Louisiana Cooking Terms

Much of the cooking in Louisiana is unique to the State. Also unique are some of the terms which apply to the ingredients or recipes. Some of the words used are noted here, along with a brief definition

Andouille
Cajun pure pork, highly seasoned smoked sausage.

Courtbouillon
Thick stew or soup made of fish and served over rice.

Crackling
Crisp fried pork skin with fat and a little bit of meat.

Etoufee
Smothered shrimp or crawfish and chopped vegetables.

File'
Powdered sassafras tree leaves used as a flavoring, usually on gumbo's.

Gumbo
Soup like mixture made with a roux and several typed of meats or seafood and served over rice.

Jambalaya
Mixture of different meats, seafood or poultry and vegetables and rice.  Usually highly seasoned.

Roux
Equal parts flour and oil cooked until very brown. Is used as the base for a lot of Louisiana dishes.

Sauce Piquante
Thick mixture (sauce) of roux and tomatoes highly seasoned and cooked low for hours.