I didn’t realize that Prudhomme started the blackened craze. Thank you for the information. My son’s favorite dish at the Cajun restaurant near us (very good and an oddity given that we’re in Michigan) is Blackened Catfish Lafayette.
I just discovered Baharat seasoning. I cheated and bought so but if you have a recipe I would be beholden!
Baharat is easy to create: In a small pan, heat 2 tsp coriander seeds,1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp whole cloves, 1 tbsp black peppercorns, ½ stick cinnamon, 1 tsp cardamom pods, shaking frequency, until they begin to smell. Once cool, grind them in a powder then stir in the rest and store in an with an airtight jar. Happy blackening!
Another fascinating and very readable essay, thank you Julia. If I ever visit the US again , New Orleans would be on my must visit list for the amazing food.
I must say, being a hopeless lowbrow, for me food is more of a lead in where I chose to travel than art galleries. And New Orleans is magical inso many more ways than its food.
My Cajun roots are legit, I recently learned from Ancestry.com, and my mother's side of the family most likely contained many Acadians. She grew up in the Bayou Country of Louisiana, and worked in New Orleans until she married my dad and moved to Ohio. Gumbo was a frequent menu item in our house; almost always available freshly made or in the freezer. That said (sorry to be lengthy), I have quite a collection of Preudhomme cookbooks. Thanks for this informative post and another great recipe.
You are clearly much more qualified than me to write about this. Thank you for not taking me to task but I hope you found no reason. The amazing thing about the US is that the nation is so vast it covers so many cultures that in Europe are enclosed in individual countries. Yet in the States, their customs and cuisines travel thousands of miles yet remain within a single country's borders.
My mother spent her childhood in Louisiana and carried with her a love of roux, gumbo and okra. She would say of her accent that she did not have an ahrrr (r) in her head! Oh the lovely memories—not blackened nor burnt—of K-Paul and his additions to New Orleans cuisine. Thanks for searing up old memories.
My son is home from college before law school and blackening stuff left and right. And my wife is burning candles with the same ferocity. I keep reminding him that he ought to try this outside on the gas grill - I don’t think he is going to hurt the cast iron. Never have tried it, though it is next up. Enjoyed this article immensely, brings back my best memory of New Orleans.
I laughed out loud at the image! I miss the beignets and the Cafe du Monde of New Orleans, along with the atmosphere and generosity of the people. Your son might be happy to take on the blackening of the chicken and leave you to consider a Sazerac.
I didn’t realize that Prudhomme started the blackened craze. Thank you for the information. My son’s favorite dish at the Cajun restaurant near us (very good and an oddity given that we’re in Michigan) is Blackened Catfish Lafayette.
I just discovered Baharat seasoning. I cheated and bought so but if you have a recipe I would be beholden!
Baharat is easy to create: In a small pan, heat 2 tsp coriander seeds,1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp whole cloves, 1 tbsp black peppercorns, ½ stick cinnamon, 1 tsp cardamom pods, shaking frequency, until they begin to smell. Once cool, grind them in a powder then stir in the rest and store in an with an airtight jar. Happy blackening!
This sounds yummy! Can you use it for barbecued fish?
You most certainly can. That's how it originated - with Paul Prudhomme's blackened redfish.
I definitely travel for the food Julia. Art galleries and museums are of interest too but the food is uppermost.
So I'm in good company 😅!
Another fascinating and very readable essay, thank you Julia. If I ever visit the US again , New Orleans would be on my must visit list for the amazing food.
I must say, being a hopeless lowbrow, for me food is more of a lead in where I chose to travel than art galleries. And New Orleans is magical inso many more ways than its food.
My Cajun roots are legit, I recently learned from Ancestry.com, and my mother's side of the family most likely contained many Acadians. She grew up in the Bayou Country of Louisiana, and worked in New Orleans until she married my dad and moved to Ohio. Gumbo was a frequent menu item in our house; almost always available freshly made or in the freezer. That said (sorry to be lengthy), I have quite a collection of Preudhomme cookbooks. Thanks for this informative post and another great recipe.
You are clearly much more qualified than me to write about this. Thank you for not taking me to task but I hope you found no reason. The amazing thing about the US is that the nation is so vast it covers so many cultures that in Europe are enclosed in individual countries. Yet in the States, their customs and cuisines travel thousands of miles yet remain within a single country's borders.
My mother spent her childhood in Louisiana and carried with her a love of roux, gumbo and okra. She would say of her accent that she did not have an ahrrr (r) in her head! Oh the lovely memories—not blackened nor burnt—of K-Paul and his additions to New Orleans cuisine. Thanks for searing up old memories.
I envy you for having experienced them first hand and presumably often. I'm pleased I reminded you of them.
My son is home from college before law school and blackening stuff left and right. And my wife is burning candles with the same ferocity. I keep reminding him that he ought to try this outside on the gas grill - I don’t think he is going to hurt the cast iron. Never have tried it, though it is next up. Enjoyed this article immensely, brings back my best memory of New Orleans.
I laughed out loud at the image! I miss the beignets and the Cafe du Monde of New Orleans, along with the atmosphere and generosity of the people. Your son might be happy to take on the blackening of the chicken and leave you to consider a Sazerac.
I am so endlessly enlightened and entertained reading your histories!
Such a generous thing to say! The same applies to me with your Substack, Cow We Doin'. Thank you - for both.
(And the recipe looks fantastic, as always!)
brill. Have tweeted it. xx