Cajun Pot Roast w/ Rice and Gravy + Honky Tonk Boogie

When my son informed me yesterday, that he wanted to bring a new girlfriend to Sunday dinner, I wondered what type of food this girl might like. So, he called her to inquire and she said that since her parents were out of town, she wished that she could have some roast and rice and gravy that her mom usually made on Sundays. I said, " no problem" and picked up a nice roast at my favorite butcher shop. I learned how to cook this Cajun favorite, early on, from my mother, whose fabulous roasts and gravies were the talk of the town.


One of her secrets was to stuff the roast, the night before. She would take a paring knife and make deep holes, all over the roast. Then she would place into each hole, a little salt, a few good shakes of Tabasco, and a good dose of minced garlic. She would then sprinkle the roast with salt, cayenne pepper, Tabasco, and Worcestershire sauce and wrap in foil and refrigerate it overnight. She said that this would not only tenderize it but give it a wonderful flavor. Mama didn't measure anything, but her hand was heavy when it came to seasonings. Divinely delicious! Ca cest bon, cher!

Mama's Cajun Pot Roast

3 lb. beef roast, (eye of round or rump)
1 cup each of "the trinity", (onions, celery and bell peppers), chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt, cayenne pepper, Tabasco, and Worcestershire sauce to taste
vegetable oil
water
16 oz.'s beef stock or broth
3 or 4 white potatoes, peeled and quartered
3 cups cooked white rice


Cover the bottom of a large heavy Dutch oven with oil of choice. On medium high heat, sear roast on all sides, scraping bottom with spoon to prevent sticking. Add a little water, stir, then add the trinity, and turn heat to meduim and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Add beef stock, a little more of each seasoning, and cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add potatoes and cook for 1/2 hour more. Serve over hot cooked rice with several side vegetables.


I received another special request from one of my dear friends. She wanted to hear a little honky tonk piano and I had the ultimate clip in mind. I took this snippet of the great Marcia Ball and her hotter than HOT band when they played recently in Lafayette, at Parc International. 

Marcia Ball