Posted by Daily World, LA on September 30, 2009 at 12:32:34:
Cooking it old school
By Judy Bastien • jbastien@dailyworld.com • September 30, 2009
If there is a piece of cookware that is symbolic of Cajun cooking, it's the iron pot.
The old cast iron pot has been used by mothers and grandmothers and great-grandmothers to smother steak and chicken and make sauce piquantes and fricassés for generations. Some cast iron pots have passed down from one generation to the next generation of cooks in a family.
That was one of the reasons organizers of the 64th annual Yambilee Festival decided to hold its first-ever Yam Black Pot Cookoff.
"We were looking for a different venue to make more money," said Robbie Sebastien, president of the Yambilee Association.
Black pot cooks can make any entrée for the competition. It can beef, seafood, chicken, rabbit or a more exotic recipe, like the turtle sauce piquante Sebastien's brother, Stephen, recently whipped up in anticipation of the contest. As a side dish, he made Filet Minyams, a recipe he got from a friend.
Stephen Sebastien, one of 11 siblings, is a respiratory therapist. His culinary education mirrors that of many southwest Louisiana men.
"I'm always cooking at the camp with my brothers," he said.
Neither brother will be competing, but just about anyone else is eligible to enter. Contestants may enter alone or in teams of up to four members.
The rules are strict. All food must be cooked in a black pot on site — no pre-seasoning or pre-cooking. Each contestant must provide all the ingredients, which must include 10 pounds of the meat, chicken or seafood to be prepared.
In addition to the main dish, a side dish containing yams is required.
The final requirement printed on the official rules is absolute: "Bribing or poisoning of judges is prohibited."
Opelousas Black Pot Turtle Sauce Picanté
6 pounds turtle meat
2 medium onions, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 cup green onion tops, chopped
1 cup parsley, chopped
7-8 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 cans (14 oz.) Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies
2 cans (8 oz.) tomato sauce
4 tbs roux
1/2 cup Sherry
Cajun seasoning mix (Chacheré or Zatarain's)
Parboil the turtle meat for 10-15 minutes.
Pour off water.
If the meat is from a young turtle, you can omit the parboiling.
Season the meat with Cajun seasoning mix.
Add a small amount of grease or margarine to a heavy-walled cast iron or aluminium pot. Heat the pot. When hot, add the turtle meat and brown over high heat until deep brown and until some of the browning sticks to the bottom of the pot.
Stir constantly.
After the meat is browned, remove from pot.
Add onions, bell pepper and garlic and sauté until wilted in the brownings.
Add the meat back to the mixture.
Add Worcestershire sauce, stewed tomatoes, Rotel and tomato sauce. If needed, add water to cover the meat.
At this point, you can add a couple of tablespoons of store-bought roux so that the tomato flavor is less distinct.
Cook with the pot covered under low heat so the mixture simmers (lightly boils).
Keep adding water so the meat stays barely covered. You need to simmer long enough so the distinctive tomato saucy taste is cooked down to smooth tomato base flavor and the meat is tender.
Taste and add more Cajun seasoning (or salt and pepper) to taste.
Add 1/2 cup Sherry and cook 30 minutes.
When almost done, add the chopped green onion tops and parsley.
Serve turtle meat and sauce piquante over cooked white rice. Enjoy.
Source: Damian Frilot
Filet Mignon Yam
5 yams
1 stick butter
1 pack of bacon
1 pack of brown sugar
Parboil yams for 20-30 minutes or until soft. Once cool, peel yam skins off and slice yams into 3 inch rounds. Take the bacon slices and put into brown sugar. Wrap bacon around yam slices and use a toothpick to hold it. Add a pat butter on top
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place yams in black iron skilet. Cook 30 minutes or until bacon crisps.
Source: Alice Morrow
Cornbread Noiré
4 cups corn meal
4 eggs
1 1/3 cups milk
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup of cooking oil
Mix dry ingredients together and add beaten eggs, milk and oil. Mix well.
Place in 400 degree oven in black iron skillet greased with oil. Bake 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Shake pot from time to time to make sure center is not Jello like.
Source: Stephen Sebastien
Pour off water.
If the meat is from a young turtle, you can omit the parboiling.
Season the meat with Cajun seasoning mix.
Add a small amount of grease or margarine to a heavy-walled cast iron or aluminium pot. Heat the pot. When hot, add the turtle meat and brown over high heat until deep brown and until some of the browning sticks to the bottom of the pot.
Stir constantly.
After the meat is browned, remove from pot.
Add onions, bell pepper and garlic and sauté until wilted in the brownings.
Add the meat back to the mixture.
Add Worcestershire sauce, stewed tomatoes, Rotel and tomato sauce. If needed, add water to cover the meat.
At this point, you can add a couple of tablespoons of store-bought roux so that the tomato flavor is less distinct.
Cook with the pot covered under low heat so the mixture simmers (lightly boils).
Keep adding water so the meat stays barely covered. You need to simmer long enough so the distinctive tomato saucy taste is cooked down to smooth tomato base flavor and the meat is tender.
Taste and add more Cajun seasoning (or salt and pepper) to taste.
Add 1/2 cup Sherry and cook 30 minutes.
When almost done, add the chopped green onion tops and parsley.
Serve turtle meat and sauce piquante over cooked white rice. Enjoy.
Source: Damian Frilot
Filet Mignon Yam
5 yams
1 stick butter
1 pack of bacon
1 pack of brown sugar
Parboil yams for 20-30 minutes or until soft. Once cool, peel yam skins off and slice yams into 3 inch rounds. Take the bacon slices and put into brown sugar. Wrap bacon around yam slices and use a toothpick to hold it. Add a pat butter on top
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place yams in black iron skilet. Cook 30 minutes or until bacon crisps.
Source: Alice Morrow
Cornbread Noiré
4 cups corn meal
4 eggs
1 1/3 cups milk
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup of cooking oil
Mix dry ingredients together and add beaten eggs, milk and oil. Mix well.
Place in 400 degree oven in black iron skillet greased with oil. Bake 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Shake pot from time to time to make sure center is not Jello like.
Source: Stephen Sebastien
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