Baptist Dad

I'm from South Louisiana, so I can cook even better than I can preach...

 That isn't really saying much, but my cooking mentors include my mother and grandmother, Justin Wilson, John Folse, Paula Deen and Alton Brown.  Some were in person, and some were on TV; you have to decide for yourself.  My mother had a catering business when I was a teen, but even before that, she had me helping with the menudo and tamales every Christmas and New Year's Holiday.  (Did I mention my Mom is Texican?)

When people hear I am from Louisiana, they always ask me to cook either gumbo or jambalaya. Once in a while I get to make a seafood boil, or a prime rib, but mostly Gumbo and Jambalaya.  In fact, I cook those two things so much, I have jokingly adopted the nickname "Jambalaya Jacques!"  Here are some of my favorites for you. 

 Enjoy! and Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler--Amigos!

Easy Beignets for Saturdays!

This is not the way my mom makes beignets, we always got the mix, but a very nice French lady that I used to work with at the Baton Rouge Hilton gave me this recipe 25 years ago, and it has proven to be the easiest and best beignet recipe I have ever had.  It is just as easy and twice as light as any other method or mix I have ever tried!  This is the perfect thing for all you other Baptist Dads to adopt as their Saturday Tradition—Making holiday breakfast for everybody!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes

Ingredients:

½ cup butter

1 cup water

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 eggs

Peanut Oil for deep frying

Confectioners’ sugar for sprinkling

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter in the water. Add salt and flour, and stir until a sticky batter is formed. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until the batter is smooth.

Heat the oil to 375F. Fry mounded tablespoons of dough, several at a time, for about 6 minutes.  (I like to use two spoons one to scoop and one to scrape)  They are done when they are light, puffy, and golden brown on each side. Drain them for a few minutes on a clean kitchen towel and serve warm, heavily sprinkled with the confectioners’ sugar.  If you are not a traditionalist and want to add a sprinkle of cinnamon, I think it makes it really tasty.

Funny note: in Paris I saw what I thought were beignets, and pointing to them, I asked for them by that name.  The waitress seemed irritated (It was France after all) and told me what I was pointing at were not beignets, they were “Pet de Nonnes" something to do with Nuns...

Jambalaya Jacques’s

 Lottie Moon Gumbo

• 1 ½  cup flour
• 1 cup cooking oil or
• 1 cup bacon renderings or
• 1 cup butter or
• 1 cup olive oil
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 lbs smoked sausage, sliced about 1/2" thick
• 2 lbs chicken meat cut up
• 1 to 2 cups sliced okra
• 1 large chopped onion
• 1 chopped green bell pepper
• 1 stalk chopped celery
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbs Cajun seasoning
• 1 tbs Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp dried basil
• boiled white rice

Preparation:

For roux, in a heavy 2-quart saucepan stir together flour and one of your four oil choices until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat til color is like peanut butter, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 15 minutes more or until roux is a reddish brown like chocolate. Let roux cool.

Cook sausage and chicken in a large stewpot.  Add chicken broth bring to a boil.  Add okra, onion, green pepper, celery, garlic, salt, green pepper, and seasonings. Cover and cook on medium for 1 hour Stir in roux 1 large spoonful at a time stirring til fully incorporated each time.  Stop when it seems right to you.  Simmer on low for another half hour. 
Skim off fat (if you want). Serve with hot cooked rice. 

I usually make a pot for church groups during the Christmas season. Something about this gumbo seems to make people want to make a generous gift to the Lottie Moon offering!

 Jambalaya Jacques