So good, it’s even got its own song

Jambalaya is a dish designed to banish all thoughts of winter, and whisk you off to the bayou

STEPHEN HARRIS

they came to be known as “Cajuns”.

I first developed an interest in

Cajun food in the Eighties, when it became popular, thanks in part to the success of chef Paul Prudhomme. He had restaurants in New Orleans, where he developed popular local dishes into something more refined. These were often based on the “holy trinity” of onion, celery and green pepper, just as much French food is based on onion, carrot and celery. The Cajuns seem to have adapted their food to the locally available ingredients.

Cajun cuisine grabbed the attention of people around the food world, always on the lookout for something new. It was Prudhomme’s idea to develop a dish around the spiced “redfish”, which would traditionally be cooked on an open fire.

This became known as blackened fish and it caused a sensation, to such an extent that the catching of redfish had to be limited. The idea of deliberately allowing an ingredient to char and develop those bittersweet flavours has slowly made its way into many modern chefs’ repertoires. The idea reached its apogee with the new Nordic technique of burning leeks to make ash, which can then be used to season ingredients from crab to celeriac.

Cajun music also became well known beyond Louisiana and can now be seen as an important part of the development of country music in the southern states. It features accordion, guitar and fiddle, often played at a furious pace owing something to the old British jigs and reels. The lyrics are generally sung in a curious mix of French and English.

So if winter is getting you down, just put on some Cajun music, invite the neighbours and cook up the jambalaya in today’s recipe. Nothing beats the blues like food, singing and good company.

Stephen Harris is chef-patron of The Sportsman in Seasalter, Kent, whose many awards include the top spot in the Estrella Damm Best Gastropub Awards 2018.