What are Cajun Spices?

Cajun spices are bold spice mixes sometimes used instead of salt. Common ingredients are paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, oregano and thyme. Each Cajun seasoning blend is a bit different. Because the spices required are easily available, perfecting your own Cajun spice, with just enough heat, is possible.

History of Cajuns

Cajuns are descendants of French Canadians who in the late 1700s were driven by the British from the captured French colony of Acadia, which is now Nova Scotia and adjacent areas, and who settled in southern Louisiana.

Cajun vs. Creole

Spaniards governing New Orleans in the 18th century deemed all residents of European heritage Criollo. The name later became Creole. Cajun cooking is often confused with Creole cooking, both of which are full-flavored cuisines. The latter, which relies on great amounts of pork fat and is a combination of French and Spanish cuisines, is considered less sophisticated than the former, which emphasizes butter and cream. They both, however, rely on the "culinary holy trinity" of chopped green peppers, onions and celery.

Jambalaya

A traditional Cajun dish is jambalaya, "a versatile dish that combines cooked rice with a variety of ingredients including tomatoes, onion, green peppers and almost any kind of meat, poultry or shellfish," according to "The New Food Lover's Companion" (Herbst, 2008). The word jambalaya is thought to derive from the French jambon, which means ham, the main ingredient in the first jambalaya recipes. The recipe and its results vary from cook to cook. Cajun spices are used heavily in jambalaya.

Gumbo

Another recipe that relies on Cajun spices is gumbo. A creole specialty, gumbo "is a mainstay of New Orleans cuisine. It's a thick, stewlike dish that can have any of many ingredients, including vegetables such as okra, tomatoes and onions, and one or several meats or shellfish such as chicken, sausage, ham, shrimp, crab or oysters" (The New Food Lover's Companion). All good gumbos start with a dark roux made with butter and drippings of pork or beef fat that are cooked until golden brown, sometimes for almost an hour. This nutty-flavored base gives gumbo its unmistakable rich flavor. The name "gumbo" comes from an African word for okra, which is used to thicken the mixture.

Example Recipe

Combine the following ingredients in a small bowl: 3 tablespoons paprika, 2 tablespoons ground red pepper, 2 tablespoons dried thyme, 2 tablespoons dried oregano, 2 tablespoons onion powder, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon sugar. Store this Cajun spice mix in a sealed jar for up to three months.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Cookin Cajun Cooking School: Spices
• The New Food Lover's Companion, Sharon Tyler Herbst and Ron Herbst, Barron's, 2008
• Britannica Concise Encyclopedia