Bill Ryan, the president and founder of the Louisiana Dutch Oven Society and board of directors member of the International Dutch Oven Society has published a cookbook of his love of Dutch oven cooking in "Dutch Oven Cajun and Creole."
Dutch ovens are cast iron pots that are typically used to cook outdoors, although there are ones made to cook in your oven. This book was written to be cooked outside, though he does give you directions on how to the recipes to cook indoors. He also gives tips on seasoning, cleaning and stories the dutch oven.
The book is divided into Breakfasts, Main Dishes, Sides, Breads and Desserts, all of which can be made in the Dutch oven.
Breakfasts range from Mountain Man Breakfast (a sausage, egg and potato casserole), Coffee Cake, Creole Grits, Beignets (a powdered sugar biscuit/donut) and a pancake casserole.
Main Dishes range from Creole Pork Chops, Baked Cod Cajun Style, Crawfish Pie, Coke Brisket, Cajun Cacciatore, Cajun Jambalya and more.
Sides range from Eva's Loaded Baked Bean,s Corn and Green Bean Casserole, Potatoes with Apples, Hash Brown Casserole and Cajun Mushrooms.
Breads range from Crawfish French Bread, Sweet Dough, Louisiana Stromboli, Honey Cheddar Biscuits, Mardi Gras Rolls and more.
Desserts finish things up with Peppermint Chocolate Cake, Bread Pudding Doughnut Style, Cajun Cake, Lime-Coconut Buttermilk Pie and more.
It's amazing the range of dishes you can make in a Dutch oven. The recipes are also meant to serve a large group of people, usually from 8 to 10 servings, though there are some that are a bit less and some that serve more. Those who camp and like to cook outdoors in their Dutch oven, or those who want to make a dish for a large group with their indoor Dutch oven should definitely give this book a try.
"Dutch Oven Cajun and Creole" is published by Gibbs Smith. It is $15.99.
Contact Amy Phelps at aphelps@newsandsentinel.com
