Louisiana chicken fricassee combines browned chicken with a rich roux-based gravy, aromatic vegetables, stock, herbs, and rice. Learn which chicken pieces work best, how the gravy develops, and how fricassee differs from smothered chicken, sauce piquante, stew, and gumbo.
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.
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.
Gumbo is a Louisiana soup or stew built from a flavorful cooking liquid, regional ingredients, and one or more methods of adding body, such as roux, okra, or filé. It is usually served with rice, but its ingredients and traditions vary widely across Louisiana.
French cooking gave Louisiana important techniques, terminology, breads, sauces, stews, and pastry traditions—but Louisiana cooks transformed those influences through local ingredients and cultural exchange