Blackened redfish and 9 other inspirational recipes from chef Paul Prudhomme (2024)

Every Louisiana cook who turns the heat up high to makea roux pays homage to the man who changed Louisiana - and American - food and cooking. Chef Paul Prudhomme, who died Oct. 8 at age 75, inspired hundreds of imitation Cajun restaurants spotted across America like a teenager's unfortunate skin. But his greatest achievement may be that he taught Americans how to cook, taste and to season their food in a new way.

Through his best-selling cookbooks, nationally televised PBS cooking shows filmed at WYES-TV, a generation of chefs and home cooks learned from the man whoseebullient personality and love of food showed in everything he did.

Several readers have suggested a statue of the country's first celebrity chef would be a fitting replacement for any Confederate general. Here's an immediate idea: Pay respects to the great man by making dinner.

The Times-Picayune printed lots of his recipes, most with stories written by Dale Curry, who retired as food editor in 2004. She interviewed Prudhomme countless times and wrote this in an appreciation of the chef's contributions: "Nothing was too fresh or too much trouble. He might tell a cook to crack two fresh coconuts or debone eight rabbit legs; this was Prudhomme's purist approach."

One of his earliest recipes -- and likely his most famous -- nearly wiped the redfish off the Gulf fisheries map. It accompanied Curry's story about the 1984 publication of his first cookbook, "Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen," which became a best-seller.

Prudhomme's cooks didn't have time to spend half an hour stirring a roux, so he taught them, and us, to heat the oil for five minutes then add the flour, stirring madly with a long-handled whisk.

His recipe signature for Blackened Redfish, however, was seasoning. Curry compared the complexity of his recipes with Julia Child's, as many referred to two or three other recipes for stock or a seasoning mix, and most had a long list of herbs and spices. (The redfish recipe had nine.)

Below are four recipes from that 1984 story, plus six more from our files. Of particular interest may be the ones from 2000, from his "Louisiana Tastes" cookbook, in which he included detailed notes on how the dishes should taste.

What other chef has done this?

Prudhomme's palate can be compared to a musician's perfect pitch. His seasonings mixes facility in Elmwood ships products around the world, in bulk for foodservice as well as the familiar consumer sizes. Restaurant chains and other food manufacturers hired Prudhomme to create custom seasoning mixes, for entire menus or special items.

His K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen on Chartres Street remains a draw for locals and visitors from around the world.

The tastes he created live on in many ways, changing the complexion of America's food. These recipes and the many others in his cookbooks are one way the chef's legacy will endure, more than a statue on a pedestal ever could.

From The Times-Picayune, April 5, 1984.

The cookbook includes this note: Redfish and pompano are ideal for this method of cooking. If tilefish is used, you may have to split the fillets in half horizontally to have the proper thickness. If you can't get any of these fish, drum, salmon steaks or red snapper fillets can be substituted. In any case, the fillets or steaks must not be more than 3/4 inch thick.

Makes 6 servings

3/4pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted in a skillet

Seasoning mix:

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

2-1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)

3/4 teaspoon white pepper

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

6 (8- to 10-ounce) fish fillets, preferably redfish, pompano or tilefish, cut about 1/2-inch thick

Heat a large, cast-iron skillet over very high heat until it is beyond the smoking stage and you see white ash in the skillet bottom (the skillet cannot be too hot for this dish), at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour 2 tablespoons melted butter in each of 6 small ramekins; set aside and keep warm. Reserve* the remaining butter in its skillet. Heat the serving plates in a 250-degree oven.

Thoroughly combine seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl. Dip each fillet in the reserved melted butter so that both sides are well coated; then sprinkle seasoning mix generously and evenly on both sides of the fillets, patting it in by hand. Place fish in the hot skillet and pour 1 teaspoon melted butter on top of each fillet (be careful, as the butter may flame up).

Cook, uncovered, over the same high heat until the underside looks charred, about 2 minutes (the time will vary according to the fillet's thickness and the heat of the skillet). Turn the fish over and again pour 1 teaspoon butter on top. Cook until fish is done, about 2 minutes more. Repeat with remaining fillets. Serve each fillet while piping hot.

To serve, place one fillet and a ramekin of butter on each heated serving plate.

*

Makes 10 main-dish or 20 appetizer servings

2 cups chopped onions

1-1/2cups chopped green bell peppers

1 cup chopped celery

SEASONING MIX:

2 whole bay leaves

2 teaspoons salt

1/2teaspoon white pepper

1/2teaspoon ground red-pepper (preferably cayenne)

1/2teaspoon black pepper

1/2teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/4teaspoon dried oregano leaves

3/4cup vegetable oil

3/4cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon minced garlic

5-1/2 cups basic seafood stock (recipe follows)

1 pound andouille smoked sausage (preferred) or any other good pure smoked pork sausage such as polish kielbasa, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 pound peeled medium shrimp

1 dozen medium to large oysters in their liquor, about 9 ounces

3/4pound crabmeat, picked over

2-1/2 cups cooked rice for serving

Combine onions, bell peppers and celery in a medium-size bowl. In small bowl combine the seasoning mix ingredients.

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat until it begins to smoke, about 5 minutes. Gradually add flour, whisking constantly with a long-handled metal whisk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until roux is dark red-brown to black, about 2 to 4 minutes, being careful notto let it scorch or splash on your skin. Immediately add halfthe vegetables and stir well (switch to a spoon if necessary). Continue stirring and cooking about 1 minute. Then add remaining vegetables and cook and stir about 2 minutes. Stir in seasoning mix and continue cooking about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic; stir well, then cook and stir about 1 minute more. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, place stock in a 5-1/2-quart saucepan or large dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Add roux mixture by spoonfuls to the boiling stock, stirring until dissolved between each addition. Bring mixture to a.boil add andouille and return to a boil; continue boiling 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes more.

Add shrlmp, undrained oysters and crabmeat. Return to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and skim any oil from the surface. Serve immediately.

To serve as a main course, mound 1/4cup rice in the middle of each serving bow. Spoon 1 cup gumbo over the top, making sure each person gets an assortment of the seafood and andouille. Serve half this amount in a cup as an appetizer.

Seafood stock: In a stock pot or large saucepan, combine about 2 quarts cold water with vegetable trimmings from the recipe(s) you are serving, or 1 medium onion, unpeeled, quartered; 1 large clove garlic, unpeeled, quartered, 1 rib celery. Add 1-1/2 to 2 pounds rinsed shrimp heads and/or shells, or crawfish heads and/or shells, or crab shells (2-1/2 to 3 quarts), or rinsed fish carcasses (heads and gills removed, or oyster liquor or any combination of these.

Bring to a boil over high heat, then gently simmer at least 4 hours, preferably 6. Replenish water as needed to keep about 1 apart of liquid in the pan. The pot may be uncovered or set a lid on it askew. Strain, cool and refrigerate until ready to use.

Makes 6 servings

SEASONING MIX:

2 whole bay leaves

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2teaspoon white pepper

1/2teaspoon ground cumin

1/2teaspoon ground nutmeg

MEAT LOAF:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4cup finely chopped onions

1/2cup finely chopped celery

1/2cup finely chopped bell peppers .

1/4 cup finely chopped green onions

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce

1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce

1/2cup evaporated milk

1/2cup ketchup

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

1/2 pound ground pork

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup very fine dry bread crumbs

Combine seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl.

Melt butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, celery, bell peppers, green onions, garlic, Tabasco, Worcestershire and seasoning mix. Saute until mixture starts sticking excessively, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the pan bottom well. Stir in milk and ketchup. Continue cooking about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Place ground beef and pork in an ungreased 13-by-9-inch baking pan. Add eggs, cooked vegetable mixture (removing the bay leaves) and bread crumbs. Mix by hand until thoroughly combined. In the center of the pan, shape mixture into a loaf about 1-1/2 inches high, 6 inches wide and 12 inches long. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, then raise heat to 400 and continue cooking until done, about 35 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

This combo of two favorite pies became a beloved holiday dessert for many, many families.

It's a pie, but it's baked in an 8-inch round cake pan.

Makes one 8-inch pie

DOUGH:

3 tablespoons unsalted batter, softened

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2teaspoon salt

1/2of a whole egg, beaten vigorously until frothy (save remainder)

2 tablespoons cold milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

SWEET POTATO FILLING:

2 to 3 sweet potatoes, enough to yield 1 cup cooked pulp, baked

1/4cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2egg, vigorously beaten until frothy (reserved from above)

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/4teaspoon salt

1/4teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

PECAN PIE SYRUP:

3/4cup sugar

1/4cup dark corn syrup

2 small eggs

1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons vanilla

Pinch of salt

Pinch of ground cinnamon

3/4cup pecan pieces or halves

Chantilly Cream, recipe follows

Make dough: Place butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer; beat on high until mixture is creamy. Add the half-egg and beat 30 seconds. Add milk and beat on high speed 2 minutes. Add flour and beat on medium speed 5 seconds, then on high speed just until blended, about 5 seconds more. Overmixing will produce a tough dough. Remove from bowl and shape into a 5-inch patty about 1/2inch thick. Lightly dust patty with flour and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. (Dough will last up to one week, refrigerated.)

On a lightly floured surface roll dough to a thickness of 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Very lightly flour top of dough and fold into quarters. Carefully place in a greased and floured 8-inch cake pan (1-1/2 inches deep) so the corner of the folded dough is centered in the pan. Unfold dough and arrange it to fit sides and bottom of pan; press firmly in place. Trim edges. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

Make filling: Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed of an electric mixer until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overbeat.

Make syrup: Combine all ingredients except pecans in a mixing bowl. On slow speed of an electric mixer, mix thoroughly until syrup is opaque, about 1 minute. Stir in pecans.

To assemble: Spoon sweet potato filling evenly into the dough-lined cake pan. Pour pecan syrup on top. Bake in a 325-oven until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1-3/4 hours. (The pecans will rise to the top of the pie during baking.)

Cool and serve with Chantilly Cream. Store pie at room temperature the first 24 hours, then, in the unlikely chance there is any left, refrigerate.

CHANTILLY CREAM:

Makes about 2 cups

2/3 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon brandy

1 teaspoon Grand Marnier

1/4cup sugar

2 tablespoons sour cream

Refrigerate a medium-size bowl and beaters until very cold. Combine cream, vanilla, brandy and Grand Marnier in the bowl and beat with electric mixer on medium speed 1 minute. Add sugar and sour cream and beat on medium just until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Do not overbeat. (Overbeating will make the cream grainy, which is the first step leading to butter. Once grainy you can't return it to its former consistency, but if this ever happens, enjoy it on toast!)

In 1995, when a reader asked for a really good recipe for bread pudding, contributing writer Constance Snow shared the "magnificent pudding" one she made most often. It was from "Louisiana Kitchen."

3 large eggs

1-1/4 cups sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

2 cups milk

1/2 cups raisins

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, dry roasted

5 cups very stale French or Italian bread cubes, with crusts

Lemon Sauce and Chantilly Cream (Lemon Sauce recipe follows; Chantilly Cream recipe is above)

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs on high speed until extremely frothy and bubbles are the size of pinheads, about 3 minutes (or with a metal whisk about 6 minutes). Add sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and butter and beat on high until well-blended. Beat in milk; then stir in raisins and pecans.

Place bread cubes in a greased loaf pan. Pour egg mixture over them and toss until bread is soaked. Let sit until you see only a narrow bead of liquid around the pan's edges, about 45 minutes, patting the bread down into liquid occasionally.

Place in a preheated 350-degree oven. Immediately lower heat to 300 degrees and bake for 40 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake until pudding is well browned and puffy, about 15 to 20 minutes more.

To serve, put 1-1/2 tablespoons warm Lemon Sauce in each dessert dish, then spoon in 1/2 cup hot bread pudding and top with 1/4 cup Chantilly Cream.

LEMON SAUCE

Makes about 3/4cup

1 lemon, halved

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in one-quarter cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Squeeze 2 tablespoons juice from the lemon halves and place juice in a 1-quart saucepan; add the lemon halves, water and sugar and bring to a boil. Stir in the dissolved cornstarch and vanilla. Cook for 1 minute over high heat, stirring constantly. Strain, squeezing the sauce from the lemon rinds. Serve warm.

Chef Paul Prudhomme's "Fiery Foods that I Love" came out in 1995.

Makes about 10 cups

SEASONING MIX:

1 teaspoon dill weed

1 teaspoon ground dried ancho chile peppers

1 teaspoon ground dried chipotle chile peppers

1 teaspoon ground guajillo chile peppers

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon cayenne

3/4 teaspoon onion powder

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

SHRIMP:

4 tablespoons sifted browned flour

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cups chopped onions

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

4-1/2 cups shrimp stock, in all

3 cups chopped daikon

3 cups chopped jicama

Juice of 1 lime

2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

1 pound peeled shrimp

White rice for serving

Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl.

Brown the flour by heating over high heat in a small skillet, stirring constantly, just until it turns the color of milk chocolate. Immediately transfer it from the hot skillet to a bowl to stop the browning. Sift and set aside.

Preheat a heavy 5-quart pot over high heat for 4 minutes. Add the butter, onions, garlic, ginger and seasoning mix. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to stick hard, about 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup of the stock and scrape the pot bottom vigorously to loosen the brown bits. Add the flour and stir until it is completely absorbed. Stir in the remaining stock, and add the daikon, jicama, lime juice, brown sugar and vinegar. Cover and bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes. Stir in the shrimp, return just to a boil and lower the heat to medium and simmer just until the shrimp are opaque and plump, about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately over rice.

Prudhomme wrote,"This is one of the most beautiful breads you'll ever see, and it is just as great to eat as it is to look at! It makes the world's best turkey sandwiches, it's great with pork chops and gravy, it's fantastic spread with cream cheese and chutney, and it will be the star of your buffet table."

Makes 1 loaf

2 cups chicken stock

1 package active dry yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons dried rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon ground savory

3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

3-1/4 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Vegetable oil spray

2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Simmer the stock over medium heat until it is reduced to one cup. Let it cool to 110 degrees; then stir in the yeast and sugar.

Whisk the eggs in a bowl until they are frothy, and whisk in the salt.

Combine the stock mixture and the eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer equipped with a dough hook. Stir briefly to combine; then add the rosemary, savory and turmeric. With the mixer set on slow, gradually add 3-1/4 cups of the flour. Increase the speed to medium and process for 10 minutes. The dough should cling to the dough hook and be fairly elastic. If the dough is soft and sticky, add the remaining 1/4 cup flour.

Reduce the speed to medium slow and continue to process 5 more minutes, or until the dough is smooth, very elastic and clinging to the dough hook.

Flour your hands well, then gather the dough into a ball. Place the dough in a heavy mixing bowl (a thick porcelain bowl is best) that has been lightly sprayed with vegetable oil. Very lightly spray the top of the dough and place the dough in a warm, draft-free place. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let dough rise until doubled in volume, about one hour.

Spray a 5-by-8-inch bread pan lightly but evenly with vegetable oil spray. Form the dough into a loaf shape and place it in the prepared pan. Try to get the top as even as possible, for the shape of the finished bread depends upon how even it is as it rises and bakes. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Bake until the top is browned and the loaf sounds hollow when lightly struck, about 40 minutes. Remove from the pan and brush the top with the melted butter. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack before slicing.

In 2000, "Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Tastes" included his tasting notes. He included many ingredients more readily available in Louisiana in the 15 years since "Louisiana Kitchen" was published.

Makes about 7 cups, 7 main-course or 14 appetizer servings

Seasoning mix (recipe follows)

1 pound boneless turkey breast, skin removed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup seeded, chopped green bell peppers

1 cup seeded, chopped red bell peppers

1 cup seeded, chopped yellow bell peppers

3 cups seeded fresh poblano chile peppers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 pound andouille, or your favorite smoked pork sausage, quartered lengthwise, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces

6 cups turkey or chicken stock, in all

Sprinkle the turkey evenly with 1tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix and rub it in well.

Heat the oil in a heavy four-quart pot over high heat until it is smoking hot (500 degrees), about 5 minutes. Add the flour and whisk constantly, making sure that the oil and flour are thoroughly combined and cook until the roux is red-brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add onions, bell peppers, poblanos, andouille and remaining seasoning mix. Stir well, reduce the heat to medium and cover.

Cook for 18 minutes, uncovering to stir, and scrape every 2 to 3 minutes to prevent burning. Add the seasoned turkey meat and 3 cups stock. Stir and scrape pot completely, return heat to high and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring and scraping every 1 to 2 minutes, for 8 minutes.

(Tasting notes: The first taste is moderately salty, followed quickly by the broad brown and slightly sweet flavor of the roux. As the roux taste fades, it is replaced by a rising spice and herb flavor and a mild heat in the back of the mouth. The overall intensity is high now, but notice that the balance and intensity improve after the remaining stock is added.)

Now add the remaining 3 cups stock. Bring just to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the gumbo is thick and golden, about 10 minutes. Serve over hot rice.

SEASONING MIX

1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons dried basil

2 teaspoons paprika

1-1/2 teaspoons dry mustard

1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder

1-1/2 teaspoons ground dried Anaheim chile peppers

1-1/4 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon dried chervil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl.

This recipe was part of a story on what to do with extra Easter eggs after hiding them. Use on salads, avocados, fish or chicken. Plus, it has a bonus recipe for Hot Pepper Vinegar.

Makes about 3 cups

4 hard-cooked eggs

1 cup coarsely chopped onions

1/2 cup coarsely chopped green bell peppers

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1-1/2 cups hot pepper vinegar

HOT PEPPER VINEGAR

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

6 tablespoons white vinegar

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 jalapenos, quartered

In a food processor or blender, combine hard-cooked eggs, onions, bell peppers, garlic, salt and dry mustard. Process a few seconds until eggs are broken up. Add the vinegar and continue processing until all ingredients are very finely minced, about 1 to 2 minutes. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Hot Pepper Vinegar: In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the water, vinegar, cayenne and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the jalapenos and remove from heat. Cool and refrigerate covered, overnight. Strain before using.

Food editor Judy Walker can be reached at jwalker@nola.com.Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@JudyWalkerCooks) and Facebook (JudyWalkerCooks).