Louisiana fricassee is a slow-cooked dish in which browned meat is simmered in a rich roux-based gravy with aromatic vegetables, stock, herbs, and seasoning. Learn how the technique works, which meats are used, and how fricassee differs from sauce piquante, smothered meat, stew, and gumbo.
Chicken sauce piquante is a Louisiana dish made by slowly braising browned chicken in a sharp tomato-and-roux gravy with aromatic vegetables, stock, herbs, and pepper. Learn how it is prepared, why bone-in chicken works especially well, and how it differs from chicken fricassee, gumbo, and ordinary chicken stew.
Turtle sauce piquante is a traditional Louisiana preparation in which freshwater turtle meat is slowly cooked in a sharp tomato-and-roux gravy with aromatic vegetables, stock, herbs, and pepper. Learn how it is prepared, what turtle tastes like, how lawful sourcing matters, and why the dish should not be confused with New Orleans turtle soup.
Louisiana sauce piquante is a slow-cooked meat, seafood, or wild-game dish made with tomatoes, roux, aromatic vegetables, stock, and sharp seasoning. Learn what makes the sauce piquant, which proteins are commonly used, and how it differs from gumbo, étouffée, courtbouillon, and fricassee.
French court-bouillon is a light aromatic liquid used to poach fish or shellfish. Louisiana courtbouillon is a richly seasoned fish stew or gravy made with roux, tomatoes, vegetables, stock, and rice. Learn how two preparations sharing one French name became dramatically different dishes.
Louisiana courtbouillon is a richly seasoned fish stew or gravy commonly made with tomatoes, roux, aromatic vegetables, stock, and firm fish such as catfish or redfish. Learn how it is pronounced, prepared, served, and distinguished from gumbo, étouffée, and French court-bouillon.
Shrimp Creole and étouffée are both Louisiana seafood dishes served with rice, but their sauces are built differently. Learn how tomatoes, roux, stock, consistency, flavor, and cooking methods separate the two.
Étouffée and gumbo may contain similar seafood, vegetables, seasonings, and roux, but they are not the same dish. Étouffée is generally a concentrated, gravy-like preparation centered on one featured ingredient, while gumbo is usually a brothier soup or stew built for a bowl.
Crawfish étouffée and shrimp étouffée use many of the same Louisiana cooking techniques, but the two shellfish create different flavors, textures, sauces, and dining experiences. Learn what separates them and why both versions belong in Louisiana cuisine.
Louisiana kitchens have no single statewide rulebook, but many share familiar expectations: respect the cook, do not rush the pot, taste before adding hot sauce, make enough for company, and never declare one family’s recipe the only correct version.