Cajun Cooking at home

We had a different kind of meal last night at a friend's home - a New Orleans themed meal which was a first for us.  We visited New Orleans in the early nineties - it happened to be Halloween and our memories of the place were mostly of erotic costumes in rowdy parades down cobbled streets awash with beer.  It was fun - something I had always associated with New Orleans, in spite of the sombre stories coming out post Katrina.

But back to the meal.  Before dinner, I helped my hostess cut up the corn bread, and being a person who loves bread warmed up, I politely asked her if she would like to warm up the bread.  She said "no" and I  discovered the wisdom of that after we started the meal.

The jambalaya was delicious - rice with chicken, shrimp and the "holy trinity" of Cajun cuisine - bell peppers, celery and onion.  Made in a Le Creuset pot, it retained the moisture and the flavour of a ton of spices.  But the blackened chicken liver beat this hands down in terms of spiciness.  This is when I realized that the "cool" corn bread actually provided a nice soothing contrast to the hot spicy dishes that are the signature of Cajun cuisine.  It literally had a cooling effect - I must have doubled my bread quota for the day, as well as my wine quota.  The Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc was a perfect pairing for the spicy dishes and ample quantities were needed.  For spices typical of this cuisine, read this interesting article on Cajun cuisine.  

Delicious jumbalaya 

Blackened chicken liver in butter

Chorizo

Soothing corn bread to the resuce

Mellow George Dickel whisky and dark chocolate pecan pie with ice cream to finish the meal