Roasted Chicken

Chicken is one of those popular, usually affordable meats that we all use a lot.  Unlike beef or pork which can stand alone with little help, chicken needs all it can get.  Lets face it, chicken needs flavoring.  Over the years I have found countless ways to marinade, brine or season a bird.  Here is one method I find works well and is easy.  First lift the skin over the breast meat gently.  Just enough to insert a few fresh herbs.  Basil works well for this, but use whatever favorite fresh herb you like.  Now salt the cavity of the bird and stuff it with more of your fresh herbs, garlic cloves, onion, and a few pieces of butter.  I often will squeeze lemon juice into the cavity and stuff the used fruit in as well.  Next rub the skin all over with butter, olive oil, bacon fat any browning agent you like.  Then sprinkle your seasoning of choice.  I am very found of lemon pepper with chicken and use it most often.  Roast in the oven at 350 till the chicken reaches 165 degrees.  

Be creative with your ingredients and enjoy!

Food is Life, Love and Art

Christopher

Cajun Cleaver

Meat Loaf Like Only the Cajun Cleaver Can Do

Whats in the meatloaf?  That's a common question when meatloaf is on the menu.  At the Cajun Cleaver we like to put our own unique spin on everything we do and meatloaf is no exception!  So we started with some slow smoked brisket, ground sirloin, some Sweet Baby Rae's BBQ and the result was just SMASHING!  Our guest during a wine and beer tasting snapped it up.  So what ever you do with your meatloaf, be bold.

Food is Life, Love and Art

Christopher                         

Cajun Cleaver                     

Sensational Catering

We all have had the same tired old vegetable or crudité tray served at some event.  For sometime I have wanted to introduce grilled chilled veggies instead.  So here it is!  Vegetables grilled, marinated and served with roasted red pepper hummus!  

Food is Life, Love and Art

Christopher 

Cajun Cleaver

Fresh Fruit Tarts

I love fresh berries! So when a catering order came in that wanted a smashing treat to finish their meal, fruit tarts sprang immediately to my mind.  This is so easy to do, but can take a little time in the preparation.  Purchase small ready made pie shells and blind bake them.  Brush the inside with a little dark chocolate or even white chocolate if you prefer.  Fill the cavity with sweetened cream cheese and arrange fruit on top.  For the finishing touch brush the fruit with some melted apple jelly.  This adds a bit more sweetness, binds the fruit for stability and adds a nice eye appealing glazed look.  

The Production Line

Food is Life, Love and Art
Christopher 
Cajun Cleaver

The Finale Product

How Two Fat Ladies Changed My Life

It sounds silly I'm sure to all of you who read this, but it is the truth.  I knew nothing about this English cooking duo until just a few years ago.  I was working at a popular chain restaurant and going no where.  I saw a short clip of the show on You-Tube and fell in love.  After purchasing the complete show and watching these two amazing ladies in action my life changed.  I like so many others lacked any hope I could be something more than I was at the time.  Then I read how these two flat broke and self taught cooks beat all the odds and became international stars.  From that point I have taken every chance I could find to grow and reach for the best in myself.  I post this tribute to the "Ladies" who changed my life and shamelessly ask for you all to follow my work and blog.

Jennifer and Clarissa Two Fat Ladies  

Food is Life, Love and Art

Christopher

cajuncleaver.blogspot.com

Beer Can Chickens and College Football

Its that time of year once again when millions of Americans will put on their war paint, gather at the tailgate party to eat and drink before the game.  While burgers, wings and hot dogs are still the main staples of any good tailgater. Such culinary twists as the Beer Can Chicken are gaining in popularity. Resting on its can in the grill or oven any chicken turns out well, but slow smoked and the chicken will all but crow!  This bird here got the full treatment at my work the Cajun Cleaver.  Resting on a can of Good People Bearded Lady Wheat Ale and dusted all over with our house seasoning, each chicken was slow smoked to really draw in all the flavor the beer had to offer.  The end result was a moist and smoking bird busting out with subtle flavors.

Beer Can Chicken

Food is Life, Love and Art

Christopher

Cajun Cleaver

Fresh Crab Cakes a Cajun Cleaver Customer Favortie

Crab Cakes are a wonderful and versatile entree item any time of the year.  On a bun, over pasta or just on center of the plate, these delicious and golden patties are a crowd pleaser.  At the Cajun Cleaver we only use fresh lump crab meat blended with ingredients intended to really let that fresh crab flavor stand out.  The most often question we get is how to prepare them.  Oven baking works, grilling can be done, but the best result is achieved by pan frying in a combination of olive oil and butter.

Golden Pan Fried Crab Cakes

Food is Life, Love and Art

Christopher 

Cajun Cleaver