Page 69 - Blues Festival Guide Magazine 2016

the roux, and I can still hear her say, “Keep stirring, don’t let it Kenny Neal, born in New Orleans and raised in Baton Rouge,
burn.” Nowadays, we have instant roux, which saves a lot of began playing music at a young age. Learning the basics from his
time and is healthier. I have to say, it’s pretty close to the real father, late singer and blues harmonica master Raful Neal, Kenny
old fashioned cooking; they have mastered it. Also, down here has evolved into a multi-award winning artist. He is known as a
in Louisiana, crawfish wasn’t as big as it is today. It was just for modern swamp-blues and multi-instrumentalist that draws from
local folks then, like our own secret. the sizzling sounds of his native Louisiana. www.kennyneal.net
One thing I know for sure, the food here in Louisiana is
different from anywhere in the United States. It’s something about
our music and food – it goes together. So I’d like to leave you with
my favorite recipe: Okra, Shrimp and Sausage. Please enjoy!

OKra, SHrIMP anD SauSage recIPe
2 pounds cut okra
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tomato, diced
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
1 big onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
½ cup green onions, chopped
1½ pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound smoked sausage, cut into quarter pieces
Fry okra in oil, and add in vinegar, tomato, bell pepper,
onion, celery and green onions. Fry it all about fifteen
minutes, then add the sausage, shrimp and half a cup of
water. Simmer about fifteen minutes and serve over rice. Kenny Neal boils crawfish, a staple dish in Louisiana Photo courtesy Kenny Neal

Blues Festival Guide 2016 67