Mosquito Supper Club: Cajun Recipes from a Disappearing Bayou by Melissa M. Martin

    • Categories: Stocks; Main course; Cajun & Creole
    • Ingredients: celery; onions; ground cayenne pepper; shrimp; butter; red potatoes; corn; crackers
    • Accompaniments: Maria's seafood dip
    show

Notes about this book

  • jluvs2bake on March 01, 2021

    First recipe I made from this book, and we really enjoyed it. Selected it based on note from EYB member khopkins1012. Preparing in advance is important if you want to eat before bedtime ;) But it isn't time-intensive as far as how long you actually have to work on it. I had to cook my eggplant about 30 min. longer than suggested in the recipe before it got cooked down, and I didn't have to stir it every 10 min. Also, it said to use a heavy 8-quart Dutch oven, so I didn't use my cast iron, which is about 5 quarts. It was nice that the eggplant was just about in a single layer in my bigger Dutch oven, but if you don't have an 8-quart, don't worry. My 5 would have worked fine. Probably just would have stirred more frequently to make sure all the eggplant was getting plenty of time on the bottom of the pot :)

Notes about Recipes in this book

  • White beans

    • chefmichael on December 14, 2022

      Absolute simplicity and deliciousness! Made this with Rancho Gordo Alubia Blanca Beans and I was thrilled with the result. I went cautious at first on the salt because the salt pork had already added a solid punch, and ended up adding 1.5 tsp instead of the full 2 as written. To get the creaminess as shown in the picture, I think you need to siphon off a few scoops of beans and submit them to the immersion blender and add them back into the pot. Smashing a few with the side of your spoon won't get you to the beautiful book picture (albeit styled) ;-)

  • Crab stuffed shrimp

    • imaluckyducky on December 25, 2022

      5 stars. Made for Christmas even. Very delicious, well-balanced, came together relatively quickly. Was a big hit even with the 6yo!

  • Smothered chicken

    • hanachocho on May 05, 2024

      Included garlic and 1 large tomato. Simple, yummy and hearty.

  • Beef rice and gravy

    • hanachocho on May 05, 2024

      Really good. As noted, added cornstarch, but only ~1T. My 1.5 year old toddler loved this.

  • Boiled rice

    • khopkins1012 on September 25, 2020

      This is a dead simple way to make rice. Plus it tastes good.

  • Redfish courtbouillon

    • khopkins1012 on September 25, 2020

      My boyfriend made this for me with fresh redfish. I can’t comment on the making of this dish but it sure tasted good. A nice dish to make on a weekend when you’ll be home all afternoon.

  • Chauvin crab stew

    • khopkins1012 on September 25, 2020

      Had a nice, sweet, mild taste. I used normal butter.

  • Smothered eggplant and shrimp

    • khopkins1012 on October 19, 2020

      Straight forward instructions for a delicious result. Time is the key ingredient here as this is a 2 hour recipe. Well worth it.

  • Maria's seafood dip

    • Baxter850 on August 02, 2021

      This was really good. Served with boiled shrimp.

  • Cocktail sauce

    • Baxter850 on August 02, 2021

      I like spicy/hot, but this was too hot for me. Added more ketchup and lemon juice. Also like Worcestershire sauce in my cocktail sauce.

  • Crawfish étouffée

    • MarciK on June 03, 2021

      The recipe said to use a 15 quart pot. It fit fine in my 8 quart.

  • Trout meunière

    • foodgloriousfood on September 16, 2021

      Simple but lovely quick trout recipe in an egg and buttermilk wash and cayenne seasoned flour. A keeper.

  • Smothered cabbage

    • racheljmorgan on January 04, 2023

      Very easy recipe. Not something I ate growing up, but we were more New Orleans than bayou. My husband liked the dish a lot. We didn't need any extra salt or seasoning.

  • Monday's red beans

    • nutrica6 on August 17, 2023

      Delicious, a little spicy, perfectly cooked beans. Can use kielbasa sausage instead of salt pork. Add in any vegetables as well. This didn't require as much water as was called for. I would start with 2 liters and add more as needed (I ended up using about 2.5L).

  • Potato salad

    • nutrica6 on August 16, 2023

      I used russet potatoes and it worked well, would cut larger potatoes into smaller pieces to cut down on boiling time. the eggs needed a couple extra minutes in the boiling water as well. Would consider using 1.5lb potatoes based on how lightly or heavily dressed you like your potato salad.

  • Steen's butter

    • nutrica6 on August 16, 2023

      i used agave syrup for this, and it never fully incorporated into the butter. I tried to whip the butter longer in my kitchenaid but it began to curdle so I stopped.

  • Sweet potato biscuits

    • nutrica6 on August 17, 2023

      Works well, especially with the pizza stone technique. I used mashed butternut squash because it was what I had. Needed to add extra flour to the dough to make it workable. Pairs perfectly with sweet butter.

  • Ponchatoula strawberry pie

    • nutrica6 on August 16, 2023

      the filling wasn't too runny compared to other fruit pies i've made. I added some blueberries to make up for not having enough strawberries. the pie dough definitely needs to be rolled out to thinner than 1/4" to get a diameter large enough for the pie pan. the crust got a little too dark in the oven.

  • Pie dough

    • nutrica6 on August 16, 2023

      this worked nicely. i love the lamination technique, made the pie dough very flaky. dough was easy to work with compared to other recipes i've tried.

You must Create an Account or Sign In to add a note to this book.

Reviews about this book

This book does not currently have any reviews.

  • ISBN 10 1579658474
  • ISBN 13 9781579658472
  • Linked ISBNs
  • Published Apr 14 2020
  • Format Hardcover
  • Page Count 336
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Publisher Artisan

Publishers Text

Every hour of the day, Louisiana loses a football field’s worth of land to the Gulf. And so before her hometown disappears entirely, chef Melissa Martin wants to document the recipes, ingredients, and customs of the Cajun people. Cocoderie, Louisiana, may soon no longer be listed on maps, but the incredible traditions of the region should remain. In the same way Zora Neale Hurston documented and shared oral histories of the South before its keepers passed on, Martin will tell the stories of her people. She has organized the book into 12 chapters highlighting the key ingredients of this cuisine—from shrimp and oysters to poultry and sugarcane—and the recipe and customs that surround each. The recipes are for accessible home-cooked meals that readers can make on a weeknight or for a celebration—with stories to be savored along with the food. Each chapter is punctuated with an essay explaining the context for the ingredient, whether it’s picking and putting up blackberries each February to shrimping every August or celebrating Fat Tuesday with a king cake. This is a cookbook, but the underlying messages of heeding environmental warnings and highlighting the Cajun woman’s authority in the kitchen showcase the book’s compelling media hooks. Martin also documents the region’s traditions, from the Blessing of the Boats at the beginning of every fishing season to Mardi Gras and the many dozens of ways to make a Cajun gumbo.



Other cookbooks by this author