Do you love meals containing lots of shrimp, crawfish, and andouille sausage? Are you a big fan of jambalaya, filé gumbo, boudin sausage, or crawfish pie? Then you need to try Cajun cuisine!
If you’re unfamiliar with Cajun cuisine, then we’re about to open your eyes to a whole new world. This article will work as your guide until you get your hands on a Cajun cookbook.
However, there are a few considerations to make when purchasing the right Cajun cookbook for you, including specific recipes you’d like to try (see also "Best Hannah Swensen Recipes To Try Today"), your skill level, how many recipes are included, and whether or not pictures are included.
With this in mind, this guide has provided you with everything you need to make the right decision when it comes to choosing the best Cajun cookbook.
Let’s get started.
Best Female Chef Cajun Cookbooks
When it comes to Cajun cuisine, essentially, it is a combination of a range of different cooking styles, including Spanish, West African, and French techniques.
Although, an integral component of Cajun cuisine is the ingredients. Generally speaking, the recipes are based on the ingredients found in the Louisiana area.
Below, we have outlined some of the most common ingredients you can find in Cajun cuisine:
Freshwater Seafood – Bass, catfish, yellow and white perch, etc.
Saltwater Seafood – Grouper, perch, trout, redfish, snapper, pompano, etc.
Meat – Chicken, turkey, goose, duck, pork (andouille sausage), dove, chorizo sausage, boudin sausage, hot link sausage, ponce, hog cracklings, salt pork, brawn, beef, tasso (ham, etc.), rabbit, snake, frog, alligator, etc.
Shellfish – Oysters, shrimp, blue crab, crawfish, etc.
Fruits and vegetables – Celery, bell peppers, scallions, onions, sweet potatoes, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, cayenne peppers, collard greens, parsley, tabasco peppers, blackberries, limes, strawberries, oranges, lemons, muscadines, etc.
Seasoning – Black pepper, oregano, garlic, chili pepper, bay leaf, onion, thyme, garlic, basil, cloves, marjoram, leek, sassafras leaf, curry, green mint, parsnip, chives, etc.
Grains – Corn, wheat, rice, etc.
When looking at the ingredients in Cajun cuisine, you can find the “holy trinity” of ingredients, including bell peppers, onions, and celery which can be found in most recipes.
Moreover, Cajun cookbooks contain a range of cooking methods, too. Below, we have outlined the most common methods:
Boiling – This is generally used for seafood, including crawfish, crabs, shrimp, etc.
Baking – This is typically performed with a furnace or an oven.
Deep frying
Pan-frying
Braising – Here, you’re combining wet and dry heat (for instance, searing and sautéing at high temperatures and then the remaining liquid at a low temperature).
Barbecuing and grilling.
Smothering – Here, you take a small amount of liquid and place it in a covered pot at a low temperature.
Before you begin cooking, make sure that you have all the equipment necessary before preparing all the required ingredients.
If you’re more of a visual learner, then you’ll love this illustrated way of learning with Mosquito Supper Club.
This cookbook details how to prepare each meal as if you have a one-on-one tutor at your side.
The author, Melissa M. Martin, is a self-taught chef who originally worked as a literacy teacher and expanded her culinary knowledge and skills by working in various restaurants.
This led to her being able to open up her very own restaurant in 2014: The Mosquito Supper Club.
Inside this cookbook, you’ll find a ton of recipes, step-by-step instructions on how to create all your favorite dishes, practical advice, beautiful photos, and stories.
If you’re looking to become a self-taught professional chef, then there is no better way than to learn from someone with first-hand experience.
In fact, Melissa helps to make your experience even easier by teaching you all the tips and techniques she wished she had known when starting out!
Growing up on the Louisiana coast, Melissa has lived in New Orleans for the last two decades – therefore, Cajun has always been a huge part of her life (Also check out other Female Louisiana Chefs We Adore).
You’re sure to be more than pleasantly surprised when you pick up this cookbook.
Pros:
Detailed step-by-step instructions.
Beautifully written.
In-depth history of the food and people of Louisiana.
Leigh Ann crafted this cookbook to help you gain newfound confidence in the kitchen, providing you with recipes and tips to make your favorite meals from scratch.
All the recipes outlined in this cookbook are delicious, stress-free, adjustable, quick to make, and family-friendly.
Designed with the modern cook in mind, this cookbook combines classic Southern recipes with modern-day techniques and dishes.
Here, you’ll find recipes ranging from brie pizza, jambalaya pot pies, Cajun spiced pork burgers, and spicy crawfish boil soup.
With each recipe, you’ll receive a fusion of Cajun ingredients with traditional flavors. As a result, you can enjoy everything you love about Cajun cooking with the whole family.
Shelley Marie Redmond, a culinary dietician, used her knowledge and experience to create Skinny Louisiana… In The Kitchen.
Here, she researched the methods of combining authentic and delicious flavors of Louisiana dishes with the principles of eating and cooking healthy meals.
For instance, she provides you with a list of pantry essentials and staples to help you whip up all your favorite meals. One tip includes using Greek yogurt as opposed to butter.
However, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy all your favorite hearty Cajun recipes with a healthy twist, these include jambalaya packed with all the flavors and spices synonymous with Cajun culture, as well as staples like crawfish bisque seafood pasta.
All the recipes outlined in the cookbook are easy to prepare, provide you with a ton of wonderful ideas, and turn out delicious each and every time.
This cookbook features the talents of various chefs, however, while each contribution is a stand-alone appearance, it is their friendship that creates a natural response to Southern cuisine.
It is their similarities and differences that make the book complete – creating a clear picture of Southern cooking. For instance, Peacock’s Alambama upbringing and Lewis’ Virginia roots in a small farming community.
Plus, throughout the book, you’re offered stories of traditions and people that help to shape each recipe.
This cookbook combines traditions from community cookbooks to civic and Junior Leagues groups from across the country.
The Southern Foodways has applied everything you know and love about the South thanks to contributions from great chefs and writers.
Some recipes include fan favorites from gumbo z’herbes and tomato pie to cornbread.
Here, they illustrate all the different micro-regions when it comes to the South cooking traditions and how these are all interlinked – like patchwork!
Pros:
Recipes are laid out clearly and straightforwardly.
If you’re looking for the perfect Southern cookbook then you have to try The Southern Living Ultimate Cookbook – it is an amazing resource to keep on hand.
In fact, it is packed with tons of delicious and fundamental recipes when it comes to cooking Cajun meals – making you feel confident in the kitchen with step-by-step instructions for over 120 recipes, ranging from sauces, salads, beverages, and soups.
Buyer’s Guide
Specific Recipes You’d Like To Try
Have you ever wanted to try gumbo, crawfish, or any other specific Cajun recipe? Then you’ll want to find a cookbook that can help you achieve this.
Skill Level
Depending on your skill level – whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned professional – you’ll want a cookbook that can accommodate this.
How Many Recipes Are Included
Different cookbooks can vary dramatically in the number of recipes they contain. Some can have 50 while others can include over 200.
Whether or Not Pictures Are Included
Pictures can be advantageous when you’re cooking a recipe you have never tried before – giving you an idea of what it is supposed to look like.
Final Thoughts
With the help of these cookbooks, you’ll be whipping up all your favorite Cajun recipes in the comfort of your own home.
If you’re looking for some of the best Cajun cookbooks, then you’ve come to the right place! Hopefully, this guide has informed you about everything you need to know about Cajun cooking, including the best female chef Cajun cookbooks(see also: 7 Female Chef Diabetic Cookbooks You Do Not Want To Miss).
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Cajun Cuisine?
Cajun cuisine is a type of cooking that originated in Louisiana. It is a combination of Canadian, French, Native American, and African influences.
I'm Barbara Hunt, the founder of WomenChefs.org. Being a mom of two, I understand the challenges of meal planning and the monotony it can bring.
That's why I created WomenChefs.org, a platform dedicated to showcasing the skills and delicious dishes crafted by amazing women. My goal is to provide a space where women can find delectable recipes that tantalize their taste buds and ignite their senses.
I hope you'll join me in exploring WomenChefs.org and discovering your next favorite recipe. Let's embrace culinary diversity and try something new together!
