Create the unique flavors of Louisiana cuisine in your own kitchen!

From Monroe to Morgan City, Natchitoches to New Orleans, and Lake Charles to Lake Pontchartrain, fifty of the leading cookbooks from Louisiana have contributed their favorite recipes to create this remarkable collection.

Louisiana is a special place for a lot of reasons, one of which is the tradition of preparing and serving delicious food. Best of the Best from Louisiana has gathered together a selection of recipes that captures this truly unique culinary heritage. Regional favorites such as Crawfish Étouffée, Cajun Red Beans and Rice, King Cake, Hurricane Punch, and Creamy Smooth Pecan Pralines are just a sampling of the over 400 recipes included in these pages.

Best of the Best from Louisiana was the first volume in Quail Ridge Press’ acclaimed Best of the Best State Cookbook Series (1984), and continues to be one of the most popular titles to this day.

• by Gwen McKee and Barbara Moseley
• Comb-bound
• Soft cover
• 6 x 9 inches
• 288 pages
• Illustrations
• Photographs
• ISBN-10: 0-937552-13-5
• ISBN-13: 978-0-937552-13-1
• Language: English
• Publisher: Quail Ridge Press (©1984)

Seafood Gumbo II

May be made a day ahead, then covered and refrigerated.

11/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
1 large onion, chopped
2–3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1-pound) can tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 pounds frozen okra or equivalent fresh
Oil for frying okra
2 quarts hot water
3 1/2 tablespoons salt
3/4 teaspoon red pepper
1 large bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon thyme
8-10 allspice berries
Few grains chile powder
2 pounds headless raw shrimp, peeled
1 pound claw crabmeat, picked
1 pint oysters
1/2 cup chopped green onions

Make a very dark roux with oil and flour in a large heavy pot.  Add onion and garlic.  Cook slowly until onions are transparent.  Add tomatoes, and cook on low heat until oil rises to the top (about 30 minutes), stirring frequently.  In separate skillet, fry okra in oil on moderately high heat, stirring constantly until okra is no longer stringy.  Add the okra to the other mixture; stir and simmer about 10 minutes.  Add water, salt and pepper.  Simmer partially covered for 45 minutes.  Add other seasonings and simmer an additional 20 minutes, then add shrimp and simmer 15 minutes; then add crabmeat, simmering 15 minutes more.  Add the oysters the last 5 minutes of cooking.  Taste carefully for seasoning, adding more if necessary.  Remove from fire and stir in green onions and parsley.  Serve over rice.  Variations may be made by adding different types of seafood, sausages, or poultry.  Serves 8–10. 

Contributed by River Road Recipes II