Cajun food, well known in Europe,but not that used, developed in southern Louisiana, after French immigrants named Acadians or Cajun, were brought from Canada in the 18th century, where they probably arrived from Africa (hence the Creole name). Inspired by the rural French cuisine, Cajun Food, meaning Cajun gastronomy, was developed by these inhabitants of the southern state near New Orleans.
Their recipes are traditional, cooked like in the country, with many seafood and spicy, with meat and vegetables cooked with thick sauce. The most popular food is gumbo, sometimes cooked with alligator meat. These recipes have over time been adapted to what the locals could catch or gather from the land, lakes, the Mississippi River, or the sea (Gulf of Mexico).
Spicey and tasteful
Their cuisine includes alligator, crab, oysters, lobsters, shellfish, snapper, pompano, shrimp, freshwater or sea fish. Potatoes were stuffed with rice, peppers took the place of carrots in stews and new spices like black pepper or cayenne pepper appeared. Spanish, Native-American and African-American influences have played a role in making Cajun cuisine what it is today.
Cajun people use all sort of spices and seasonings and okra, red peppers, black pepper, mustard, potatoes, file powder-from the Choctaw Indians; all spice and peppers-from the West Indians; garlic and tomatoes. Also Bay leaf Oregano, Bell peppers (green or red),Black pepper, Cayenne pepper, Chili pepper, Celery Garlic, Onion (bell pepper, onion, and celery used together are known as the “holy trinity” of Cajun cuisine).
Parsley, flat leaf, Sassafras leaves (dried & ground into the spice known as filé for gumbo of the Choctaw), Dried shrimp, Sugarcane, also cane syrup, brown sugar and molasses Thyme, Chervil, Parsnip, Cloves, Scotch barley, Celery seed, leaf, and stalk.
Everyone would enjoy out there a savory bowl of gumbo with seasoning from finely ground sassafras leaves. In Louisiana, especially along the Bayou, people live to eat. The most known and delicious dishes are : Gumbo, Crawfish étouffée, Jambalaya, Boudin , Boudin Balls and Andouille sausage.
What’s the Difference Between Creole and Cajun Cooking?
Discover the similarities and differences between the two cuisines in this article By Terri Wuerthner .
Cajun cuisine of New Orleans is definitely one of the most interesting and cultural rich types of food.
