cajun Cuisine
The steamy swamplands of Louisiana are home to Cajun and Creole cuisine.
Fashioned partly from colonial influences, a stylish mix of French and
Spanish sophistication together with the fire of Africa creates highly
imaginative and powerful flavours. Authentic dishes often feature fresh
seafood, such as crayfish and shrimp, heavily spiced in jambalayas and thick
stews known as gumbos.
Outside Louisiana the differences between authentic Cajun cooking and Creole
cooking have become blurred.
Creole dishes tend to be more of a sophisticated cuisine using local produce
and seafood. Creole spice blend is a sultry to spicy mix giving flavours of
onion, garlic and spices. Creole cooking also focuses on presentation and often
uses French methods of preparation, such as the classic roux sauce of butter
and flour. The Cajun roux however is made from oil and flour, cooked for a long
time until coloured and used to thicken gumbos.
Cajun dishes tend to be rustic and use plenty of Cajun seasoning and Cajun
spice. Cajun (Acadian) people originated from the French speaking Acadian region
of Canada and came to live in the bayous (swamps) of Louisiana, living off the
land as farmers, hunters and fishermen.
Cajun cooking depended on what produce was available to them, but would include
corn, sugar cane, okra, molasses, onions, green peppers, shrimp, greens, wild
game, sassafras (file powder), rice and beans. The swamps were abundant in
crayfish, hence them becoming an integral ingredient of Cajun cooking. Seafood
was also abundantly available to the people living near the coast.
Cajun seasoning blends include Cajun Blackening spice blend which is simply
rubbed into meat or fish before grilling or frying for a traditional Cajun
‘blackened’ appearance and flavour.
Cajun spice blend is a spicy mix of over 10 herbs and spices, which is used
to season gumbos and jambalayas. It is also delicious used in stir-fries or as
a rub for meat or fish.
Whatever Cajun cooking takes your fancy, be sure to finish off your meal
with a hot cup of Café Brulot, an authentic cajun after-dinner spiced coffee
liqueur drink with a big kick!
We hope that these suggestions have tempted you to cook with
Cajun spices and if you would like any further assistance or inspiration, then
please don’t hesitate to contact us.
cajun seasonings