Having grown up in Grand Isle, LA, which is about 100 miles south of New Orleans, I have the audacity to comment on people’s misunderstanding of what this region’s cooking is really like. I’ve seen “authentic” recipes in magazines, cookbooks, etc. that would make the entire state of Louisiana scream with laughter.
Here’s the deal: “Creole” cooking is what you might find in expensive restaurants “in town”, which means New Orleans…..”blackened” foods fall into this category. True “Cajun” is what the grandmas cook. It is *not* necessarily drowned in cayenne or hot sauce. It is what we call “seasoned”, which is any or all of the following: garlic, onions, celery, bell pepper, thyme, oregano, basil, and the fabulous Tony’s Seasoning. Not saying that some grannies don’t make it hot…..
A Cajun friend of mine sent me this recipe, apparently well-loved by his family. I haven’t tried it yet, but it sounds heavenly to me.
Cook down your onions. Add pork chops and brown. Add some flour, garlic, salt, pepper and water. Stir and simmer. Add lima beans with bacon (canned). Add some water. Cook down, stirring, for 20 min. Add 1 cup water. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour, covered.
Note: I don’t know if limas with bacon in the can are available in all areas. You could fry a couple of slices of bacon, cook the onions in the fat, then add the bacon to the pot.
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