Mini Crab Cakes with Spicy Garlic Dipping Sauce
Garlicky Goat Cheese and Chive Spread
Strawberry, Basil, and Balsamic Crostini
Smoky Bacon and Crawfish Flatbread
Caramelized Bourbon and Thyme Onion Brie Bites
Cajun Pigs in a Blanket with a Tangy Mustard Brown Sugar Dipping Sauce
Ingredients:
1 (13-oz. can) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp. cumin
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
1 tbsp. tahini
¼–½ cup olive oil
vegetables for dipping
pita chips for dipping
Directions:
1. Combine black beans, cumin, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, tahini, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor and combine until smooth and creamy, starting with ¼ cup of olive oil and adding more if needed for consistency.
2. Refrigerate and serve with assorted vegetables and pita chips.
Mini Crab Cakes with Spicy Garlic Dipping Sauce
Makes 12 to 14 crab cakes.
Ingredients:
16 oz. lump crab meat
1 tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. dijon mustard
½ cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. old bay
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
juice from 1 lemon
2 tbsp. butter
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
Dipping Sauce
2 tsp. sriracha sauce
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, grated
Directions:
1. Combine Sriracha sauce, mayo, and grated garlic in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Combine crab meat, mayo, Dijon mustard, bread crumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay, salt, pepper, cayenne, and lemon juice in a bowl and then form small crab cakes.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and melt 2 tablespoons butter.
4. Add crab cakes and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown on both sides.
5. Serve with extra green onions and dipping sauce.
Garlicky Goat Cheese and Chive Spread
Ingredients:
4 oz. goat cheese
8 oz. cream cheese
2½ tbsp. chives, chopped
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
crackers for serving
Directions:
1. Bring goat cheese and cream cheese to room temperature.
2. Combine goat cheese, cream cheese, chives, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix until smooth and creamy.
3. Serve with assorted crackers.
A mixture of meat, rice, and spices, Boudin is piped into links similar to sausage. A classic appetizer found on many menus and homes in Louisiana is boudin balls like these, which will have your taste buds soaring!
Ingredients:
1 lb. boudin
½ cup flour
3 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs
salt and pepper
2 tbsp. parsley
2 tbsp. whole grain mustard
2 tbsp. mayo
1 tbsp. honey
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
2 green onions
1 cup vegetable oil
Directions:
1. Remove boudin from casing and add ¼ cup of flour and 1 egg and combine well.
2. Set up a station consisting of 1 plate flour, 1 plate bread crumbs, and a bowl of 2 eggs whisked well.
3. Season flour with salt and pepper.
4. Season bread crumbs with chopped parsley, leaving a bit extra.
5. Mix mustard, mayo, honey, cayenne, green onions, and parsley to make sauce. Set aside.
6. Form boudin into balls and toss lightly with flour, then dredge in egg mixture, and put directly into bread crumbs. Continue to do this until all boudin balls have been made.
7. Heat oil in the skillet to medium-high and add boudin balls. Cook on each side for 2 to 3 minutes until all sides have browned.
8. Sprinkle finished boudin balls with kosher salt.
9. Serve immediately with spicy honey mustard sauce.
Strawberry, Basil, and Balsamic Crostini
Ingredients:
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
baguette
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup ricotta cheese
cracked pepper
2 cups strawberries, sliced
¼ cup basil, julienned
Directions:
1. Heat balsamic vinegar and sugar over medium heat in a small pot until vinegar has reduced by half and is thick and syrupy, about 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Heat oven to 400 degrees and brush baguette slices with olive oil and bake for 5 to 10 minutes until toasted.
3. Spread ricotta cheese over top of the crostini, and crack fresh pepper over top.
4. Layer sliced strawberries over top and drizzle with balsamic reduction.
5. Sprinkle with julienned basil and serve immediately.
Smoky Bacon and Crawfish Flatbread
Ingredients:
1 cup warm water
1 packet dry yeast
3 tsp. honey
1 tbsp. + 2 tsp. olive oil
2½–¾ cup all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. kosher salt
6 slices bacon
½ cup marinara sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 lb. crawfish tails, cooked
4 green onions
3 tbsp. parsley
2 ears fresh corn
Directions:
1. Combine warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon honey in a stand mixer bowl. Let the yeast activate for 5 minutes until foamy.
2. Add in 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons honey, and half of the flour and turn the electric mixture on medium with the dough hook attached.
3. Slowly add salt and the rest of the flour until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the side. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a couple of minutes until you have a smooth ball.
4. Place in an oiled bowl and cover with a dish towel and let rise for 30 minutes in a warm area.
5. In the meantime, sauté bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, remove from pan, and set aside.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
7. After dough has risen, turn out onto the floured surface and punch down. Cut the dough into 4 sections.
8. Roll out each section until each is super thin. Don’t roll into a perfect circle; the more rustic the better here.
9. Heat a grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high heat and brush with olive oil. Cut kernels off of corn; set aside.
10. Place each flatbread onto the surface and grill about 2 to 3 minutes per side until dough is cooked and nice grill marks have been made.
11. Remove from the grill and spread a few spoonfuls of marinara sauce onto each flatbread, followed by the cheese, crawfish tails, bacon, and corn.
12. Bake each flatbread for 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly, if grilling indoors. If grilling outdoors, simply layer on toppings and close the grill after lowering the heat until cheese has melted.
13. Top with green onions and parsley before serving.
Cajun BBQ sauce is not your typical BBQ sauce. It’s sweet, spicy, and full of flavor and will be your new favorite sauce for any occasion.
Ingredients:
Cajun BBQ Sauce
1 onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
½ cup ketchup
1 cup water
¼ cup yellow mustard
3 tbsp. tomato paste
¼ cup worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Louisiana Hot Sauce
6 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
olive oil
1½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
Directions:
1. Sauté onions and garlic in vegetable oil over medium heat until tender.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and let simmer for 2 hours until sauce has thickened.
4. Preheat grill to medium heat.
5. Drizzle olive oil over chicken and then season with salt and pepper.
6. Grill the chicken on both sides for 4 to 5 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
7. Baste the chicken with the Cajun BBQ sauce once while cooking.
8. Spoon extra BBQ sauce over the chicken after it’s finished cooking, and sprinkle fresh parsley over top.
The classic muffuletta sandwich is known for layered Italian meats and an olive spread. These tiny takes on that classic creates the perfect party platter!
Ingredients:
1 loaf Italian bread
¼ lb. mortadella
¼ lb. ham
½ lb. Genoa salami
¼ lb. Coppa Ham or Capicola
10 slices provolone cheese
Olive Spread
2 cups olives, mix of green and kalamata
small jar marinated artichokes
½ cup roasted red bell peppers
2 green onions
2 garlic cloves
1 stalk celery
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. fresh flat leaf parsley
pinch red pepper flakes
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
Directions:
1. In a food processor, combine all of the olive spread ingredients and pulse until you have a coarse spread. Set aside.
2. Cut the Italian bread in half and slather the olive spread on both sides of the bread.
3. Layer cheese and meats on entire loaf of bread.
4. Place the top half of the bread onto the layered meats and then slice the sandwich into 3-inch square sliders.
5. Place a toothpick in the center of each slider to prevent the sandwich from coming apart.
6. Serve immediately, chilled or at room temperature.
Caramelized Bourbon and Thyme Onion Brie Bites
Ingredients:
1 large white or yellow onion
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. cracked black pepper
1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp. bourbon
1 tbsp. brown sugar
frozen mini phyllo cups
4 oz. brie, room temperature
Directions:
1. Peel onion and then slice into thin rings.
2. Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add onion to the skillet along with salt, pepper, and thyme.
4. Sauté for 20 minutes until onions are browned and caramelized.
5. Add bourbon and brown sugar to the onions and reduce the bourbon slightly.
6. Once bourbon has cooked out for a couple of minutes and brown sugar has melted, turn off the heat. Let the onions cool before assembling the phyllo cups.
7. Dollop a small spoonful of brie in each phyllo cup followed by a teaspoon of the caramelized onions.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly.
9. Serve immediately or at room temperature.
Ingredients:
½ lb. ground beef
½ lb. ground pork
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion
½ green bell pepper
1 stalk celery
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp. fresh parsley
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. Cajun Seasoning (see page 3)
1 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Louisiana Hot Sauce
½ cup beef stock
3 tbsp. flour
12 frozen empanada dough discs, room temperature
1 egg + 1 tsp. water
Directions:
1. Sauté ground meats in olive oil until browned. Remove the meat from the pan.
2. Chop onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic, into a fine dice. With the parsley, add to the same skillet that the meat was sautéed in and cook until veggies are tender, then season with salt, cracked black pepper, and Cajun Seasoning.
3. Add in Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce and let flavors combine, about 5 more minutes.
4. Make a slurry with the beef stock and flour. Pour into the meat mixture and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly to let the sauce thicken. Remove from heat and let cool.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
6. Slighty roll out empanada discs on a clean surface and fill each one with 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture.
7. Beat egg and brush edges of the dough before folding one side of the dough over to create a pocket. Press edges with a fork to seal.
8. Place filled empanadas onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush tops of the dough with more egg wash to ensure browning.
9. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until dough has cooked and is golden in color. Serve immediately.
You can always find something fun to do in Louisiana. Festivals, concerts, and parades happen throughout the year, and natives know how to celebrate. From the Petroleum and Shrimp Festival, to the Jazz and Heritage Festival, St. Patty’s Day parades, and of course Mardi Gras, you’ll never find a time when there isn’t something exciting to do.
The anticipation for Mardi Gras season starts immediately after the winter holidays come to a close. Mardi Gras parades run on a schedule for a couple weeks in various cities throughout Louisiana. Evidence of the season is made known with colorful beads stuck in oak trees and streets lined with last night’s treasures. Droves of visitors and natives alike come out to partake in the festivities. Locals work on stunning floats for months leading up to the parades, creating some of the most extravagant displays you can imagine. With the season comes Mardi Gras Balls, king cakes, and even schools that take a break from the classroom for a few days to be a part of it all.
In addition to Mardi Gras, there are also festivals of all varieties. Strawberry festivals, jambalaya festivals, music festivals, crackling festivals, and so many more. Scattered throughout the state, they are all unique. Most of the festivals are all-day events the whole family can enjoy together.
The amazing food found at any number of these events is half of the draw. I’m not talking about just normal festival and fair food that might be found in other states. Here, you can find Cajun food of all varieties including po’ boys, bowls of jambalaya, sausages galore, and anything else your taste buds desire. The pride that Cajuns take in their cooking is no different at a fair or festival than in the kitchen of someone’s home. You could (and should) try everything your stomach can handle if attending any of these events.
Louisiana has chosen to create celebrations out of the food and culture that have been around for decades. By embracing local foods like strawberries and rice, and music like jazz, the state has mastered the art of celebrating in a way that no other place does.
Ingredients:
1 lb. pork skins
4 cups pork lard or vegetable oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
1 tbsp. fresh rosemary
¼ cup parmesan, grated
Directions:
1. Place pork skins in a large pot and cover with water.
2. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 1½ hours until the skins are tender.
3. Remove from water and place skins on a cooling rack over a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours to cool completely.
4. Once the skin has cooled, scrape the extra fat off the skins.
5. Heat oven to 200 degrees and place skins in oven to dehydrate for 8 hours, until skins are dry and brittle.
6. To fry, heat lard or vegetable oil to about 400 degrees.
7. Fry a couple squares of skins at a time until they puff up.
8. Remove skins to paper towels to drain the excess grease off.
9. Combine salt, pepper, chopped rosemary, and parmesan in a small bowl.
10. Sprinkle the rosemary seasoning over top of the warm pork rinds and serve immediately.
Cajun Pigs in a Blanket with a Tangy Mustard Brown Sugar Dipping Sauce
Ingredients:
1 puff pastry sheet
1 tsp. flour
1 lb. andouille sausage
1 egg + 1 tsp. water
1 tbsp. poppy seeds
4 tbsp. whole grain mustard
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Roll out thawed puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface.
3. Cut vertical strips in the puff pastry about 2 inches wide, across the entire piece of dough, and then cut those strips in half once more. You will have 4 (12-inch) strips of puff pastry.
4. Slice andouille sausage at an angle in 12 pieces.
5. Beat egg and water in a small bowl and brush on one end of each strip of puff pastry with the egg wash.
6. Place a piece of cut andouille sausage in the middle of each strip of puff pastry.
7. Fold over the non-egg washed side first, then fold the egg-washed side over on top and press to seal.
8. Brush the tops of each pig in a blanket with more of the egg wash and sprinkle poppy seeds over top of each one.
9. Bake for 15 minutes or until puff pastry is golden brown.
10. While the sausages cook, whisk mustard, brown sugar, and vinegar together in a small saucepan and heat slightly to melt the brown sugar. Place in a small bowl to serve alongside the pigs in a blanket.
