'Real Cajun' - Cookbook Spotlight

by Jacqueline Terrebonne, Posted Dec 14th 2009 @ 2:00PM

real cajun cookbook Photo: Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc.

'Real Cajun: Rustic Home Cooking from Donald Link's Louisiana.'
By Donald Link with Paula Disabrowe
Photographs by Chris Granger
Clarkson Potter 2009
Buy it on Amazon

Although Donald Link's restaurants, Cochon and Herbsaint, are located in New Orleans, these recipes are not the food of that city. Far from the touristy restaurants, his food comes from a place off the highways and byways that run along Louisiana's bayous. The book lives up to its title-serving Cajun food at its simple and rustic best. This collection is filled with family recipes that have been honed and perfected with the skill of chef but without losing site of how people cook at home.

In creating this book Link said he set out to "preserve a way of life and give people an idea of how it really is." He's repairing the misconceptions of Cajun food that came with the blackened craze that swept the country in the '80s, and his recipes demonstrate and explain the wide variations between Cajun and Creole.

Along with the recipes, he shares insight into Cajun traditions and the country cooking that can usually be made in just one pot and never requires any fancy kitchen gadgets. There are plenty of recipes that make wonderful week-night meals, such as the Post-K Meatloaf that separates the flavor base of brown sugar and a generous portion of bacon from the actual meatloaf. But the real magic happens in those recipes that call for hours at the stove-perfect for this time of year when the warmth of a simmering pot keeps away the chill.

Natchitoches Meat Pie. Reprinted from the book Real Cajun by Donald Link with Paula Disbrowe. Copyright © 2009 by Donald Link with Paula Disbrowe. Photographs copyright © 2009 by Chris Granger. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc

Takeaway tips: Creating a roux can take up to an hour to get a really dark brown. Since you can't stop stirring the entire time, it's a good idea to have a cold beer nearby. A vegetable oil-based roux has a more neutral flavor rather than a butter roux, so it's best for seafood gumbos. Link also gives a recipe for potato salad that goes with gumbo -- a Cajun custom never practiced in New Orleans.

Quality of pictures: These photographs go beyond mouth-watering shots of food. They give you a glimpse into a Louisiana lifestyle that roots itself in food at festivals, funerals and the family table.

What we tested: Fried Chicken and Andouille Gumbo (three times), Super Bowl Sunday Seafood Gumbo, Old-School Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya, Post-K Meatloaf, Creamy Potato Salad, Granny's German Chocolate Cake, Buttermilk Ice Cream.

It's hard to stop testing from this book. Every recipe is so tempting, and it's amazing to discover that you can create Cajun flavors at home without needing an abundance of specialty ingredients. The Fried Chicken and Andouille Gumbo is particularly worth testing and re-testing twice more. Starting with a deep dark roux made from leftover chicken-frying oil, this amazing recipe layers deep, spicy notes with full chicken flavor. Although the dish takes nearly five hours to complete, you won't regret a single minute of it.

Worth the investment: If you have an interest in Cajun food, this book is naturally a must. But these recipes are also a wonderful resource for anyone who is looking to taking a more economical approach in the kitchen without sacrificing taste.

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Tags: Cajun, Donald Link, gumbo, Louisiana, Real Cajun