Cajun Cooking from A to Z

Andouille- Cajun andouille is made of butt or shank meat and fat, and seasoned with salt, cracked black pepper, and garlic, and smoked over pecan wood and sugar cane for up to seven or eight hours.
Boudin- is a treat found only in Southern Louisiana, traditionally made with pork, rice and various vegetables. However, you won't find one central recipe, because each butcher makes boudin a different way. Everyone has their own family recipe. Some are spicier, and some use different meats and flavorings, but the results are always delicious.
Crawfish- While there is no doubt the favorite crawfish recipes among true Cajuns are crawfish boils, crawfish etouffee, crawfish pies and fried crawfish po"boys; the mudbugs can also be seen in seafood gumbos, appetizer selections and even savory deserts, like a crawfish beignet.
Dirty Rice- is a traditional Cajun dish made from white rice cooked with small pieces of chicken liver or giblets, which give it a dark ("dirty") color and a mild but distinctive flavor. Similar to a pilaf, it also includes green bell pepper, celery and onion (the "holy trinity").
Etouffee- in French, the word etouffee literally means "smothered," which is a good way to describe this Cajun dish, as it is basically smothered crawfish over rice. Unlike gumbo, which is made with a dark roux, etouffee is made from a lighter, spicier roux. A proper etouffee will be orange-colored, with a hint of brown. It should be spicy, as its main spice ingredient is cayenne pepper, and saucy enough to form a thick gravy for the rice. However, take note that it is not gumbo, and should not be served like soup. The gravy in etouffee is much thicker than the roux of a gumbo.
File"- is a spice made from dried and ground sassafras leaves. It is used in the making of some types of gumbos and stews. It is sprinkled sparingly over gumbo as a seasoning and thickening agent, giving it a distinctive flavor and texture. Filé was originally an okra substitute when okra was not in season.
Gumbo- The word gumbo comes from an African word for okra, kigombo, which shows how important an ingredient okra was in early gumbo recipes. Gumbo originated in Southern Louisiana, where okra was easy to grow.
Holy Trinity- The holy trinity of cuisine refers specifically to the use originated from the Cajun and Creole cuisines of Louisiana where chopped celery, bell peppers, and onions are the staple base for much of the cooking.
Ingredients- There"s an old Cajun saying that says, "With ingredients like these a monkey could cook". This is perhaps a testament to the use of simple yet delicious ingredients that are commonly found in most Cajun cuisine. (i.e. Holy Trinity)
Jambalaya- There are two distinct versions of Jambalaya, Cajun and Creole. Creole jambalaya, as with most Creole dishes contains tomato, which is the primary distinction from Cajun jambalaya. As with many other traditional Cajun dishes, Jambalaya became a popular choice due to the availability of rice in Southern Louisiana. Coupled with the trinity and whatever meats were available at the time, (duck, deer, pork, chicken) jambalaya provided a quick easy dinner.