Bless Her Heart

Louisiana became a true melting pot of America..a melting pot consisting of African, French, Native American and Spanish influences. 

These influences blended to create a symphony of flavors that both tantalizes your taste buds and warms your soul. 

There are common ingredients in all three – aromatic spices, bold flavor and most likely a combination of meats and seafood 

All three of these dishes serve as a reminder of the resourcefulness and creativity of Louisiana cooks.  

These cooks adapted the recipes that they had brought with them to the simple ingredients available to them into the area…creating culinary masterpieces and establishing a sense of community. 

All three of these dishes acknowledge the “holy trinity” – onions, celery, and bell peppers – that serves as the aromatic foundation for countless Louisiana dishes. 

Recipes for etouffee, gumbo and jambalaya all begin with  sautéeing these vegetables to soften and release their flavors. These flavors resonate throughout the entire dish.  

Yet each of these three dishes boasts its own individuality..its own flavor profile, personality, preparation and texture. 

Etouffée 

The flavor profile of etouffee is different from that of gumbo and jambalaya. 

Personality: Etouffee is a thick, flavorful sauce usually ladled over a bed of rice. The sauce smothers the rice…kinda like spaghetti sauce smothers spaghetti noodles. 

In fact, the French word étouffée literally means “to smother.” 

Flavor: Etouffee typically has more texture and more spice than gumbo or jambalaya. 

Focus: The focus is on the sauce and seafood. 

Protein: Unlike gumbo and jambalaya, etouffee almost always features seafood such as crab, crawfish or shrimp….even though some recipes do feature chicken or sausage instead. 

Rice: The rice is cooked separately from the etouffee. After both the etouffee and the rice have finished cooking, the etouffee is poured over the rice. 

Roux: Etouffee uses a lighter-colored roux that is almost sweet in flavor. This lighter roux gives etouffee a subtle, creamy flavor. 

Gumbo 

Personality: basically a bunch of flavorful ingredients – meat, okra, onions, celery, bell peppers, seasonings and spices – simmered for quite a long time in a big pot of delicious broth thickened with file powder (dried sassafras leaves), a roux or okra 

The word “jambalaya” can be traced from a West African word for okra. 

Flavor: Gumbo has a complex and layered flavor profile that is both savory and satisfying. 

Bell peppers, onions and garlic are the “Holy Trinity of Cajun Cooking.” 

Bay leaf, paprika and cayenne are the Trinity of Cajun Seasonings. 

Focus: The thickness of the gumbo is a defining characteristic. 

Protein: one ore more of the following: chicken, ham, sausage, shrimp, crab, oysters, andouille sausage or even completely made of vegetables 

Rice: served over white rice or ladled into bowls and topped with a scoop of rice or a scoop of potato salad 

Roux: dark brown roux that has been cooked long and slow 

To make vegan: replace the seafood with mushrooms, artichoke hearts, or other hearty vegetables…use vegetable broth insread of seafood stock 

Use plant-based sausages, beans and a wide variety of vegetables – eggplant, squash, okra – to create a flavorful and satisfying meatless gumbo. 

Use vegetable broth and smoked paprika to help replicate the smoky flavor often associated with traditional gumbo. 

Jambalaya  

Personality: Jambalaya is a one-pot rice-based meal, much like the Spanish paella. 

Flavor: There is no fixed recipe for jambalaya. The recipe varies from region to region….and is based mostly on personal preference, giving the chef an opportunity to experiment and create combinations of their own 

Focus: The goal is to allow the flavors to meld together so that you end up with a harmonious blend of spices, meats and rice. 

Protein: usually andouille sausage or chicken…could also be seafood, pork or ham 

Rice: Rice is the star of jambalaya. 

The rice must be cooked directly along with the other ingredients so that the jambalaya absorbs the flavor and aroma of the meat, spices and herbs. 

If the rice is not cooked with the other ingredients, you’ll typically end up with something more akin to fried rice or a very weak gumbo. 

Roux: Jambalaya, unlike gumbo and étouffée, does not require a roux. In fact, the roux would pretty much cook out as the liquid simmers. 

Instead, jambalaya relies on the rice to absorb the flavors from the other ingredients. 

To make vegan: Use beans, lentils, or plant-based sausages instead of meat. 

Use vegetable broth instead of chicken or beef broth.  

• 1Tbsp vegetable oil 
• 1 1/2# boneless chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2Tbsp flour
• 2Tbsp butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1-1/2tsp dried basil
• 1 -1/2tsp Cajun seasoning
• 1tsp salt
• 1/2tsp pepper
• 1/4tsp cayenne pepper
• 14.5oz canned diced tomatoes
• 2-1/2C chicken broth
• 1-1/4C long-grain white rice

Saute: Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium high heat until hot. Add the chicken. Brown chicken on both sides. Set aside. Add the sausage. Brown sausage on both sides. Add to bowl with the cooked chicken. Reduce heat to medium. Add butter and flour to the pan. Stir well, scraping up any leftover browned bits from the pan. Add onion, garlic, celery, and bell peppers. Sauté three minutes. 

Season: Add basil, Cajun seasoning, diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, chicken broth and rice.  

Simmer: Bring mixture to a gentle boil. Add reserved meat to the pan. Reduce heat. Cover pan with fitted lid. Cook for 20 minutes. 

Serve: Remove from heat. Wait 10 minutes. Stir. Wait another five minutes before serving.