Is Gumbo an influence of the African culture, European, Creole or what?

All of the above. The name Gumbo is a derivative of the African word for Okra, which is used as a thickening ingredient in many gumbos.

Through your redirection as a world class chef, and the travels associated with your seasonings, which culture or country that you’ve visited stands out in your mind in relation to outstanding flavors and seasonings?

That’s a tough question because I love all foods. Three of my favorites are Singapore, Turkey and Mexico.

I’ve never cooked carbonara before and was wondering what sort of ingredient is "Half and Half"? I have not seen it on the shelves of the Australian supermarkets.

A liquid of half heavy cream and half milk.

My daughter is trying to find a recipe for hot wings. One that doesn’t make your lips feel like you have been to the dentist. One with flavor so that the meat of the wings can be tasted. Any help or suggestions?

Following is my recipe for Buffalo Chicken Wings.

BUFFALO CHICKEN WINGS
(Makes 16 appetizer servings, 3 pieces to a serving)

24 chicken wings (see Note)
10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon cayenne (see Note)
3 tablespoons Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Poultry Magic^®
2 cups vegetable oil

Remove the chicken wings from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature. If they’re cold, the butter will congeal and won’t coat the wings evenly.

Melt 5 tablespoons of the butter with 1½ teaspoons of the cayenne in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Cut the chicken wings into 3 parts at the joints. Discard the tips or use them for another purpose, such as making stock. This will leave 2 meaty parts per wing for this recipe. Place the wing pieces in a medium mixing bowl, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the Poultry Magic , and add the butter/cayenne mixture. Work the butter and seasonings into the wing pieces, distributing the seasonings as evenly as possible.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat to 375°, using a cooking thermometer or an electric skillet to be sure the oil’s temperature is maintained. When the oil reaches 375°, add as many wing pieces as will fit easily in a single layer. Fry until they are brown, about 4 to 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet over low heat. Add the remaining Poultry Magic and cayenne, cook until the butter starts to brown, then remove from the heat. When all the wing pieces are cooked, put them in a bowl and pour the hot seasoned butter over them, then toss until the chicken is coated.

Serve immediately with blue cheese dressing, Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Magic Pepper Sauce^® and celery sticks.

NOTE: Some stores now sell chicken wing "drumettes", already cut to make this and similar recipes. If you use drumettes, you’ll need 48 of them.

NOTE: If you want a milder tasting finish, simply cut back on the amount of cayenne.

What spices do you suggest I use when making spiced port jelly, and how do I incorporate the spices in same?

Use chile flakes that are large and are medium hot in temperature (crush with seeds into pieces that are about the size of a green pea). Add 1 tablespoon of the crushed chiles to a pint of jelly when it is warm. Let it cool then add or subtract for taste. My choice for chiles would be half Anaheim and half Arbol.

I have been a fan of yours for years and you have been an inspiration in my career. What I want to know is the story behind the blackening process and how it got started?

I created the blackening cooking method, using an intensely hot cast iron skillet, to try to capture the taste of fish or meat cooked directly over an open fire.

Blackening changes the texture of fish and meat and provides a building of natural tastes that can’t be duplicated any other way. Butter and herbs and spices are key elements. They allow blackening to reach its ultimate potential by forming a barrier between the food and the very hot skillet. And, the extreme heat evaporates the surface juices of the fish or meat; this keeps the food literally suspended slightly off the skillet, which makes the surface of the buttered and seasoned fish or meat taste sweet.

The blackening process concentrates the outer fibers into a crust and accents the taste in the same way that the reduction of a stock or of cream accents taste. Inside, blackened fish and meat are wonderfully juicy and tender because the blackened surfaces have sealed in the juices.

I want to slow cook a bear quarter. It weighs about 20 pounds. What is a temperature I will be cooking it in the oven?

I don’t cook bear, but it is probably like beef. Slow cook at 195º or 200º. Follow the normal meat temperature gauge setting to test for doneness. A suggestion would be to sprinkle Meat Magic (one of my Magic Seasoning Blends of herbs and spices) on the outside of the bear and rub it in well with your hand. It will add lots of flavor to the meat. Also, the seasonings mixed with the juices of the meat add a wonderful taste to gravy made from the drippings.

What is your opinion of farm raised alligator versus wild alligator? Any flavor differences? Is there any special trick to get rid of the chewiness?

The taste of wild alligator will be affected by whatever the alligator eats versus farm raised alligators that are fed a controlled diet.

To get rid of the "chewiness," you can try pounding the meat between two pieces of wax paper until it is thin. Then sauté or fry it quickly . If you are breading the meat before frying, the meat and the breading should be seasoned. Try using Meat Magic on the meat and in the breading mixture.

Do you have a recipe for Snapper Oscar?

No.

For years I have followed your career. I have several of your cookbooks and have used your products. Now I have my own seasoning company and I am working on my first cookbook. My home is only 1 hour from New Orleans. However, I have also lived in and worked in the North. Do you have any advise to help me avoid any of the pitfalls you experienced while building your seasoning business?

Hire good people, treat them well, pay them fairly and you will have loyal employees.

I was recently at a friend’s home for dinner and we were served crawfish. I was told to rip off their heads and suck out the juice. Is this traditional? The thought made me ill. Any suggestions on a quick way to prepare them as an appetizer?

Yes, it is traditional to suck the juices out of the crawfish head. The heads contain fat from the crawfish and combined with the seasonings used in the water to boil them makes the juices taste great! Below is my recipe for Crawfish Popcorn With Sherry Wine Sauce

Cajun Popcorn With Sherry Wine Sauce
Makes 12 appetizer servings

It’s very important to cook this as quickly as possible and not below 350º, so the seafood will be crisp but not overcooked.

2 eggs, well beaten
1-1/4 cups milk
½ cup corn flour (see Note)
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Seafood Magic®
2 pounds peeled crawfish lump tails,
peeled small shrimp or crabmeat (picked over)
Cooking oil for deep frying
Sherry Wine Sauce (Recipe follows)

Note: Corn flour is available at many health food stores and is highly recommended. If not available, substitute white flour.

Combine the eggs and milk in a small bowl, blending well.

In a large bowl combine the flours, sugar and Seafood Magic , mixing well. Add half of the milk mixture and whisk until well blended, then thoroughly blend in the remaining milk mixture. Let sit 1 hour at room temperature (to let the flour expand).

Heat 1 inch oil in a large skillet or deep fryer at 370º. Coat the seafood with the batter and fry in batches in the hot oil until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes total, turning once or twice while cooking. (Adjust heat to maintain oil’s temperature as close to 370º as possible.) Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with Sherry Wine Sauce on the side.

Sherry Wine Sauce
Makes about 1 cup

1 egg yolk
¼ cup catsup
3 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 teaspoon Creole mustard (preferred) or brown mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Magic Pepper Sauce®
½ cup vegetable oil

Place all ingredients except the oil in a food processor or blender; process about 30 seconds. With the machine still running, add the oil in a thin steady stream; continue processing until smooth, about 1 minute, pushing the sides down once with a rubber spatula.

Copyright © 1984 by Paul Prudhomme

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