NOTRE CUISINE ACADIENNE...

TITLE ROUX #1
(pronounced: roo)
HISTORY Thank God, we have a Cajun recipe... and appropriately so, it is a roux recipe. This one from my best Cajun friend, MizMo who says that "In the early days, a young man frequently asked three questions of a young lady before he proposed marriage. First, he asked "Who's your mama and daddy?" Second, he asked "Are you Catholic?" and third, "Can you make a roux?"
She continues: "Many Cajun meat and seafood recipes start with a roux, which can now be bought in a jar at the supermarket, but I guess I'd better tell you how to make one from scratch. She continues with the recipe below for roux.
INGREDIENTS
  • 1 cup of oil
  • 1 or 1-1/2 cups flour
  • PREPARATION Some people even make roux in their microwave oven, but the old-time way is to put 1 cup of oil (we used to use hog lard) into a black cast iron skillet and heat (just don't let it 'smoke'). Into this hot oil, sprinkle 1 or 1-1/2 cups of flour. Stir into a paste, and cook on low or medium heat, stirring constantly until it is the desired color.  My mother used to say for seafood gumbo, she liked her roux to be the same color as her wedding ring (gold), but I cook mine to a bronze hue. For meats, especially wild game, I prefer a darker roux.
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