Hard Times Cookin'

Growing up in LaFourche Parish, Louisiana, meant two things: you're gonna learn to cook in lean times, and you're gonna learn about boats.

When people think about Cajun cooking, the first two things that come to their mind are gumbo and red beans and rice. They've never heard of hot dog spaghetti and they sure don't know how to make sausage from rice.

For you, dear Reader, that changes this week with seven easy, quick dishes that will keep your money in your pocket while keeping your tribe well fed.

The Cajuns learned long ago that, when times get hard and money for food gets scare (today, maybe?), buy rice. Rice is a staple in southern Louisiana, partly because it's inexpensive, partly because it's so versitile. 

Show a Cajun a rice paddy and he can tell you exactly how much gravy it'll take to cover it.

Gumbo takes forever, right? And you've got to be an expert to keep from burning that...whadda ya call it...that roux? Restaurants (and most Cajuns) want you to think that. Here's a recipe, though, that makes a rustic chicken and sausage gumbo on the cheap in half an hour.

You've still got the chicken stock from the last post, and the cajun seasoning, right? Okay, put some stock in a pot and get the rice cooking. Use one quarter cup of uncooked rice per person and one half cup stock per quarter cup of rice. It should boil in two minutes or less, then turn the heat down to low and cover it.

Two minutes are gone. Only twenty-eight to go.

Put two tablespoons of oil into a medium-sized sauce pan and turn the burner up to medium high. When the oil gets hot enough to run easily, add two tablespoons of whole wheat flour and stir until the flour is broken up and mixed in.

Keep stirring, but watch:  when the flour begins to bubble, stop stirring. Add one half teaspoon of Kitchen Bouquet or other browning sauce and stir only until the browning sauce is thoroughly mixed in. Then add some coarsely chopped medium onion, some coarsely chopped green pepper and some coarsely chopped celery (the kids can pick it out if they don't like it). Add one teaspoon of onion powder, one half teaspoon of celery salt. Cook, stirring slowly, for five minutes on medium high.

Stir until the veggies are covered with the flour mixture. Twelve minutes, so far.

Pour in twelve ounces (1-1/2 cup) of chicken stock. Stir until the flour is blended into the stock; it should be thin and dark. Add a tablespoon of that Cajun Seasoning. 

Turn the burner up to high. You're gonna need it hot for what's next.

Use scissors to cut up a pound of smoked sausage (summer sausage; there's a dozen brands.) into 1/4 inch thick pieces, at an angle so that they look like slightly elongated cookies. Scissors are easier to manage than a knife and not as dangerous (they can be used for most veggies, too). Add the sausage to the pot which, by now, should be boiling.

Add one chicken thigh for each person. Leave the bone in if you want a rustic gumbo, or remove it if not. Leave it on high, boiling away until the chicken turns white on the outside. Then reduce the heat to medium until the chicken is cooked all the way through, about 15-18 minutes. 

Gumbo is a thin soup. Add chicken stock to keep it that way.

A creole gumbo (like you get in New Orleans) is almost the same; the chicken is boned and it will likely have diced tomatos mixed in. Since "gumbo" is a West African word for okra, it may have sliced okra, too.

Hank Williams fans may wonder what "file" gumbo is. File (pronounced "fee-lay") is ground sassafras leaves. If you can find file, sprinkle a tablespoon over the top of the gumbo five minutes after you add the chicken.

Serve the gumbo over the rice, with french bread on the side.

Step back and listen to the applause. 

Portion control: one quarter onion per person. One chicken thigh per person (remember yesterday's post?). About two or three inches of smoked sausage per person.

Use one green pepper no matter how many people are eating and use one stalk of celery: celery and green pepper give off their essential taste easily, so having more people eating doesn't mean adding more (expensive) veggies; it just means you cut them into smaller pieces.

That's all for now. See ya' around the watercooler!

-Chrissie

Tomorrow:  Red Beans, Anne Rice.