SIDE DISHES

A collection of Cajun side dishes and seasonings.

TARTAR SAUCE
Paul Prudhomme

This is wonderfull!!

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 medium apple, peeled -- chopped finely
1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce -- optional for wimps
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Melt butter over high heat. Add the onions and saute about 1 min., stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking until onions are lightly browned, about 2 min., stirring frequently. Stir in apple; cook just until apples are tender, about 2 min., stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Transfer mixture to medium bowl of electric mixer. Add the remaining ingredients and beat on low speed until well blended. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

AUNT EDNA'S HOMEMADE CAJUN SPICE
from Cajun In the Kitchen

• 1/2 cup Paprika
• 2 tbsp. Cayenne Pepper
• 1 & 1/2tbsp. Garlic Powder
• 1/2tsp. Black Pepper
• 1/4tsp. Salt
• 1/2tsp. Basil
• 1/2tsp. Tarragon
• 1/2tsp. Thyme Leaves (ground)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Store spice in a jar with a lid.
Use seasoning to taste...for any recipe that calls for a Cajun Seasoning.

JUSTIN WILSON'S HUSH PUPPIES

2 Cups Cornmeal
Ground cayenne pepper
1 Cup Plain flour
2 Each Eggs, beaten
1 Teaspoon Baking powder
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Green onion, finely chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Soda
2 Tablespoons Bacon drippings, hot
1/2 Cup Parsley, finely chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic powder (to taste)
Deep fat for frying

Combine all dry ingredients. Add eggs, buttermilk, onions, and oil or bacon drippings. Mix well. Drop in deep hot fat by spoonfuls and brown on all sides. Now, I said above that this makes 48, I've never counted, so I don't know for sure. But it sure does make a bunch.
The main reason why I said 48 is because the program, MenuMaster, won't let you past that field unless you tell it something. Justin Wilson says, "Hush puppy is an old Southern term that originated after the Civil War. People didn't have enough for themselves to eat let alone feed their dogs, so when the old hounds started barking from hunger, they would throw pieces of fried corn bread to them, yelling, 'Shut up, dog! Hush puppy!"

FRESH CORN MAQUE CHOUX

• 2 medium red peppers, halved crosswise
• 6 ears fresh corn
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon TABASCO pepper sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

In skillet, steam pepper halves over 1-inch water 8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain; reserve. With knife, cut kernels off corn cobs (you should have about 2 1/2 cups). In skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter with oil. Add corn, onion, sugar and TABASCO sauce. Cook until corn is almost tender and starts to form crust on bottom of pan. Gradually stir in 1/2 cup broth, scraping up bits on bottom of pan. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter and cream. Cook 5 minutes longer, stirring frequently, until most of liquid evaporates. Remove skillet from heat.

DIRTY RICE
from Cajun in the Kitchen

• 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
• 2 & 1/2 cups chicken stock or chicken broth
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 6oz. chicken gizzards
• 6 oz. chicken livers
• 6 oz. pork
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)

Cook the rice in 2 cups of the chicken stock or broth . Reserve aside the other 1/2 cup of the stock or broth. Chop or grind gizzards, liver and pork and place in a large frying pan that has a cover. Fry the meat mixture in the butter until it loses its pink coloring. Add in the onion, celery, garlic, and peppers. Sauté together about 4-5 minutes. Pour in the reserved stock and add the cooked rice. Stir all ingredients together. Cover and simmer over a low heat for about 8-10 minutes - until liquid is absorbed.

CREOLE DIRTY RICE

by Chef John Folse

PREP TIME: 1 Hour SERVES: 6-8

COMMENT:

This dish is much better known in New Orleans than in the bayous. The name dirty rice was giving to the dish because of its dark color, once the liver and giblets are added. It is truly a unique Creole dish and definitely worth trying.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 pound chicken giblets
1/2 pound chicken livers
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup diced onions
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced bell pepper
2 tbsp diced garlic
1 cup chicken stock
6 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

METHOD:

In a small sauce pot, poach chicken giblets in lightly salted water until tender, approximately forty-five minutes. Once cooked, remove and cool. Using a sharp paring knife, chop the giblets into tiny pieces, removing all tough membrane. Set aside and reserve poaching liquid. In a large heavy bottom saute pan, heat butter over medium high heat. Sauce chicken livers until golden brown on all sides, approximately fifteen to twenty minutes. Remove chicken livers from saute pan and place on a chopping board to cool. Into the same saute pan, add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Saute until vegetables are wilted, approximately three to five minutes. Once vegetables are done, coarsely chop chicken livers and return with giblets to the saute pan. Add chicken stock and a small amount of the poaching liquid, bring to a low boil and cook until volume of liquid is reduced to approximately one fourth cup. Add cooked white rice, blending well into the meat mixture and garnish using green onions and parsley. Season to taste using salt and cracked black pepper.

PECAN RICE DRESSING

SERVES: 8-10 Servings

COMMENT:

The pecan rice dressing is found on most holiday tables in South Louisiana. It incorporates all of the best of bayou country: the seafoods, meats and nuts. It has been a tradition in our family for over 150 years.

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 chicken livers
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/4 pound butter
• 1 cup diced onions
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced bell pepper
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 2 tbsps diced garlic
• 1 pint select oysters and liquid
• 6 cups cooked white rice
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste
  
  METHOD:

In a small saute pan, poach chicken livers in lightly salted water until done. Remove and set aside to cool. Once cool, chop and reserve. Retain poaching liquid.

In a large heavy bottom saute pan, melt butter over medium high heat. Add ground beef and pork and saute until golden brown and grains of meat are totally separated, approximately thirty minutes. Add chopped chicken livers, onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic. Continue to saute an additional thirty minutes or until vegetables are totally cooked. You may need to add the poaching liquid from the livers to keep the mixture moist during cooking.

Add oysters and oyster liquid and continue to cook until oysters have almost cooked away. Chop oysters into the meat mixture as they cook. Add cooked rice, stir well into the mixture and garnish using green onions, parsley and pecans. Season to taste using salt and black pepper. Serve as a rice casserole or stuff a turkey or duck with this mixture.

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