i have been making this concoction since 1985. and if i am not producing it for consumption in a restaurant or venue where it needs to be consistently the same every time, IT ISN'T! that is what i like about it most, it is totally convertible to whatever my mood may be, what i have on hand, or what is available (but really try your best to get the okra in there, it makes a big difference to the viscosity of the dish).
sometimes i moisten it up with stock and cream and then shuck oysters and clams into and eat it like a soup with a big chunk of garlic bread. at other times i put it on pasta or rice, and then at other times i use it for a sauce to garnish blackened fish or meat, preferably baby lamb chops (topped with a nice soft chevre and jalapeno chili jelly). and many times i simply stuff a big baked potato with it.
sometimes i dice everything very small, and other times i cut the pieces very large, and still at other times i puree it. sometimes i will flambe the veggies with pernod before adding the tomatoes and other wet ingredients, and, as i said before, i like to lighten it up with heavy cream. a good dollop of pesto is nice to finish it off, or simply a fresh grating of a good parmesan or grana cheese. cheddar will suffice if that is all i have.
the bottom line - this stuff is bullet proof, all purpose, all weather, anything goes cuisine. i think the only thing i have not put it on is breakfast cereal.
here is a slide show of me making a huge batch that i latter bagged up and froze (note the very handy thai style funnel shown in the last pictures - awesome gadget if you can find it). on this particular day i used chicken thigh meat and chorizo sausages. i think that no matter what is used, poultry, meat or seafood - you gots to have a good sausage in there to impart its special character to the mix.
like many tomato based foods this stew does well in the deep freeze, and it actually improves if not left for too long to hang out waiting to be defrosted and consumed.
following the slide show is the recipe for the cajun spice that i season it with.
this spice is also good for blackening ANYTHING, and also makes a great dash to put on some fresh popcorn along with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. right, fusion popcorn. note: have a lot of napkins handy.
you will notice in the slide show a picture of the spices used that day. the bag of taco seasoning contains many of the same spices and so i used it that day in lieu of the full compliment shown in the recipe below. whatever you choose to do, i am sure it will be just fine if you have most of the spices and herbs listed. experiment and come up with your own blend. i have recently gotten into adding chicken masala spice to do a sort of quick tikka with it. i blacken the meat or fish with the cajun/masala combo and then use a prepared curry sauce to moisten the dish.
as promised here is the spice and dry herb proportions to prepare a massive amount of cajun spice blend. i use this stuff for everything, so i make a lot at one time. i usually prepare the list in the right column, the one on the left is for when i am working in a restaurant. this is a great item to bag or bottle up and give to friends, i have met few people who do not like it.
Cajun Spice Blend
| Onion Powder | 50 | Grams | 25 |
| Garlic Powder | 50 | Grams | 25 |
| Paprika Powder | 50 | Grams | 25 |
| USA Chili Powder | 100 | Grams | 50 |
| White Pepper | 35 | Grams | 17 |
| Black Pepper | 20 | Grams | 10 |
| Cayenne Pepper | 30 | Grams | 15 |
| Salt | 20 | Grams | 10 |
| Basil Leaf | 10 | Grams | 5 |
| Thyme Leaf | 10 | Grams | 5 |
| Mustard Powder | 10 | Grams | 5 |
| Cumin Powder | 25 | Grams | 12 |
store it in air tight containers or tightly sealed plastic bags.
KEEP IT DRY!
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