Cajun Seasonings Make Beef Boulettes

Cajun seasonings are always at the heart of cajun dishes. what to use and how to use the to bring out the natural flavor of the dish is what makes Cajun dishes unique.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 quarts of water
  
• 1 cup of dark roux*
• 1/2 of a medium onion, grated or finely minced
• 1 stalk of celery, finely minced
• 1/2 of a small green bell pepper, finely minced
• 1/2 of a small red bell pepper, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, finely chopped or 1/2 tablespoon of dried
• 2 stalks of green onions, sliced very thin
• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 teaspoon of dried basil
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste
• 1/2 cup of Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• Splash of heavy cream, to moisten
• 12 small whole cloves of garlic, or 2 to 4 sliced** (see note)
• Couple dashes of dried crushed red pepper flakes, and/or Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama)

Instructions

In a 4 quart stockpot, add the water and stir in the room temperature roux and bring to a boil. Start with 3/4 cup but add more roux if needed to achieve the desired thickness; boil for 5 minutes; reduce to medium.

Combine all of the remaining ingredients, except for the garlic and red pepper flakes, and shape into 12 large balls. Insert a slice of the raw garlic into each meatball, pinch closed and roll the ball a bit more to tighten it. Put the raw meatballs in the sauce and once it returns to a bubble again, reduce the heat to a low to medium low simmer, and cook the meatballs for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

Sprinkle with a few dashes of dried crushed red pepper flakes and/or Cajun seasoning, and serve over rice with some of the brown sauce. Add a side of steamed green beans or a nice garden salad to round it out.

Cook's Notes: This recipe uses a pre-made roux that has been cooked ahead and cooled, so if you're using a refrigerated roux, you'll want to bring 1 cup of the roux up to room temperature, rather than use it straight out of the fridge. Then add the room temperature roux to a pot of warmed water, not hot water. Of course, you can certainly do the roux on the fly when you need it. When I do use a hot roux, I find it helps to just slightly warm the water first and then slowly whisk the water a little at a time into the hot roux, until it is incorporated. Don't add boiling hot water to just made roux - it's just too dangerous.

Traditionally, beef boulettes are stuffed with a small whole clove of garlic, or sometimes a small button mushroom or an olive, and then the meat is wrapped tight to seal it in. But its the cajun seasonings that give it mmmm!