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Here's a poem from my book, Flowers of Shanidar, which explains how I cook, which also explains why I prefer to eat my own food rather than some other's food.The Thinking CookA man is what he eats
A man is what he thinks
A man cooks what he thinks
What he thinks while cooking
You can taste in the food.If he's thinking, "I'd rather be
skiing than cooking these french fries."
The french fries will taste like you'd rather be
skiing than eating his french fries.If he's thinking, "What a wonderful combination
of sausages, herbs, white rice, brown rice,
and wild rice to set before my friends
who will enjoy every bite,
His guests will savour every ingredient
and every bite.Be careful what you think about
when you're cooking
You and others will get to taste your every thought."The Thinking Cook" copyright 2003 by Bobby Matherne
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Many of these are Cajun dishes I ate inside of Cajun cottages just like the ones that appear on this page. I photographed these houses along Highway 1 between Thidodaux and Raceland, Louisiana. With Louisiana crawfish becoming indigenous to many parts of the world in the 21st Century, it will soon be possible to prepare these crawfish dishes wherever you live.
These are recipes that I only wrote down in order to share them with you, my Good Readers. Most of them were not written down until I decided to share them. I would be delighted to hear from any of you who use these recipes to good effect. If the recipe does not come out, just try it again. There was some aspect of the cooking that you need to pay attention to. The timing, the moisture content at the various stages of cooking, the amount of stirring (you can't stir too much, only too little), and many other aspects need attention, much more than I can communicate in a written recipe. I have added many photos to the recipes to aid you in visualizing the various ingredients, quantities, texture during cooking, how to serve food, etc. Just click on any underlined words or phrases of recipe to see photos, such as this one of Avocado Supreme.
I learned cooking at my mother's knee, literally. I was about five or six years-old and I couldn't even see the counter top yet, but I could smell and I could hear her chopping and stirring. Plus I could later taste the result. Those aspects are essential: chopping, smelling, and tasting, and these cannot be put into a written recipe except to call your attention to them as I do now.
A few more notes: some of these recipes are not Cajun dishes, but they are recipes prepared by, eaten by, and enjoyed by this Cajun. If you are not Cajun and prepare these dishes, I can't guarantee you will enjoy the results, but if you don't, I suggest you find a Cajun to help you by preparing the dish alongside you, and perhaps only then will you learn to cook like a Cajun. I put this caveat in so that perhaps you will understand what you eat in a Cajun restaurant may be horribly executed renditions which had little in common with what real Cajun food tastes like. Cajuns don't cook from a book, I guarantee! As a result every dish they prepare tastes good, because taste is the only consideration when a Cajun is cooking. The over-seasoning with spices and hot sauces is not real Cajun cooking, but a twisted and over-done version of Cajun cooking. If you see packaged versions of Cajun food, avoid them --- they will be over-spiced and made of dried ingredients you can get at the grocery yourself --- they will take away the control you have of making something taste good as you cook. If you see some restaurant or menu advertising "Spicey Cajun Cooking" do yourself a favor and avoid it! But, if you see a Cajun cooking the dishes, Mais, Cher! You is in for a treat! You will tell people about the food you ate, "Talk about good!" I guarantee!
Click on Recipe Name to View Completed Dish, on Date to View Recipe
Stone-Ground Bread: Burkhardt Bread, November 2002
Basis for Cajun Meals: Wild/Long Grain Rice Mixture, December 2002: Cook ,
Save, Reheat2003
Winter Soup: Grandma Del's Minestrone Soup, January 2003
Cajun Seafood Dish: Crawfish Eggplant Dressing, February 2003
Side Dish: Crawfish Leeks Tart, March 2003
Cajun Gumbo: Seafood Gumbo Filé, April 2003
Hearty Monday Meal: Quick Red Beans & Rice, May 2003
Hearty Supper: Eggplant Supreme — Served, — Done , June 2003
Lunch: Avocado and Cucumber Sandwich, July 2003
Appetizer or Light Meal: Artichoke Flowers, August 2003
Hearty Vegetarian Fare: Prima Vera Sauce for Spaghetti , September 2003
Exquisite Salad Mandala Salad — Prepared , — Served, October 2003
Thanksgiving Side Dish: Shrimp Stuffed Merlitons, November 2003
Turkey Dressing: Maman Audrey's Oyster Dressing, December 2003
2004
Cajun Specialty: Maman Nette's Green Beans and Potatoes, January 2004
Quick Lunch: Tamale Casserole, February 2004
Exquisite Soup: Iced Vichyssoise, March 2004
Seafood Dinner: CRESH - CRab-Eggplant-SHrimp étouffée(Shown Stuffed and over Rice), April 2004
Exquisite Salad: Avocado Supreme, May 2004
Salad: Maman Audrey's Avocado Halves, June 2004
Seafood Dinner: Butter Beans over Rice with Grilled Flounder Filet, July 2004
Summer Fare: Tuna Macaroni Salad, August 2004
Seafood Dinner: Baked Fish Casserole, September 2004
Large Group Entree: Redfish Courtboullion (koo-bee-yohn') or
Wild Game Sauce Piquante (pee-kahnt'), October 2004Seafood Entree: Shrimp Stew, November 2004
Appetizer: Guac This Way, Guacamole Dip, December 2004
2005
Winter Lunch: Split Pea Soup, January 2005
Winter Lunch: Borscht (Beet Soup), February 2005
Winter Lunch: Mushroom-Leeks Soup, March 2005
Winter Lunch: Brussels Sprout Soup, April 2005
Seafood Entree: Seafood Jambalaya, May 2005
Lunch: Redfish Courtboullion Sloppy Jeaux Sandwich, June 2005
Seafood Dinner: Salmon en papillote with Green Lima Beans and Rice (Shown with Baked Yam) , July 2005
Homemade Jam: Fig Preserves: Cooking and Canning, August 2005
Salad Dressing: Stilton Bleu Cheese Dressing ( Shown in Avocado Half) , September 2005
Hearty Meal: Crawfish Stew , November 2005
Dinner Casserole: Chicken Gloria , December 2005
2006
Holiday Drink: Egg Nog , January 2006
Breakfast: Eggs over Rice , February 2006
Seafood Entree: Red Snapper ala Robért (Crabmeat Topping) , March 2006
Cajun Specialty: Boiled Shrimp, Crab and Crawfish, Cajun Style , April 2006
June Treat: Louisiana Creole Tomatoes with Granma Del's Special Sauce , May 2006
Hearty Meal: Leeks-Crawfish Étouffée , June 2006
Breakfast: Leeks-Crawfish Omelette , July 2006
Seafood Dinner: Cresh, Simplified (CRab, Eggplant, SHrimp Étouffée) , August 2006
Dessert: Cherry Goop , September 2006
Dessert: Bartlett Pear and Lemon Curd , October 2006
Lunch: Lump Crabmeat in Avocado Salad , November 2006
Breakfast: Pain Perdu (French Toast) , December 2006
2007
Seafood Entree: Shrimp-Crabmeat Stuffed Eggplants , January 2007
Party Appetizer: Del's Ranch Dip & Veggie Tray , February 2007
Winter Meal: Artichoke-Oyster Leeks Soup , March 2007
Dessert: Sweet Potato Tart , April, 2007
Dinner: Quick Seafood Jambalaya , May, 2007
Dinner: Leeks Mushroom Rice Dressing , June, 2007
Special Treat: Oysters on the Half-Shell with Bobby Jeaux's Sauce , July, 2007
Decor/Healthy Snacks: Fruit Bowl Preparation and Use , August, 2007
Dessert: Strawberries Romanov , September, 2007
Hearty Meal: Leeks-Eggplant-Mushroom Red Beans Étouffée , October, 2007
New Year's Day Lunch: Blackeye Peas and Cabbage , November, 2007
Light Lunch/Supper: Smoked Salmon Sandwich , December, 2007
2008
Light Lunch: Vegetable Triage Stir Fry , January, 2008
Food Preparation: Preparing Parsley for Freezing , February, 2008
Light Lunch: Baked Sweet Potato , March, 2008
Dessert: Blackberries on Pound Cake , April, 2008
Dessert: Mom-Annette's Lemon Meringue Pie , May, 2008
Main Dish: Sautéed Orka with Asparagus Side , June, 2008
Lunch: Avocado Sprouts Sandwich , July, 2008
Light Dessert: Strawberries & Pineapple , August, 2008
Food Preparation: Deboning Redfish , September, 2008
Light Dessert: Brazilian Avocado Creme , October, 2008
Light Dinner: Grilled Tilapia/ Flounder with Asparagus , November, 2008
Dessert & Beverage Ingredient: Simple Syrup , December, 2008
2009
Light Lunch: Boiled Shrimp , January, 2009
Sandwich: Potato Salad Sandwich on English Muffin/Toast , February, 2009
Food Preparation: Peeling Navel Orange , March, 2009
Breakfast Dish: Maman Nette's Hot Oatmeal , April, 2009
Light Lunch: Grama Del's Tuna Fish Salad , May, 2009
Breakfast : Egg Muffin , June, 2009
Dessert : Maman Nette's Bread Pudding , July, 2009
Main Course : Pompano en Papillote , August, 2009
Main Course : Flounder Seafood Etouffee , September, 2009
Light Lunch or Side Dish : Eggplant Stir Fry , October, 2009
Dessert or Afternoon Treat : Mama Nette's Icebergs , November, 2009
Light Lunch or Side Dish : Crab Salad , December, 2009
2010
Christmas Cookies or Afternoon Treat : Grama Del's Oatmeal Cookies , January, 2010
Afternoon Tea or Snack : Rosie's Date Bars , February, 2010
Main Course: Grilled Salmon with Avocadoes , March, 2010
Main Course: Red-Bean-Eggplant Étouffée , April, 2010
Main Course: Crawfish Pasta Laurene , May, 2010
Light Lunch or Side Dish: Oysters-Artichoke Soup , June, 2010
Light Lunch or Side Dish: Cajun Stir-Fry , July, 2010 Side Dish: Sliced Cucumber Salad , August, 2010 Appetizer Plate: Cucumber Dip , September, 2010
Side Dish : Black Beans & Brown Rice , October, 2010
Side Dish : Pepper Medley , November, 2010
Hearty Winter Soup : Broccoli Soup , December, 2010
Hearty Winter Dish: Grama Del's Clam Chowder , January, 2011
Casserole Dessert: Pumpkin Crisp , February, 2011
Light Meal: Portobello Burger , March, 2011
Lunch or Appetizer: Crab Salad with Avocado&Egg , April, 2011
Side Dish: Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Rice , May, 2011
Dessert: Sunshine Cake , June, 2011
Dinner: Grilled Fish with Green Beans and Potatoes , July, 2011
Lunch or Appetizer: Crawfish, Crabmeat with Avocado , August, 2011
Post-prandial Liquor or Apéritif: Cherry Bounce , September, 2011
Breakfast favorite (updated): French Toast or Pain Perdu , October, 2011
Main Dish : Eggplant-meatballs & Spaghetti , November, 2011
Main Dish : Fortuitous Stir Fry , December, 2011
Light Lunch Dish: Sauteed Brussels Sprouts & Avocado , January, 2012
Super Bowl Gnoshing: Artichoke & Spinach Dip , February, 2012
Healthy Breakfast: Cinnamon & Honey Toast , March, 2012
Main Dish: Shrimp Creole , April, 2012
Lunch/Dinner: Eggplant Medallions & Green Limas over Rice , May/June, 2012
Cool Treats: Fruit Smoothie and Iceberg Cubes , July, 2011
Lunch or Appetizer: Grama Del's Grilled Cheese Sandwich , August, 2012
Breakfast for Kids of All Ages: Grama Del's Eggs-on-Toast , September, 2012
Breakfast or Brunch: Simple Omelet , October, 2012
Dessert: Icebergs , November, 2012
Appetizer: Shrimp Remoulade , December, 2012
Appetizer or Main Dish: Cream of Cauliflower Soup , January, 2013
Coffee Break Snack: New Orleans Beignets , February, 2013
Bread Sidedish: Poppa Frank's Cornbread , March, 2013
Nutritious Drink: Juicing from the Garden , April, 2013
Healthy Cocktail: Cranberry Sunrise , May, 2013
Appetizer or Light Meal: Steamed Artichokes , June, 2013
Appetizer: Crab Hors d'oeuvres , July, 2013
Warm Weather Soup: Grama Del's Cool as a Cucumber Soup , August, 2013
Tasty Onion Dish: Onion Casserole , September, 2013
Hearty Main Course: Okra Jambalaya , October, 2013
NO FAIL RICE STEAMING: Wild Rice and Long-grain Parboiled Rice , June, 2017
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