My second cookbook will be available for sale sometime in the fall, it’s theme is quick and easy Cajun and Creole recipes. A majority of the recipes can be made in 30-minutes or less, or in 1 pot only, or both. There are several recipes that take a bit longer or require more than 1 pot, but they too are worthy of inclusion in the cookbook.

Look out for it soon on Amazon.com.

This is a sneak peek into one of the first recipes in the book from the breakfast chapter.

Cafe Au Lait and beignets are a treat at Cafe du Monde, and now you can make these tasty, deep-fried morsels in the comfort of your own home. Bread flour is the key to a delightful beignet because it has a higher protein content- near 12 percent more than all-purpose flour. The extra protein allows the dough to produce more gluten, which gives it body, strength, and elasticity.

Ingredient list

2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3⁄4 cup warm (110°F) water
1 packet active dry yeast

1/⁄2 cup evaporated milk
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups bread flour, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 quart peanut oil
1 1⁄2 cups powdered sugar

Steps

1.In a medium bowl, dissolve the granulated sugar in the water. Sprinkle with the yeast and allow it to develop, forming small bubbles, for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the milk, egg, and salt and blend well. Add 2 cups of the flour and stir to combine well. Stir in the butter, then stir in the remaining 11⁄2 cups flour. Trans- fer the dough to a floured work surface and knead until the dough is smooth.
3. Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl, cover with a dish towel, and allow to rise at room temperature for about 2 hours, until doubled in size.

4. When ready to fry the beignets, heat the oil in a deep fryer, large Dutch oven, or large saucepan to 350°F.
5. Meanwhile, with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough on a floured work surface to a 1⁄4-inch thickness. Cut the dough into 3-inch squares.

6. Fry the dough squares in batches in the hot oil for about 2 minutes per side, turning them when they are light golden brown.
7. Once fried, drain the beignets on several layers of paper towels. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with the powdered sugar while still hot, and enjoy immediately.

In tribute and remembrance of my mother, Martha Boudreaux, her cooking legacy will live on with this small collection of recipes which include some of our family favorites.  These meals were in and out of the family meal rotation for many years, growing up and eating these delights, I knew we had it good because I asked my parents to open up a restaurant. My mom said “Heh, no way! Its way too much work, but you can open one!” I was just 11 years old then, and her words of wisdom rang true just 10 years later upon my acceptance into the Culinary Apprenticeship Program at Delgado Community College the Fall of 1983.

Please enjoy this small collection of 7 recipes that I’ve put together, the first PDF document contains a booklet format with six recipes, which I’ll be handing out printed copies to 25 guests at her memorial service this Saturday. The other PDF is an extra recipe that was not added to the booklet due to my rush to get the booklet to print in time for our trip to New Orleans. The Lagniappe recipe (a little something extra) is the Cauliflower Salad recipe, which always went well with the Garlic Stuff Pork Loin Roast.

Enjoy and Bon Appetite!

Recipes from the Kitchen of Martha Boudreaux (PDF, 815K., 4pp.)

Cauliflower Salad Martha Boudreaux (PDF, 164K., 1p.)

From the kitchen of Martha Boudreaux

Martha Boudreaux walking with Ben down the steps at Wanda’s backyard wedding.

This recipe is as close to my mom’s that I can approximate, both Monique and I agreed that with a few subtle changes this base recipe would be the same one-pot meal that came out of Martha Boudreaux’s kitchen in Algiers, in the New Orleans Westbank. Similar to the Southern favorite Hoppin’ John, with the addition of the black-eye peas, this jambalaya version is packed full of flavor with a rice dressing or dirty rice quality that makes us come back for seconds, or thirds! The fresh parsley and green onions added at the end lend a freshness to the dish, setting it apart from a general jambalaya recipe.

In memory of my mother and her recent passing, Martha Boudreaux’s kitchen legacy lives on with this dish prepared in our kitchen, and yours too, as I share with you our rendition of this classic recipe.

While downsizing and sorting through boxes I found the photo (above) of my mom Martha Boudreaux, and our son Ben which was taken during my sister Wanda’s wedding which took place in her backyard on Farragut Street in Algiers many years ago.

Black-eyed Pea Jambalaya

This is my mom Martha Boudreaux’s famous drunken shrimp recipe. It is famous in my mind because back in the late 1970’s there were several young holy Mormon’s riding their cycles in the neighborhood. One Saturday my dad Joe and I were working in the yard when the two blessed men approached us telling about God and their devout story. My dad invited them to dinner one night during the week. Mom decided to make her drunken shrimp recipe since it would feed a large table of guests and maybe some leftovers too.

The afternoon before the dinner, mom made a point of telling Wanda and I not to mention that the shrimp was cooked in beer. Given that they had taken a sanctified vow not to partake of alcohol, coffee, and other vile things, they should not know about the alcohol in the recipe. It was our little inside joke, and it was all I could do not to tell them how wonderful the shrimp was because of the special secret ingredient. They loved the shrimp, and I must have had one of those huge grins from one ear to the other once they professed how much they loved the shrimp and potatoes.

There is one modification I would make to the recipe, I would add a touch of Worcestershire Sauce in with the beer and stock in step 1, maybe a couple tablespoons, it’s one of my secret ingredients in most soups and sauces that I prepare.

With tribute to my mother, Martha Boudreaux, and her recent passing on December 14, 2017, this is her Drunken Shrimp recipe that I now share.