Creole

=Creole Cuisine=

Background:
Creole Cuisine commonly found in Louisiana and Haiti but has strong African and French roots. Many of the ingredients used in Creole cooking come from Africa, such as Okra and Chayote. Creole Cuisine is highly confused with Cajun Cooking. Creole foods are more french then Cajun, despite Cajun's heritage. The best Creole food can be found in New Orleans and is a popular tourist attraction.

==Common Ingredients:==


 * Fishes/Meats:** Shrimp, crab, oyster, crawfish, trout, and turtle.


 * Vegetables:** Okra, peppers, corn, and many many more!


 * Breads/Starches:** Corn Bread, Rice, Sweet Potatoes, beans and Potatoes.

Dishes:

 * Grits and Grillades** is a common New Orleans' food which is grits cooked with either pork, beef, or veal.
 * Oysters en brochette** is a very Louisiana Creole food which is skewered oysters and bacon deep fried in a bread crusting.
 * Gumbo:** a soup filled with a random meat, okra, "holy trinity", and usually a roux.
 * Jambalaya:** One of the simplest Creole dishes composed of a roux, meat and rice.

Ingredients[[image:http://www.laaloosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/chicken-jambalaya.jpg align="right" caption="http://www.laaloosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/chicken-jambalaya.jpg"]]

 * 2 tablespoons butter
 * 1/3 cup chopped celery
 * 1/4 cup chopped onion
 * 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
 * 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
 * 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
 * 2/3 cup white rice
 * 1 teaspoon dried thyme
 * 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
 * 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
 * 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
 * 1 bay leaf
 * 2 cups cooked, cubed chicken meat

Directions
Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Jambalaya-I/Detail.aspx
 * 1) Melt butter or margarine in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add celery, onion and green bell pepper and saute until tender. Stir in tomatoes, broth, rice, thyme or basil, garlic salt, ground black pepper, hot pepper sauce and bay leaf.
 * 2) Bring all to a boil; reduce heat, cover skillet and simmer for about 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in chicken or turkey and cook until heated through. Discard bay leaf and serve hot.