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Recs for Louisiana/New Orleans cookbooks
Posted on 1/23/25 at 9:48 am
Posted on 1/23/25 at 9:48 am
Looking for some good Louisiana/New Orleans cookbooks.
A couple of years ago I picked up Ryan Boudreaux's The Best of New Orleans Cookbook: 50 Classic Cajun and Creole Recipes from the Big Easy. It's good, but sometimes I feel like there are maybe some corners cut. For instance, in both his jambalaya and gumbo recipes he calls for parboiled rice. Maybe that's normal, but I thought that most of the time those recipes use regular rice. I know I'm being picky, but still...
I've enjoyed watching Kevin Belton's shows on PBS and I know that he has cookbooks to go along with them.
Just wondering what are some of the better options out there.
A couple of years ago I picked up Ryan Boudreaux's The Best of New Orleans Cookbook: 50 Classic Cajun and Creole Recipes from the Big Easy. It's good, but sometimes I feel like there are maybe some corners cut. For instance, in both his jambalaya and gumbo recipes he calls for parboiled rice. Maybe that's normal, but I thought that most of the time those recipes use regular rice. I know I'm being picky, but still...
I've enjoyed watching Kevin Belton's shows on PBS and I know that he has cookbooks to go along with them.
Just wondering what are some of the better options out there.
11
Posted on 1/23/25 at 9:50 am to PJinAtl
So many, but to limit to one suggestion, The Prudhomme Family Cookbook by Paul Prudhomme.
Posted on 1/23/25 at 10:19 am to PJinAtl
I've got 4 from New Orleans Chefs that i reference.
John Besh - My New Orleans
John Besh - My Family Table
Donald Link - Real Cajun
Isaac Toups - Chasing the Gator
Besh's books are really good. Link's is good too, but i wish there were more recipes. Toups is pretty good, but man that dude loves garlic. When i'm crafting a recipe, i typically take out those 3 cookbooks and see what they use and incorporate that in one recipe.
For instance, I wanted to bring my gumbo up a level. So i referenced Toups and Link's recipes. Link has a good spice mixture, Toups had some rcommendations on using beer to deglaze the pot after the roux.
Besh's books are big and beautiful. I made his pork rillettes a couple years ago and it was fantastic. I'm going to do it again, maybe this weekend but with a few tweaks.
Oh, i also use a lot of Emeril recipes i find online, and some John Folse recipes from his website.
John Besh - My New Orleans
John Besh - My Family Table
Donald Link - Real Cajun
Isaac Toups - Chasing the Gator
Besh's books are really good. Link's is good too, but i wish there were more recipes. Toups is pretty good, but man that dude loves garlic. When i'm crafting a recipe, i typically take out those 3 cookbooks and see what they use and incorporate that in one recipe.
For instance, I wanted to bring my gumbo up a level. So i referenced Toups and Link's recipes. Link has a good spice mixture, Toups had some rcommendations on using beer to deglaze the pot after the roux.
Besh's books are big and beautiful. I made his pork rillettes a couple years ago and it was fantastic. I'm going to do it again, maybe this weekend but with a few tweaks.
Oh, i also use a lot of Emeril recipes i find online, and some John Folse recipes from his website.
This post was edited on 1/23/25 at 10:20 am
Posted on 1/23/25 at 10:40 am to PJinAtl
Tons of good cooks like parboiled rice…but I don’t think they ‘like’ rice to start with.
Posted on 1/23/25 at 10:42 am to PJinAtl
Tom Fitzmorris’ cookbook is excellent.
Paul Prudhomme’s first one is a classic.
Can’t go wrong with those two.
Paul Prudhomme’s first one is a classic.
Can’t go wrong with those two.
Posted on 1/23/25 at 11:14 am to PJinAtl
The Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine (John Folse)
Not a cheap book but it is huge and everything is in there.
My dad always used Pirates Pantry cookbook which is more recipes from Acadiana and SW Louisiana
Not a cheap book but it is huge and everything is in there.
My dad always used Pirates Pantry cookbook which is more recipes from Acadiana and SW Louisiana
Posted on 1/23/25 at 11:21 am to geauxpurple
quote:
Paul Prudhomme’s first one is a classic.
Louisiana Kitchen. It's a "must have".
Posted on 1/23/25 at 11:44 am to geauxpurple
quote:
Tom Fitzmorris’ cookbook is excellent.
My parents gave me an autographed copy for my 30th birthday. One of my most cherished cookbooks.
Posted on 1/23/25 at 12:31 pm to PJinAtl
Haven’t had a chance to make anything from it yet, but I liked what I saw flipping through Chef Melissa Martin’s (Mosquito Supper Club) latest book “Bayou”.
Posted on 1/24/25 at 9:23 am to PJinAtl
Cajun Men Cook
Talk about Good
Talk about Good II
River Road recipes
Talk about Good
Talk about Good II
River Road recipes
Posted on 1/25/25 at 5:37 am to PJinAtl
Hackberry Rod and Gun Club cook book has some really good recipes that I’ve made over the years.
Posted on 1/25/25 at 6:35 am to PJinAtl
Commanders Palace w/ jaime Shannon’s is one of my go to books
As others have said River Road and Talk about good
Plantation Cookbook
As others have said River Road and Talk about good
Plantation Cookbook
Posted on 1/25/25 at 1:59 pm to Phideaux
I think this is an underrated cookbook. It's thin with short and simple recipes. You see it in gas stations along I-10 sometimes.
Posted on 1/25/25 at 3:37 pm to Tmar1no
quote:
The Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine (John Folse)
A friend loaned this to me last week. It is indeed an encyclopedia, lots of history and background in addition to recipes. It’s an exhaustive collection of recipes and they’re presented in a very simple manner.
My only knock is at times there are recipes with black text printed on images with dark backgrounds. And, it’s a monster. Has to weigh at least 5 lbs. There’s a lot in it.
Posted on 1/25/25 at 7:29 pm to PJinAtl
The two I highly recommend are
Talk About Good
Talk About Good II
both are Le LIVRE de la Cuisine de Lafayette
but here is a little antidote from back in 1986
I was on a trip up to DC from New Orleans to visit my sister, plus taking my kids to see all of the DC monuments and stuff
My sister worked for the Joint Committee on Taxation so she was able to show the kids a lot.
Now at this time there was no internet and no cell phones -- no Google
Well she decided to have a party , invited a bunch of her friends over for a Southern feast. She volunteered me to make Jambalaya. I had made Jambalaya a bunch of times for a small group but not for 15- 20people. I was worried that I would not get the ratio right ( of course back then I didn't think of that in those terms) - but I had to get it right.
There wasn't anything I could reference at that time - no TD food/drink board for ratios
What to do???
Well, I got into my car and drove to the nearest Barnes and Nobles Bookstore and pulled out The Prudhomme Family Cookbook by Paul Prudhomme and got the recipe
Made the Jambalaya that afternoon, but added another ingredient- Dill weed
Those DC people loved it.
You just cannot go wrong with Paul Prudhomme , the BOSS
Posted on 1/25/25 at 8:10 pm to PJinAtl
The one's I use the most often are
Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen
Donald Link Real Cajun
Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen
Donald Link Real Cajun
Posted on 1/25/25 at 8:22 pm to idontyield
River Roads 1&2
Cotton Country
Cotton Country
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