Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen

There was once a time when words like étouffée, tasso, and jambalaya were hardly known outside of the Cajun and Creole communities of Louisiana. Then along came Chef Paul Prudhomme, and all of that changed. Big enough to be his own force of nature, Prudhomme all but single-handedly turned Cajun cooking into a national food trend, changing forever the way many a cook thinks about spicing food. And Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen was the book that made it happen. But guess what? It's still happening, and so is the book!

Anyone looking for a primer on Cajun cooking need look no farther. Chef Paul takes the reader by the hand and opens up a world that includes four kinds of roux, Jalapeno and Cheese Rolls, Shrimp Étouffée, and the to-die-for Cajun Meatloaf. Good old-fashioned Red Beans and Rice and Sweet Potato Pecan Pie are not forgotten either.

Chef Paul tested all of his recipes in a home kitchen using common culinary tools--no professional equipment needed here. These are recipes that are high in spice, so remember to have a large vat of water on hand! --Schuyler Ingle

• The New Orleans Cookbook
• The Prudhomme Family Cookbook: Old-Time Louisiana Recipes by the Eleven Prudhomme Brothers and Sisters and Chef Paul Prudhomme
• Cooking Up A Storm: Recipes Lost and found from the Times-Picayune of New Orleans
• Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Tastes: Exciting Flavors from the State that Cooks
• Besh Big Easy: 101 Home Cooked New Orleans Recipes (John Besh)
• Chef Paul Prudhomme's Seasoned America
• Acadiana Table: Cajun and Creole Home Cooking from the Heart of Louisiana
• Gumbo Shop : A New Orleans Restaurant Cookbook
• River Road Recipes: The Textbook of Louisiana Cuisine
• Chef Paul Prudhomme's Fork in the Road