In this particular rendition, I chose a classic combo: chicken and andouille sausage (compared to a lighter, butternut squash-centric version I did in the past).

A whole chicken is poached to make a fresh batch of stock, then shredded, strongly spiced, fried, and combined with fried, smoky andouille sausage. The stew is thickened with both okra and a nutty, smoky, milk chocolate colored roux. Simmered with a mix of some classic Creole vegetables and spices yields an incredibly intense stew that tastes incredible. The gumbo takes on a nice, almost velvety texture with how thick it becomes–rich, smoky,

1. Butternut Squash Gumbo Creole cooking is a wonderful thing–you’ve got traditional Mediterranean influences...
2. Chicken & Shrimp Jambalaya I’ve never been to New Orleans, but have always been...
3. Andouille Stuffed Peppers Who hasn’t had a stuffed pepper of some sort before?...

As I’ve discussed before, guanciale is a dry-aged, cured pork jowl that is mind-blowingly simple to do at home (and probably easier to do yourself compared to finding it stocked in any grocery stores). The stuff packs a punch and delivers a concentrated, rich, porky flavor that is not something you

1. Pastitsio Pastitsio is a Greek pasta dish that is both fun...
2. Veal Chops with an Herbed Pan Sauce This dish had everything going for it–its quick to prepare,...
3. Spaghetti & Fontina-Stuffed Veal Meatballs Lately, my pasta dishes have kind of obviously been focused...

For this particular preparation, rather than braising the belly (commonly done in an Asian style), I chose to roast mine. I started with a strong spice rub and an ~8 hour

1. Crown Roast of Pork with Tart Tomato Stuffing and Juniper Pan Gravy Normally, a crown roast is a holiday sort of dish–its...
2. Roast Turkey & Gravy The great beast, the top of the food chain, and...
3. Spatchcocked Dijon and Anise Roast Chicken Chicken is a protein that most people seem pretty comfortable...

The sauce reminded me a bit of a hearty squash soup I had made last season. It had sweet, smoky, spicy notes that warm you from the inside in the way that you just crave during the autumn months with touches of thyme and anisey flavors. The lasagna treatment for this sauce worked wonderfully and didn’t let me down in the comfort food department. The gooey,

1. Pastitsio Pastitsio is a Greek pasta dish that is both fun...
2. Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with White Beans and Sausage Aside from cinnamony apple desserts, I think there’s another dish...
3. Lasagna Bolognese I love pasta, but there’s a special place in my...

If “awesome” didn’t do it for you, in more descriptive terms, guanciale is lightly seasoned, air-dried, cured pork jowl. Many people try to compare the end product to prosciutto or bacon. While those are both wonderful things, they really are nothing alike and if you have any inkling that they are adequate substitutes, dash that thought. The only comparison worth considering between guanciale and prosciutto is one I

1. Bucatini all’Amatriciana Bucatini all’Amatriciana is one of those pasta dishes with an...
2. Roast Pork Belly with Garlicky Thyme Gravy Have you ever had pork belly before? If you’re not...
3. Chicken Saltimbocca If I have sage on hand, this is one of...

This is a simple meal to prepare, and its really big on flavor. The brats are parboiled in a mixture of beer, shallots, and spices (think the sweet but savory, clean flavors of juniper and caraway) before they get crisped up with the smoky flavor of the grill, leaving the beer mixture to reduce to a thick sauce. These are served alongside some tender,

1. Pork Steak with Dijon Apple Sauce If I had to pick one fruit/vegetable that represents autumn...
2. Grilled Pork Chops with Chipotle Mustard and Swiss Cheese Sauce…and a giveaway! A while back, I was contacted by the folks behind...
3. Grilled Swordfish with Tomatillo Corn Relish Swordfish is more steaky than fishy (that dense, meaty, heartiness),...

With tomato season coming to a slow end, I can’t find myself getting enough of them. In sandwiches, salads, or sauces, I just need more. I’ve never had tomatoes like I get here in North Carolina. So with my usual, weekly bounty of approximately waymorethanIshouldhavebought, I thought a sauce was in order. I decided to roast a few in the oven, rather than the usual slow, stovetop simmer.

With the sweet, smoky

1. Sausage Stuffed Shells Some times, I like to really doll up a meal...
2. Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with White Beans and Sausage Aside from cinnamony apple desserts, I think there’s another dish...
3. Butternut Squash and Sausage Lasagna I’m not sure what it is about baked pasta dishes,...

The pork chops were massaged with a simple spice rub and kissed with that distinctly smoky flavor you can only get from the grill. While those cooked, I prepared the cream sauce in the style of

1. Pork Chops with Honey Chipotle Cranberry Sauce I’ve wanted to experiment a bit more with cranberries since...
2. Veal Chops with Mustard Cream Sauce Regular readers of this site know I have a taste...
3. Grilled Beer Bratwurst with Tangy Apple Slaw While I try to have a lot of variety in...

This was an incredible dinner. You have the tenderloin–meaty and soft–mixed with the juicy, unctuous, richly porky flavored rib meat. Its like having a super pork chop. I’d compare it to eating chicken thighs/drum sticks cooked separately compared to when you cook a

1. Roast Pork Belly with Garlicky Thyme Gravy Have you ever had pork belly before? If you’re not...
2. Grilled Pork Chops with Chipotle Mustard and Swiss Cheese Sauce…and a giveaway! A while back, I was contacted by the folks behind...
3. Roast Turkey & Gravy The great beast, the top of the food chain, and...

Jambalaya has its roots in paella. The core idea: its a rice dish with a very strongly flavored stock, a hearty mix of proteins (e.g. in my case, chicken, shrimp, and andouille sausage), and a very zesty blend of herbs, spice, and of course, the Holy Trinity (pepper, onion, celery). It sounds deceptively simple–almost kind of plain, but then you smell it and taste it, and its another story entirely.

This was incredibly tasty and surprisingly hearty (for some

1. Fried Chicken and Andouille Gumbo When Mardi Gras rolls around, I think of three dishes:...
2. Butternut Squash Gumbo Creole cooking is a wonderful thing–you’ve got traditional Mediterranean influences...
3. Chicken in Tarragon Mustard Cream Sauce I don’t use mustard very often, but absolutely love it...