlic powder. Place 1 tablespoon of mixture on the leaf and roll by folding left and right and then roll like a cigar away from you.

Place in a buttered Dutch Oven layering carefully with the rolled open seam down. Stack them on top of each other, packing them tightly in the pot.

Pour a small can of tomato sauce over the rolls; add 1 cup of water to pot; cover on a low heat and simmer on the stove for about an hour. Be sure rice is cooked by testing one of the cabbage rolls.

Garlic Roasted Asparagus

1 lb of asparagus
3 thinly sliced garlic cloves
3 TB of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse and snap off ends of asparagus. Place asparagus and garlic in a black iron frying pan, heavy oven skillet or roasting sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast for 10 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender, stirring once. Serve immediately with lemon wedges. Bon Appetit!

New Year's Eve Menu

Turkey Breast
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Roasted Asparagus
Black Eyed Peas (Good Luck)
Smothered Cabbage (Money)

All of these delicious recipes are in Roux!  Bon Appetit!

Egg Nog for Christmas Eve

It is a tradition in our family to serve Egg Nog while opening gifts...store bought Egg Nogs are too sweet for our taste...this recipe from my mother is absolutely delicious!  Bon Appetit!

2 yolks, set aside egg whites
3 cups of whole milk
2/3 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
nutmeg

In a deep sauce pan whisk two egg yolks until blended. Add sugar. On a medium heat, whisk in 3 cups of whole milk a little at a time, stirring constantly until the mixture coats the back of a stainless steel spoon. Remove from heat and add 1 tsp. of vanilla extract.

For the topping:

Egg whites
2/3 cup of sugar

Beat egg whites until frothy. Add 2/3 cups of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, fold into egg nog; simmer. Pour into cups or mugs and dust with nutmeg.

This recipe can be doubled, tripled, etc.

Fantasy Fudge Recipe

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup margarine (1 and 1/2 sticks)
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 12-oz. (340 g) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 7-oz. (198 g) jar Kraft or Jett Puff Marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine sugar, margarine and milk in heavy 2-1/2 quart saucepan; bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring.

Remove from heat; add vanilla extract

Stir in chocolate till melted, add marshmallow creme, nuts & vanilla; beat till blended.

Pour into greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

Let cool and cut into 1-inch squares.

All Baked Out!

We finished our Christmas baking with the most delicate of all cookies...the Macaroon...it absolutely will melt in your mouth...this recipe is at least 150 years old if not older; it was my Grandmother's Grandmothers recipe...Bon Appetit!!!

Sugar Cookies on Parade

We have made Sugar Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies, Aunt Lily's Holiday Cookies, Pecan Crispies, Macaroons, Chocolate Chip Cookies and Oatmeal Cookies.  All available in Roux!  Bon Appetit! 

Cookies on Parade!

Finished all of our baking for Christmas...well, maybe a sugar cookie and spritz batch will be in the future...it was fun doing it with friends!  Bon Appetit!

Cookies and Cupcakes...

Our baking was a success!

Aunt Lily's Holiday Cookies

These little cookies are like a delicious little bite of a crunchy fruit cake.  Some people call them "Russian Rocks" and are a tradtional cookie for many families during the holidays.  Bon Appetit!

1 1/2 cups raisins
1 1/2 cups of dried cranraisins
3 cups of pecan halves
3 cups of sifted All Purpose flour
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of allspice
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1 stick of butter softened
1 1/2 cups of granulated white sugar
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine pecans, cranraisins and raisins in a large mixing bowl; add sifted flour, spices and soda. Mix well. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar; add eggs. Mix well. Add to first mixture. Stir well. It will be a very stiff dough. Drop onto a greased cookie sheet by tablespoons. Bake 14 - 18 minutes.

Christmas Time...

It's time to start thinking about the menu you would like to have for Christmas dinner.  Our menu this year will be simple since it will be a very small gathering.  A sliced spiral ham, pork loin with white rice for the gravy, creamed garlic potatoes, roasted asparagus, green bean casserole, rolls and apple pie. Seems simple and complete.  Bon Appetit!

Turkey Breast Basting Sauce



First Turkey Breast I have ever done...and I must say, I should have done my own turkey years ago. One of my old neighbors always did the turkey in a bag for our shared Thanksgiving dinner.  None of us had the heart to tell her that it was always dry, mealy and pale. Meanwhile, I would do the pork roast and ham for the dinner.

So, don't be lazy and use that bag! Tent foil your bird and baste it often. This turkey breast is absolutely delicious, juicy and brown (so says hubbie, daughter and company).  This came out so mahvelous, so I am sharing the basting sauce with you.  Bon Appetit!

HERB BUTTER BASTING SAUCE

1/2 c. melted butter, 1/4 c. lemon juice, 2 tbsp. soy sauce, 2 tbsp. minced green onions, 1 tsp. dried whole sage, crushed 1 tsp. dried whole thyme, 1 tsp. dried whole marjoram, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper Combine the first 9 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat and baste turkey breast often.

It's Turkey Time!!!

An easy way to defrost your turkey is in your kitchen sink.  Fill your sink with water covering the plastic wrapped turkey.

Thaw in water 1/2 hour for each pound two days before Thanksgiving (changing water frequently).  Then refrigerate.  Take out Thursday morning, stuff, inject or both~!  Season the turkey, then rub the turkey with paprika which gives it that golden brown colour when cooked.

Foil tent and place in a shallow pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes per pound or until the juices run clear or the little "cooked button" pops up!  Bon Appetit!

Fudge

This recipe is from a dear friend, Renee S.   Our "Roux" doesn't have a fudge recipe in its contents, although there is a Fudge Brownie recipe on page 53,

named Old Fashion Brownies ( a cake like fudge). So, here is the best fudge recipe in the world for you to enjoy!

Chocolate Fudge 

4 Tbs. cocoa powder

2 C sugar

1 C evaporated milk

1 tsp.  white Karo syrup

¼ tsp. salt

2 Tbs. butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 C toasted chopped pecans

Put all but vanilla and nuts in saucepan.  Cook to 240 degrees (soft ball).  Stir occasionally.  Remove from heat.  Cool a bit (10 or so minutes).  Add vanilla. Beat until stiff and losing gloss.*  Add nuts.  Pour into greased pan and spread with spatula.  Let set.

*This is the tricky part.  You have to watch it closely.  If you add the nuts too soon, it won’t set up properly and will stay gooey.  If you wait too long, it will seize and harden before you can spread it in the pan.  I beat the fudge with an electric hand mixer on low speed under a bright light so I can see it well.  As soon as the mixture starts to lose its high gloss, begins to have a slight dullness to its surface, that’s when to add the nuts.

I put the nuts in the microwave for 30 seconds just before I start beating the fudge, so they’re warm when I add them.  That helps to keep the fudge at the right consistence until I can pour and spread it in the pan.

It takes a little practice to get it just right, but it is SO worth the effort.  You may want to beat the fudge by hand the first few times you make it, that way it’s easier to detect the change from glossy to slightly dull you’re watching for.

Enjoy!



Prepping your Holiday Feast!

Well we shared the grocery list and the menu...now here is the prep week for Thanksgiving!  Hope you are blessed and happy during all of the holidays!

Monday
1  Turkey breast - Put in refrigerator so it can begin to defrost.
2  Hormel spiral cut ham - Put in refrigerator so it can begin to defrost.
3  Chop all seasonings and place in ziplock bags in refrigerator for quick use.

Wednesday,
1  Defrost Pork Tenderloin, season, wrap in foil and place in refrigerator.
2  Brown  seasoned 1 lb of ground pork and 1 lb of ground chuck beef and refrigerate.
3  Prepare Yam Bake in casserole dish; place in refrigerator. (Add marshmallows Thursday before baking.)
4  Prepare Green Bean Casserole; place in refrigerator. (Add onion topping Thursday before baking.)
Thursday 5AM
Cook 6 cups of rice.
Begin preparing your FEAST!
Bon Appetit!

Menu: Turkey Breast, Pork tenderloin with white rice and gravy, Baked  ham, Dirty Rice, Yam bake, Green Bean Casserole, Dinner rolls and Pumpkin Pie!

All of these recipes are in Roux!  Bon Appetit!

Thanksgiving Menu and Shopping List:

Well, I have purchased everything for Thanksgiving dinner...so maybe to help you decide your menu and your shopping list I have shared mine with you!
A turkey breast which seems huge,
A small pork tenderloin,
Hormel spiral cut ham,
1 lb of ground pork and 1 lb of ground chuck beef
5 lbs of rice
2 cans of sweet potatoes, marshmallows, dark brown sugar,
2 cans of whole green beans, large can of fried onions, 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup,
2 large cans of pumpkin
2 pastry crusts (I am cheating this year)
Evaporated milk
2 lbs of butter
1 can of whole cranberries
Seasonings

Our menu is:   Turkey Breast, Pork tenderloin with white rice and gravy, Baked Ham, Dirty Rice, Yam bake, Green Bean Casserole, Dinner rolls and Pumpkin Pie!

All of these recipes are in Roux!  Bon Appetit!

Christmas Gifts...

For the last 30 years we have given an open house...and many of our friends put gifts under our tree with sentiments.  But, one year we received this beautiful Peridot ornament with no name attached...wherever it came from is still a mystery after all of these years to us...but, it has a special place in our home every Christmas...it is highlighted on a beautiful hanger, standing alone, in all of its beauty.  I would love to know who gave us such a special gift of love.

Pain Perdu/Lost Bread/French Toast!

It is that time of the year when the sweet smell of Pain Perdu can literally float you out of bed for breakfast!

This recipe is on page 36.

4-6 slices of stale bread, white or French bread
2 eggs slightly beaten
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
Butter
Maple or corn syrup
Confectioner's sugar

Beat eggs, sugar and cinnamon together. Dip bread into mixture coating both sides and fry on a hot buttered grill turning once.

Drizzle syrup over the bread and dust with confectioner's sugar.

As mentioned before, Roux, Simple Cajun Recipes, are now on sale at the West Baton Rouge Museum Gift Shop.  We officially signed a contract and you can purchase them now there, at Plantation Pecan in the Main Street Market in downtown Baton Rouge, and mail order. 

We have pre-orders for Christmas but we have a limited supply and cannot ship until we have your purchase money.

So, think Christmas!  Get your orders in and your Christmas/Hannukah presents bought and wrapped...then relax and put your feet up with a hot cup of Cafe Au Lait!  Bon Appetit!

Time for list making and shopping!

 It is time to make a grocery list for all of your cookie recipes.  Purchase them now so they can be on hand the days that you want to bake.

Cookies can be frozen up to four months, so, you can start now and have cookies throughout the  holidays.

The cookies we make every year for the holidays are Peanut Butter, Cocoons, Peanut Butter balls, Chocolate Chip, Pecan Crispies, Whisky Balls, Christmas Cookies (which is a rolled out, cookie cutter, sugar cookie) and Aunt Lily's Holiday cookies.  These recipes can be found in the Cookies and Candy section of Roux! Bon Appetit!

A Simpler Time...

I found out the other day that I am actually priceless or worth the price of a high end toaster (grin). I was at my cousin's home and she was telling family stories. 

She told me that in 1949 electric toasters were such a delight to have, a novelty you might say, a different era completely in things that were precious to own.

My mother loved toast.  I knew this because my mother has had toast at night for as long as I can remember with a little glass of milk.

Well, the story goes that my daddy wanted a little girl so (he came from a family of 6 brothers and  1 sister)...anyway, daddy told mama that if she had baby girl that he would buy her a brand new shiny "electric toaster" from Montgomery Wards. 

I can still see that shiny 1950's toaster sitting in the corner of the counter in her little kitchen!  Priceless to me.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Time for all of the winter soups...this soup is on page 5!  Bon Appetit!

1 large peeled butternut squash
3 tablespoons of butter
1 large onion chopped
2 ribs of celery diced in half moons
32 ounce box of Swanson's chicken broth
1 tsp of white pepper
1 tsp of ground nutmeg
salt to taste
sour cream and extra nutmeg

In a large, heavy bottomed pot, melt the butter. Sauté the onion and celery for 3 to 6 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the chicken broth and the peeled squash that has been cut into one inch pieces. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Ladle out the softened squash and place into a blender or food processor; puree, reserving the liquid. Add the pepper, nutmeg and salt to this mixture. Return this mixture to the pot of liquid. Whisk until creamy. Reheat. Ladle the soup into bowls serving each with a dollop of sour cream and a dusting of nutmeg. 

Announcement!

Beginning October 21st, you will be able to purchase Roux, Simple Cajun Recipes at the West Baton Rouge Parish Museum Gift Shop, on Jefferson Street in Port Allen, LA.  Ask for it by name. Bon Appetit!

Thanksgiving Menu

It is time to think about your menu for Thanksgiving!  You can start buying your ingredients now, so you will not be so rushed that week!  Also, write your Gift List now so you can take advantage of the sales on "Black Friday"; make a plan to shop with one of your friends and meet for lunch that day.  My father and I always made that Friday our special day!  We would get up early and head to his favorite store (Target).  It was truly the only time that I had my dad all to myself!

Turkey
Ham
Small Pork Loin Roast (page 26) with
White Rice and Gravy
Rice Dressing (page 13)

Green bean Casserole (page 14)
Carrot Souffle
Yam bake
Dinner Rolls
Sweet Potato Pie (page 48)

Holidays!

Everything is ready for the holidays...Roux, Simple Cajun Recipes can now be purchased at Glaser's False River location, The Vintage Shop (can be ordered) on Magazine Street in New Orleans, Plantation Pecan and Gift Company in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and at our website.  Bon Appetit!!!

HOW TO BOIL SPAGHETTI

Put a large pot of water onto boil with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of salt.

When the water comes to a rapid boil, drop in your spaghetti stirring it to be sure it is completely covered by the water.

When it comes back to a boil, cover it and time it 11 minutes.

Taste one to make sure it is not hard, then pour into a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.

Spring 1990

With the innocent squeals of joy, my daughter emerged from the school bus, poster flying in hand---shouting, "Mama, Mama, it was the last one. I knew how much you loved strawberries and I bought this for you at the fair."  Flying beside her was a strawberry poster...I covet it now...hanging in a frame among lithographs and expensive art...it is truly the only piece of art I possess that is priceless.

Butter me up...

I have an Aunt that used to toast bread in the oven. Then she would pour melted butter on every corner of that bread!  I was always in awe of this ritual; watching her melt the butter in a little pot, in the little trailer, placed in a little yard, where they lived. It was absolutely the best toast I ever had in my life.

She wore red lipstick with drawn in brows to frame her face; smoking unfiltered Camels while she did this wonderous toast breakfast for a 7 year old and her four children.  She was a little pudge pot of a woman and I loved her dearly.

While I was finishing my toast (I am a slow eater), she would line up her four children, my cousins, and lather them up with baby oil and make them go outside...then it was my turn...I stood still while she oiled me up like a suckling pig ready for the oven, holding my toast above my head.

As she hung clothes I would sit akimbo in the shade of the little trailer, eating my toast, watching my cousins bake in the hot summer sun!  They were so in style in 1957 with their 1990's savage tans! I, on the other, opted for toast instead...

Roux, Simple Cajun Recipes

ROUX is just a straightforward book of good recipes.

My mother was French (therefore, the Five Mother Sauces) and German (ergo, the Cabbage Rolls) and my father was Vraie Cadien, a true Cajun, (so, there you have the Gumbos, the Crawfish boils and the Bourre (card) games.

ROUX is a compact book, and can be packed easily for trips, placed in purses, brief cases and back packs. 

It can be brought easily anywhere you desire to share with your friends and family. 

This size book makes it easy for you to do.

So, please enjoy! Bon Appetit!

Susan D. Savant

One copy is 20.00 including postage and handling. Send a Personal Check, Money Order or Cashier's Check payable to Susan D Savant at P.O. Box 2042, Baton Rouge, LA 70821.

Be sure to include your name and mailing address. 

Pecan Tassies

One of the Women's Club I used to belong to had wonderful Christmas parties.  The menu was always the same generation after generation!  Pecan Tassies were a must on the menu.  Bon Appetit!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F., with an oven rack in the middle of the oven

Tassie  Filling

1-1/2 cups pecan halves chopped
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups packed brown sugar (light or dark)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons butter, melted 

Dough

Either Pillsbury roll out pie crust which is easily cut into circles

and tampered down into a greased mini muffin pan or this recipe:

Cream Cheese Dough

2-1/3 cups (291grams) all-purpose flour-measured

by fluffing, scooping and leveling
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Pinch salt
12 tablespoons (6 ounces) butter, cold
12 ounces cream cheese, cold
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place 1 teaspoonful of nuts into each cup. Spoon in 2 to 2-1/2 teaspoons of the sugar/egg mixture,

filling the tarts to within a scant 1/8-inch of the top. Do not fill the tarts up to the top, as the filling expands as it cooks and tarts that have overflowed are hard to remove from the pans after baking.

Place the pans on a cookie sheet and bake for 26-28 minutes, until the filling is puffed and the pastry is lightly browned. Remove the pans to a cooling rack. Let the pastry stand for 5 minutes. While the pastry is still warm, run a skewer along the top edge of the pastry to loosen it from the pan and then remove the tarts from the pans (if you wait, you'll be unable to remove them from the pans unless you have a Teflon pan or have buttered the pan heavily). Set the tarts on a cooling rack to cool completely

SERVING AND STORING

Keep tassies at room temperature for a day, but because they have a moist filling, it might be safer to refrigerate them after a few hours. They should be eaten at room temperature, however. Tassies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Store them in an airtight container. To defrost, place them in one layer on a pan or plate, cover loosely with plastic, foil or waxed paper. They'll defrost in an hour or two.

Lasagna for Game Night!

Whether it is for a sports night or just friends coming over for a leisurely parlour game of Mahjong or Scrabble, this dish can be prepared a day ahead of time (refrigerate and cover with foil) so you can enjoy your company.

1 box of lasagna noodles (uncooked)
1 lb. of ground beef
1 large onion chopped
1 large jar of marinara or spaghetti sauce
1 large container of cottage cheese
1 large egg
1 package of grated mozarella cheese
1 package of grated parmesan cheese

     Preheat oven to 350°F. Brown ground meat with onions, drain.
    
     Combine the ground meat mixture with the marinara or spaghetti sauce in a large bowl.
     In a separate bowl combine egg and cottage cheese.
     Spread 2 tablespoons of ground meat mixture into the bottom of a glass, oven proof 9x13 pan.
     Place a layer of noodles in the pan; spread meat over the noodles. Then spread cottage cheese mixture over the meat; sprinkle a layer of mozzarella cheese next.
     Repeat with noodles, meat, cottage cheese, mozzarella and top with parmesan cheese for the last layer. (Makes three layers)
     Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes.
     Be sure to let the lasagna cool for 20 minutes and don't boil the noodles beforehand.

1960 Summer Trips

      A lot of my life was spent in New Orleans.  It was here that I learned how to fry chicken and  make French potato salad. 
     I also learned how to eat chili dogs, while standing on one of the French Quarter street corners, without dropping any sauce or mustard on my white shirt!
     After a two hour drive from Lafayette and a roadside stop in Livonia, Louisiana, we were finally at our destination;  to visit my Aunt, Uncle and cousins in LaPlace.  That night all of the children slept on pallet quilts in the tiny living room at my Aunt Eunice and Uncle Pemon's home. 
     Early in the morning,  my mother and Aunt would fry chicken and all of the fixin's to take with us to " The City" as New Orleans is called (not Big Easy) for the day.  You could hear them in the early morning behind the swinging kitchen door laughing and drinking coffee.  The smell of the chicken permeated the house.  You knew that this was going to be an exciting day for everyone!
     The trip started off at Ponchartrain Beach where we could choose only three "rides" because it was 25 cents a ride and money was tight.  There were four of us under 12 years old, standing in line to ride your special ride, with Daddy. Then off to City Park where other family members would meet us. Then the men would sit at one of the picnic tables, smoking and playing Bouree (a card game) while my mother and Aunt would lay out the picnic dinner.  We would all eat after a game of croquet and then nap through the afternoon on big quilts that were laid on the soft St. Augustine grass. (I can still feel the softness that surrounded me on those lazy summer days.)
     In the evening our parents would "pack up the day" and our families would head to the French Quarter for beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe Du Monde. 
    After "window shopping" late into the evening, we would eat hot dogs from one of the "Lucky Dog" stands for supper. 
    We would then say our goodbyes and pile into Dad's little Cheverolet Coupe and head back to Lafayette on Highway 90! (no Interstate). Crowded together in the back seat of the car, shoulder to shoulder, legs everywhere, we four children, with pillows scrunched up, slept all of the way home.
    I miss those days.

Coming Soon!

I am very proud to announce that Roux, Simple Cajun Recipes will be at the West Baton Rouge Museum Gift Shop in Port Allen, Louisiana for the holidays!
Ask for it by name!

Cafe Au Lait (Coffee Milk)

1/4 cup coffee
3/4 cup whole milk
1 Tb. granulated sugar
Heat milk until it is very hot, but not boiling.  Pour in mug, add sugar; stir.  Then fill to the brim with hot coffee. Voila! Bon Appetit!

Chili Time!

 Nothing like a hearty bowl of Wagon Trail Chili for supper!  Cool nights finally!  We sat out on our porch with friends night before last and had Wagon Trail Chili (page7) served with crusty french bread. Simple to prepare and just delicious for a cold night!

Wagon Trail Chili

1 1/2 pounds of ground chuck
1 onion, finely chopped
1 can of beef broth 14 oz
1 large jar of picante sauce; ; mild, med., or hot
1 can of diced tomatoes
3 cans or red chili beans, drained
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream

Brown ground meat with onions. Add beef broth, picante sauce, diced tomatoes and chili beans. Simmer 10 minutes. Serve over rice or ladle into soup bowls topped with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream.   Serve with crusty french bread or homemade cornbread (page 35).

The second printing has just arrived!  We are proud of this good little cookbook. It shares our deep seated heritage of the Cajun cuisine to all of the world!  Bon Appetit!

Oven Grilled Filets or Shrimp

 

 

Filets of any kind of fish
One lemon, slice half the lemon, save other half to squeeze on fish
Sliced bermuda onions
Virgin olive oil
Cracked coarse black pepper
Kosher salt

On a baking pan drizzle olive oil. Place filets in pan, drizzle with olive oil, season to taste, squeeze 1/2 lemon over the filets, place onion slices on each fish filet; place lemon that has been sliced on each fish. Dot with butter (optional).

Place uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. In ROUX, this is done with shrimp, but fish can be substituted.

Beautiful Pearl Onions for your French Rump Roast

This is the best way to do pearl onions for the recipe, French Rump Roast on page 20 of Roux.

To peel pearl onions, place in boiling water for three minutes, drain, cut off flat end and pull from the tip...the skin pocket will just slough off.  Voila, perfect little pearls!  Bon Appetit!

New Orleans Red Beans and Sausage

I love New Orleans so I will post photos from time to time of one of my favourite Louisiana Cities!

French Market circa 1900's

Ingredients

2 lbs.red beans
2 lbs.smoked pork sausage, sliced
1/2 lb. of bacon, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
salt and black pepper
Cajun and Creole Seasoning blend

Fill a stock pot half full of water. Wash beans in a colander. Add red beans, onion, bell pepper, sausage and bacon; add salt and pepper. Add Creole and Cajun Seasoning (optional). Stir. Cook on high heat until it comes to a boil. Lower heat to medium low. Simmer approximately 1 hour until the beans are soft and the gravy is thick. Stir often. Season to taste while simmering.
Serve over steamed rice.

Monday was "WASH" day; when clothes were hand cranked through a roller to squeeze the water out and washing machines and tubs of water were on the back porch...this was an all day affair with families...so a pot of beans was put on the stove and simmered all day. Tuesday was ironing day!

Seafood Gumbo

Seafood Gumbo

This is my mother-in-laws recipe...and she was the finest cook of Cajun food that I have ever tasted!
Bon Appetit!!!

3/4 cup of All Purpose Flour
3/4 cup of corn or vegetable (NOT canola or peanut etc.)
2 pints of oysters (drained)
2 pounds of shrimp (peeled)
4 cans of lump crabmeat (drained)
1 onion (chopped)
1 bell pepper (chopped)
3 garlic cloves (chopped)
1 rib of celery (chopped)
File (sassafras grounded into a powder)
2 quarts of water
1 bunch of green onion tops (chopped)

Make a very dark roux with the oil and flour. (see Basic Roux recipe in Roux, Simple Cajun Recipes)

Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, and celery to roux and sauté until clear. Spoon this mixture into a gumbo pot and add 2 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of Filé; stir.

Simmer about 1/2 hour. Add more water if gumbo is too thick. Add shrimp, oysters and crabmeat one hour before serving.

Add seasoning to your taste. Ladle gumbo over steamed rice in a soup bowl. Add onion tops and dust with Filé.

Roux, Simple Cajun Recipes

ROUX is just a straightforward book of good recipes.

My mother was French (therefore, the Five Mother Sauces) and German (ergo, the Cabbage Rolls) and my father was Vraie Cadien, a true Cajun, (so, there you have the Gumbos, the Crawfish boils and the Bourre (card) games.

ROUX is a compact book, and can be packed easily for trips, placed in purses, brief cases and back packs. 

It can be brought easily anywhere you desire to share with your friends and family. 

This size book makes it easy for you to do.

So, please enjoy! Bon Appetit!

Susan D. Savant

One copy is 20.00 + 3.00 s/h  including postage and handling. We accept PayPal as of August 2011 !