Black-Eyes and Dirty Rice, Orange Sugared Pecans

I have a real winner of a cookbook to review this week. It is Floyd J. Babineaux's Simply Creole Cajun cookbook from 1986. He's a local chef here in the Southwest as he is located in Irving, Texas. "Cajun" Babineaux, as he is known in the Dallas Metroplex, credits much of his cooking knowledge to fellow chefs from Dallas to San Fransisco to New Orleans who have shared their expertise, but his biggest inspiration was his mother, Mildred Babneaux from New Iberia, Louisiana.

Babineaux is fond of hunting and fishing, as well as cooking, so many of the dishes he prepares are from game that he has caught, himself! The recipes in this cookbook reflect his affinity for Cajun food and it is full of spicy and flavorful recipes.
Because Creole Cajun food is rather exotic by nature, you will find recipes for tripe, tongue, fried 'gator and turtle soup in this book; if you enjoy these foods you're in luck. On the other hand, if you're not excited about this list of delicacies, believe me, there are loads of other tasty recipes to get excited about. This is one of the most unique cookbooks that I've come across. The print date of 1986 means that you might not have trouble finding a copy. Its ISBN is 0-9616648-0-0 and it was published by Cookbook Publishers, Inc. of 2101 Kansas City Road, Olathe, Kansas 66061-1260. Good Luck!

There are so many good recipes in this book that it was hard to pick sample recipes so I went for something typically Creole:


P. 15 Black-Eyes and Dirty Rice

2 (15 oz.) cans black-eyed peas, pour off most of juice in can
1 stick margarine
1 C long grain rice
1/4 C water
1 can consomme soup
1 can onion soup
1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms (parts or buttons)

In large baking dish, lay stick of margarine. Pour cup of rice evenly around bottom of dish. Pour can of consomme and onion soup around dish. Pour black-eyed peas evenly in dish, then put mushrooms evenly in dish. Add water. Put in oven and bake 1 hour, uncovered at 350 degrees. Serves 4 to 6.


P. 159 Orange Sugared Pecans

Grate rind of 1 orange and squeeze out juice
Water and juice about 3/4 C
2 C sugar
3 C pecans

Cook sugar, water, orange juice and rind to soft ball stage. Add pecans. Turn off heat. Stir until pecans start sugaring. Pour out on waxed paper, separate and cool.

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