HE FRUGAL GOURMET THE BLENDING of many wonderful ethnic backgrounds has given us the famous Cajun and Creole food of New Orleans. Both these styles have French roots, but with incredible influ- ences from all the other cultures ia the area. 1 suspect that the major dif- ference between Creole and Cajun is like that found between French city cooking and country-peasant cooking. The Cajuns moved to the country and brought their country cuisine with them, while the Creole kitchen of the rich planters is much closer to a grand cuisine. The whole of the city has been influenced by the Spanish sense for high seasoning, African cooks, and allspice from the West Indies. Haitian, American Indian and German cooks also contributed to the collage we cali New Orleans. The following dishes are typical ef the fare served in restaurants all over the city. SHRIMP ETOUFFEE (Serves 5-6) The idea of cooking a sauce for hours does not appeal to most Canadian home cooks, but this is the only way a proper etouffee can be made. The name refers to “‘smothering’’ the seafood with a heavy sauce, and it is certainly heavy. This method of cooking has its roots in Creole cuisine and if you take the time to prepare this dish properly you will be very proud of Mushrooms add inquisitive SUE WILSON ANNE GARDINER NEWS photo Paul McGrath CREOLE AND Cajun cooking are influenced by the many cultures that make Louisiana thei’ home. your Creole skills. 3 tablespoons peanut oii 3 tablespoons flour 1 yellow onion, peeled and chop- ped Ya grees sweet bell pepper, seeded and chopped . 3 ribs celery, chopped 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 3 tablespoons tomate paste 1% cups fresh or canned beef broth lcup dry white wine 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon whole basil leaves 1 teaspoon whole thyme leaves 1 tablespoon plus %2 teaspoon Tabasco % teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon sait 4 green onions, chopped 1% pounds shrimp, peeled (these need to be uncooked, and about 35 to 40 per pound) % cup chopped parsley Cooked rice Heat a large Dutch oven and add the oif and flour. Toast this to a peanut-butter-colored roux. This should take about 15 minutes over medium heat. Be careful not io burn this. Stir often. Add the yeliow onion, bell pep- WHEN WAS the last time you gave mushrooms more than a cursory glance at the produce counter? Common white mushrooms are truly extraordinary — and they’re not even vegetables. Mushrooms are edible fungi, whose unusual cousins are moulds and yeasts. White button mushrooms are supermarket standbys because ihey cultivate easily and sell well. Like vegetables, mushrooms are products of the soil. But unlike Most of our produce, they don’t contain the green coloring com- plex chlorophyll so they are un- able to use the process of photosynthesis to manufacture food. fustead, mushrooms get their food directly from devaying per, celery and garlic. Saute for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the tomato paste, followed by the beef broth and wine. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens. Add the remaining ingredients, except the shrimp, parsley and rice. Simmer, covered, for about 45 minutes. Add the shrimp and parsley and simmer for 20 minutes, un- covered. Serve over cooked rice. PICKLED PORK This method of curing pork started simply as a method of preservation, and it became a nec- essary part of the complex flavors of the French Quarter. The meat can be purchased in New Orieans in any market, but those of us in the north are bound to make our own. This recipe is from a wonderful resource book by John Mariani called The Dictionary of American Food and Drink. Y2 cup mustard seed T tablespoon celery seed 2 tablespoons Tabasco 1 quart distilled white vinegar 1 bay leaf 1 tablespoon kosher salt 12 peppercorns 6 cloves garlic, peeled and crack- ed, not smashed 2 pounds boneless pork butt, cut into 2-inch cubes Combine everything except the pork in a stainless-steel pan and boil for 3 minutes. Cool and place in a refrigerator container (plastic, glass or stainless steel) and add the pork. Stir to remove bubbles. Cover and refrigerate for 3 days. REP BEANS AND RICE (Serves 6-8) A woman who was born and raised in Louisiana sent me this recipe. It is a wonderful variation of a New Orleans classic. I pound red beans, soaked over- night 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped 1 bunch green onions, chopped 7 cloves garlic, peeled and chop- ped fine Y2 cup chopped parsley 1 rib celery, chopped Ya cup ketchup T green sweet bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspeuns Tabasco 2 whole bay leaves 992 -- North Shore News - 53 SSE RNs PEER SE RSE AIS 1 teaspoon whole thyme leaves Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 pound smoked sausage, cut in l-inch pieces i pound pickled pork (recipe above), cut into i-inch cubes and sinsed Cooked rice Drain the beans. Put them in a 6-quart heavy pot and add 3 quarts of fresh water. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, or until the beans are tender. Watch that the water docs not boil down too far. The beans must be covered with waiter at all times. Add the rest of the ingredient:. except the cooked rice, to the pot and more water to cover, if need- ed, Simmer, partially covered, for 1 to 1% hours or until the liquid has thickened. Serve over the cooked rice. PASTA WITH OYSTERS AND SHRIMP (Serves 4-5 as main dish) The important thing here is the cooking of the roux. It is this dark flour-oil mixture that gives the dish its color and its depth. 2 tablespoons peanut oil 1 mediuin yellow onion, chopped 2 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon anchovy paste 1% pints half-and-half 2 shots Tabasco i teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 14 teaspoon whole thyme leaves 1 pint small oysters 1 pound shrimp, raw and peeled (32 to 40 per pound) Salt aud freshly ground black pepper to taste ¥: pound cooked pasta 4 green onions, chopped, for gar- nish Heat a large frying pan and add the oil. Stir in the flour and cook this mixture unti! it is the color of light peanut butter, being careful not to burn it. Add the onions and saute until limp. Stir in the anchovy paste and the half-and-half, stirring carefully with a plastic whip to avoid lumps. Turn to a light sim- mer and add the Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce and thyme, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the oysters and shrimp and heat for a few minutes. Do not overcook the seafood. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve over the hot pasta. Garnish with chopped green onion. spark to flavor of foods organic matter. They do need warmth, but without chlorophyll; they don’t need sunlight, so mushrooms thrive in dark places. in mushroom farms, conditions are carefully controlled so no undesirable organisms con- taminate their growing areas. In the wild, mushrooms «re often found near the roots of trecs, such as oak or elm. Here nature engages in the darter system. The mushroom extracts ready-made sugar from the tree routs, and in exchange provides the tree with minerals such as phosphorus. The web-like underground mycelium, made up of a mass of fine, cottony threads, is consid- ered to be the body of the fungus. These threads produce esnzymes that break down organic matter into forms mushrooms can absorb as food. The above-ground portion that we call the mushroom is actually a fruiting body, or structure of reproduction, much like an apple on a tree. Instead of seeds, mushrooms carry spores. As the gills of the mushroom cap unfold and flare, the spores are carried by the wind, or are deposited nearby. Once picked, mushrooms keep best covered with a damp cloth or in a paper bag which allows ven- tilation. ecause mushrooms respire rapidly, their moisture condenses if stored in plastic bags, making the surface slimy and hastening spoilage. Mushrooms keep only three or four days in the refrigerator and should be cleaned just before us- ing with a damp cloth or soft brush. As mushrooms absorb moisture easily, any contact with water should be brief. And it’s not just your imagina- tion that mushrooms seem to add spark to the flavors of other foods. Mushrooms are high in glutamic acid, so indeed they are a natural flavor enhancer. Some cyoks are passionate about wild mushrooms, legendary spring morels and chanterelles come fall. Before gathering any, however, make sure you can posi- tively identify the edibic kinds. Some varieties have look-alikes with potent toxins; mistakes can be deadly. For most of us, it’s wiser to buy the cultivated exotic mushroom varieties such as shitake, oyster or enokitake now often sold in specialty niarkets, it’s spring. Time to try the rich, earthy flavors and unusual tex- tures of new varieties. Expesi- ment. And be charmed anew by mushrooms.