New Orleans food is what happens when West European, African, Caribbean and Native American-Indian influences come together in the kitchen. There is no food like it anywhere else on the planet, and believe you me, it is an outstanding culinary experience.
New Orleans Gumbo
Gumbo is a quintessential New Orleans style all-in-one, main course, full meal in itself kind of dish. There are lots of variations on it, you can use different meats and seafoods, but this version is a good fundamental recipe for Gumbo.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. shortening
2 green onions, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper (2 if you want it spicy hot)
1 tbsp. chopped fine dried parsley
1-quart cut-up fresh or canned okra
1 can of tomato paste
2 tomato paste cans of water
1 (14.5 oz.) can of stewed chopped tomatoes with basil
1 lb. crab meat
1 lb. shrimp
1 cup diced smoked ham
1 cup diced, cooked chicken
1 8 oz. can oysters
Directions:
In a 10-inch frying pan, melt the shortening. Add the onions, celery and peppers. Cook for 3 minutes. Add parsley and cook for 2 minutes. Add okra, reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes.
Pour all frying pan ingredients into a Dutch oven and add tomato paste and water, stirring frequently. Add 4 cups water and the tomatoes and cook for 30 minutes.
Add all the meats and cook for 20 to 25 minutes more, stirring frequently. Serve over hot, cooked rice.
Cajun Jambalaya
Another distinctly New Orleans a-full-meal-in-itself dish is the remarkable Jambalaya. It is prepared at various levels of spiciness, but never very mild. This recipe is on the spicy hot side. You can control the level of spiciness to your tastes of course, by the amount of the seasonings and spices, but hey – if you want the real New Orleans tasting experience – go for the gusto!
Ingredients:
12 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
4 ounces chicken, diced
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning (an absolute must ingredient!)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot (sriracha) sauce
3/4 cup white short grain rice
3 cups chicken stock (broth)
5 ounces Creole Andouille sausage, sliced
Freshly ground course sea salt and black peppercorns
Directions:
In a bowl combine shrimp, chicken and Creole seasoning, and work in seasoning well. In a large saucepan heat oil over high heat with onion, pepper and celery, 3 minutes.
Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire and hot sauces. Stir in rice and slowly add broth.
Reduce heat to medium and cook until rice absorbs liquid and becomes tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
When rice is just tender add shrimp and chicken mixture and sausage. Cook until meat is done, about 10 minutes more.
Season to taste with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning.