Herbs for Cajun Food

Crawfish are seasoned with herbs in Cajun cooking.

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Cajun food is influenced by the culture of three different locations: France, Acadia (a region in Canada) and the United States. It has developed into a famous cooking style in Louisiana. Cajun food emphasizes the use of local ingredients as opposed to exotic dishes. Because the food is prepared without much work, only a few herbs are added to dishes. Cayenne pepper, bay leaf, parsley, thyme, oregano and sassafras are common herbs in Cajun food.

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Cayenne pepper, a spicy herb from the pepper plant, is used in jambalaya. Jambalaya, in contrast to gumbo, is made with rice, meat and anything else you want to throw in. The saying "everything but the kitchen sink" certainly applies to jambalaya. The pepper makes it spicier than some other Cajun dishes. Etouffee and crawfish also use this herb for flavoring. Cayenne pepper is used to season the crawfish or other seafood that is then added to the etouffee.

Bay Leaf

Bay leaves have a minimal use in Cajun cooking but are important in seasoning crawfish and can be used in a roux. The leaves maintain their shape and flavor well through a long cooking process, so they are often added to the water to boil crawfish or simmered in a roux.

Parsley

Parsley is a leafy herb that is added to several Cajun dishes for a fresh flavor. Etouffee adds a crisp bite of parsley to this thick roux-based dish and is then paired with "dirty" rice. Some cooks top white rice with etouffee, but dirty rice is the Cajun preference. Dirty rice, which is rice cooked with bits of chicken giblets for flavor, is usually garnished only with parsley but it does add a hint of extra flavor.

Oregano & Thyme

Oregano and thyme can be used for etouffee or in a slow-simmering roux. Less common than other herbs, oregano and thyme are used sparingly in Cajun cooking. A golden brown roux is common in Cajun cooking but if you are choosing to make a darker roux, such as for etouffee, these herbs add warmth and flavor.

Sassafras Leaves

Sassafras leaves are used to make file. The file is a thickening agent that is added to a roux, which is then used in gumbo. Note that gumbo, unlike jambalaya, does not mean randomly tossing stuff in. Okra is also commonly used to thicken, and the sassafras herb can be combined with the okra. The use of sassafras in Cajun cooking became more prominent through the influence of the Choctaw Indians.

ReferencesReal Cajun: Rustic Home Cooking From Donald Link's Louisiana; Donald Link et alThe Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine; John D. FolseChef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen; Paul PrudhommeHerbs & Spices: The Cook's Reference; Jill NormanPhoto Credit Jupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Getty ImagesRead Next:

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