| The Vegan Cajun Traditional favorites, veganized |
| Cajun food presents a difficult challenge when it comes to veganizing recipes heavy with game, seafood, and rich sauces and gravies. But with a little imagination, a little bending of the rules, it can be done. Here are a few favorites, without the meat, dairy, or eggs. |
| Cajun or Creole? The Cajuns were ex-patriates from Nova Scotia--Acadia--who came and settled in the marshes and swamps of Southern Louisiana. They brought their French heritage with them, but quickly adapted to local surroundings, influenced by the Native Americans, African and Caribbean slaves, and later, the Spanish. Today's Cajuns are descendents of these adaptable people. They live in South Louisiana, but their influence is felt all over the state, and their cuisine is appreciated all over the world. Though Cajun food has become trendy, and may be served in fine restaurants, true Cajun food has its roots in the simple country folk of South Louisiana. The word Creole refers to a mix of French and Spanish culture, and is predominant in the cuisine of New Orleans, a city founded by the French, and ruled by the Spanish for many years. It reflects a more "uptown" influence, a citified and refined taste. The rich sauces of etouffees, the aptly-named "Creole," and many of the delicate pastries sold on the streets of New Orleans are Creole in origin. Adapting the cuisine of the Cajuns and Creoles to a vegan diet may be considered a sacrelige, yet the results are no less exciting than their original counterparts. The spices and techniques remain the same, it's only the saturated fat and cholesterol that have been deleted. |
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| Recipes: Blackened Tofu Cajun Tofu Burgers new! Creole Courtboullion Creole Sauce Creole Seitan Dirty Rice The un-dirty version! Fried Eggplant Galatoire Gumbo Jambalaya A spicy rice dish with tempeh Macque Choux A rich corn stew Muffulettas A unique New Orleans sandwich Mushroom Etouffee Okra and Tomatoes Pan Perdu (lost bread) New Orleans French Toast Pecan Mushroom Sauce Red Beans and Rice (quick version using canned beans) Red Beans and Rice (longer version using dried beans) Stuffed Mirlitons (Chayote squash and filling) Sweet Boulettes Sweet potato balls Vegetarian Creole Lagnaippe: How to Make a Roux Cajun Seasoning Mix Good Stuff: Beignets Calas King Cake - a link to Kittee's King Cake recipe Pralines |
| Notes on ingredients: Cajun Trinity: Onions, bell peppers, and celery, the basis of most Cajun stews and casseroles. Cayenne Pepper: Small, red peppers used in powdered form. The heat ranges from "slightly hot" to "too hot to eat" depending on the peppers and the manufacturer. Gumbo File powder is powdered sassafras leaves. It has a slight tea taste, and is added to gumbo as it's served to thicken it. Normally, either okra or file powder would be used as a thickening agent, but I like the taste of both. Lagniappe: French for "a little something extra." Refers to a small morsel the chef would add to a dish. (Also the name of the Louisiana Tech yearbook.) Mirlitons: Pronounced "mill-e-tons" or "mirl-e-tons", mirlitons are grown and used widely in South Louisiana cooking. Known as "chayote squash" in other parts of the country, mirlitons are light green and pear shaped. Roux: a mixture of equal parts flour and oil, cooked until it reaches a certain shade of brown, ranging from blond to almost chocolate. Also referred to as "Cajun napalm" because it causes severe burns if it splatters onto the skin while cooking. Authentic pre-made roux is also available in jars from many Louisiana groceries. Tabasco sauce: A hot derivitive of cayenne peppers, made by the McIlhenny family on Avery Island, which is also a bird sanctuary. |
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