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Someone recently asked me, ”if you did not become a writer, what would you be?” An interesting list popped into my head. I would love to be an actress, a jazz singer, a police detective or an orchestra conductor. My No. 1 choice: I would love to own and operate an independent bookstore. If I chose any of the above, I would still be a writer. A writer is someone you are, not what you do.
One of my favorite pastimes is browsing in bookstores. I especially enjoy The Friends of the Free Library store. I pick up bargains galore. I recently discovered a 1967 copy of “French Cooking in the New World: Louisiana Creole and French-Canadian Cuisine” by Frances D. and Peter J. Robotti.
Old cookbooks are fun to read and are quite educational. You discover what was popular during certain decades and discover how cookbooks have evolved. The photography is not as up to snuff as in today’s versions because professional food stylists have a strong hand in the images.
The tragic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has prompted me to write about Creole and Cajun cuisines with recipes from “French Cooking in the New World.” Creole cuisine is a mix of African-American, Caribbean, Italian and French cuisines. Cajun is the French-Canadian cuisine of Louisiana. The holy trinity of onion, celery and peppers is featured in many dishes. Garlic and tomatoes also pop up frequently. In the past, I have given you recipes for jambalaya, shrimp Creole and gumbo. While perusing this book, I found interesting recipes using okra.
Eggplant with Okra and Tomatoes
Ingredients:
1 eggplant, cut in half lengthwise
1 teaspoon of salt
2 quarts of water
2 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup of celery, diced
1 green pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons of flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 can of Trappey’s okra and tomatoes
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of Mexi-Pep
1 tablespoon of mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of bread crumbs
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Boil the eggplant in the salted water for 15 minutes. Drain in a colander under cold water. Remove the pulp and set aside. Reserve the shells for stuffing.
In a large frying pan, melt the butter. Add the celery and green pepper and sauté for five minutes. Stir in the flour and the eggplant pulp. Cook for six minutes.
Combine the baking powder, okra, tomatoes, egg, salt, pepper, Mexi-Pep and mayonnaise. Add the mixture to the pulp mixture and stuff the two eggplant shells. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs.
Bake for 10 minutes under the broiler.
Serves four.
Note from Phyllis: Notice the authors do not tell you what size eggplant to use nor do they tell you what size can of Trappey’s okra and tomatoes to use. It sounds like a local Southern brand or a discontinued one. Use a 1-1/2-pound eggplant, chili powder and one 15-ounce can of stewed or chopped tomatoes. Okra is essential in gumbo. I would use about 1/4 pound of okra, which I would cook in boiling water until tender, for about 20 minutes. Cool them and cut into pieces.
Fried Okra Cajun
Ingredients:
1 pound of okra, washed, drained and wiped clean with a damp cloth
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 cup of saltine crackers, crushed
1-1/2 cups of Canola oil
Directions:
Season the okra with the salt and pepper. Roll the okra in the egg and then in the cracker crumbs. Fry for about 15 minutes in deep oil until delicately brown. Drain on absorbent paper.
Serves four.
Okra Succotash
Ingredients:
1 pound of okra, cut in half-inch pieces
3 tablespoons of fat
2 onions, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 pound of tasso or smoked ham, diced
1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 cup of lima beans, cooked
1 cup of corn
1 tablespoon of celery, minced
4 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of white (or black) pepper
Directions:
In a heavy pot, melt the fat and add the okra. Sauté for 10 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook for five more minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 20 minutes over medium heat.
Serves six.
Note from Phyllis: I assume the fat here is lard which is popular in the South. You may use Canola oil.
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