Friday, April 9 - Jambalaya OR Seafood Gumbo

MAIN DISH: Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya OR Seafood Gumbo

SIDES: Gumbo Boi Slaw and Garlic Bread

DESSERT: On the Canal Crepes (NO DESSERT) (EXTRA DESSERT)

That's right y'all, you get a choice this week OR get one of each!

Jambalaya

Jambalaya is a standard party food and is SO common in Louisiana that I am always surprised when I have to describe it. Some of the best Jambalaya cooks can be found tailgating at a college football game cooking over an open flame in a huge cast iron pot and stirring with a boat paddle. A jambalaya is a rice dish with chicken, pork and smoked sausage all cooked into a pot together with spices. Some will swear that putting tomatoes or tomato sauce in a jambalaya is a sin, but as with most cajun dishes everyone makes them different and that’s alright.

Seafood Gumbo

Gumbo is Louisiana’s official state cuisine and most people in the state make some version of it at home. But none of them are exactly the same. And no matter who you ask they will tell you that their grandma’s gumbo is the best. As with most cajun and creole dishes Gumbo uses The Trinity to create a base, but what gives gumbo and many other Louisiana dishes its distinct flavor is a dark roux. Gumbo Boi’s seafood gumbo uses gulf caught shrimp and Louisiana crawfish tails. And he also makes his own seafood stock to finish up making the dish truly unique and completely pescatarian.