h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My dad didn't mind pasta. Tomatoes, however , gave him heartburn. He preferred his pasta with a brown gravy, roux based and no tomatoes.

I just finished cooking a small batch with chicken.

I tried to get a sense of what ingredients that would have, but Goggle seems to assume that macaroni recipes will inevitably be macaroni and cheese recipes. And, yes, Google assumes that, much of the time, tomatoes will be present.

Could you list some of the ingredients? I like to try something different every once in a while.

You have the recipe for Chickpea Creole, which is along the same lines.

I usually do this with chicken, starting with either browning, roasting, or smothering or stewing a chicken. As the chicken cooks, I start the gravy.

Cajun Cooking basics

The Trinity: Onion, peppers, garlic

First, you make a roux. The flour can be toasted in a dry skillet, if you are trimming the fat in your diet.

Use what you have. This is not classic French Cuisine with strict rules.

Omit all tomatoes and tomato sauce, omit lemon, omit bay leaves. For the chicken version omit chickpeas (or not) your choice.

At that point, you should have a roux gravy including the Trinity and spices which should be along the lines of pepper (cayenne, black, or both), salt if you like, and any other spice you want. I don't always add the same spices. Thyme is worth trying. Adjust the water or broth to be the thickness of spaghetti sauce.

I was out of spaghetti, so I served it over macaroni, which I had and was opened already. The next batch will probably be on Penne. If you have leftover sauce, it can be served over potatos or rice or even bread.

Thanks.

I had assumed that file powder was an ingredient in roux. I don't have sassafras leaf powder, but I do have powdered bay leaf, which I was going to use instead. Onion, pepper, and garlic are either in my cupboard, or are easily procured from a nearby market. Mustard powder and paprika are also available.

I also have dried macaroni on hand at all times.

File' powder is put in Gumbo. Most people use either file' or okra. Some use both. Gumbo means (like glass) referring to the sheen of the liquid. Okra makes the liquid shine.

I don't think mustard powder would work well in this. Thyme, Marjoram and Rosemary would work in a roux gravy, but these would fight each other a bit, so I would choose one of them at a time to add in this recipe until you've made it a few times and decide how it should taste to you.

If you've not had stewed okra, it's as easy as sauteing onions, garlic, and sliced okra, then add tomatoes. Season. Then simmer. If you prefer more liquid add water or broth and let them simmer a bit. I add minimal liquid because I prefer more vegetables than broth.

Here's a recipe for Cajun spaghetti. I suppose it would be okay to just leave out the tomatoes and use the other ingredients.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/grandma-s-cajun-chicken-spaghetti/

There's no sauce, gravy or roux in that recipe link.

Cajun food starts with a roux. And, that may or may not include dessert.

I don't eat pork. Have done. I always said it wasn't my favorite and didn't feel better after eating it. Turns out my blood type is O positive and according to 'Eat Right for you Type' Pork is negative and Beef is beneficial to my blood type. Or as Steve summed it up 'Hope you like Kale, Chocolate and Beef.'.

The measurements for the Cajun Spaghetti gravy is the same as the Creole Sauce.

My dad's mother would smother a (cut up) chicken, then start a roux. When the roux was dark enough, she would add the trinity, when that started to sweat down, she would add the tomato paste, one little can, stir until the bright red was gone and add seasoning, stir that in, add water, stir till it came to a boil and thickened. Then she would add it to the cooking chicken and simmer it all together.

She would serve smothered potatos, spaghetti pasta, bread, whatever fruit or vegetable was in season, some from Uncle Kelly's garden, whatever soda was in the refrigerator because the well water was very metallic tasting unless it was ice cold.