The process of planning Cajun meals is in no way hurried and entails a layering of flavors which allows each ingredient to preserve its personal identity.

The basis of planning real Cajun dishes like gumbo, sauce piquant and etouffee is the Cajun roux (pronounced ‘rue’). Great roux is neither undercooked nor overcooked. Undercooking will yield a much less complete-bodied taste and overcooking to the stage of being burned will yield a bitter flavor.

The French roux is usually a blend of equal elements flour and butter cooked progressively until bubbly and well blended, but not browned. The typical Cajun roux is a blend of equal elements of flour and excess fat, cooked collectively in a heavy pot more than higher warmth until a medium brown color is reached. Roux ought to be stirred constantly to quit burning. Some individuals choose a roux made with roughly one-fourth cup much more oil than flour.

Most frequently, when Cajun roux is called for, finely chopped onion and bell pepper is additional to the browned roux to arrest the cooking temperature and quit the roux from scorching. This stage begins the cooking of the preferred dish, this kind of as a gumbo or sauce piquant.

Components:

one cup vegetable oil

one cup all-goal flower

Planning:

Heat vegetable oil in a heavy Dutch oven or twelve-inch skillet more than higher warmth. When oil is scorching, consist of flour all at as quickly as stir or whisk to combine flour and oil. If necessary, use the back of a wood spoon to smooth out any lumps of flour. Stir or whisk constantly, until roux reaches preferred color (in between a peanut butter and mahogany color) and has a nut-like aroma. Recipe yields a scant one-one/2 cups of roux.

Recipe Notes:

(one) If little black or brown specks appear while planning roux, it has burned and ought to be discarded. A burned roux will give a bitter or scorched taste.

(2) Roux may be ready ahead – cover, refrigerate and use within one week.

(three) To put together additional roux for later on use, batches may be ready by growing oil and flour in equal quantities.

(4) Freezes superbly. (Freeze in one-cup portions for up to six months.)

(five) Caution: Be really cautious when stirring and handling roux throughout planning. With a temperature exceeding 500F, roux splashed on the pores and skin will stick and trigger a severe burn.

Preparing an real Cajun roux is not difficult as quickly as you know how. If you follow the over recipe exactly, you will be in a place to successfully put together a roux to equal that of any well-experienced Cajun chef.

Copyright: Janice Faulk Duplantis, 2005

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About the Writer: Janice Faulk Duplantis, author and publisher, currently maintains a web site that focuses on Simple Gourmand and French/Cajun Cuisine. (Go to Bedrock Press at http://www.bedrockpress.com) Janice also publishes 2 monthly complementary ezines: ‘Gourmet Bytes’ and ‘Lagniappe Recipe’ http://www.bedrockpress.com/subscribe.html