Editing Louisiana Creole cuisine (section)

===Creole seasonings===
'''Individual'''
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*[[Bay leaf]]
*[[Oregano]]
*[[Bell pepper]]s (green or red)
*[[Black pepper]]
*[[Cayenne pepper]]
*[[Celery]]
*[[Garlic]]
*[[Onion]]—bell pepper, onion, and celery used together are known as the "holy trinity" of Creole cuisine.
*[[Parsley]], flat leaf
*[[Sassafras]] leaves—dried and ground into the spice known as ''[[filé]]'' for [[gumbo]] of the Choctaw
*[[Dried shrimp]]
*[[Sugarcane]], also cane syrup, [[brown sugar]] and molasses
*[[Thyme]]
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'''Blended'''
*"Creole spice" blends such as [[Tony Chachere's]] and REX King of Spice are sometimes used in Creole kitchens, but do not suit every cook's style because Creole-style seasoning is often achieved from scratch, even by taste. 
:Whole peppers are almost never used in authentic Creole dishes—ground cayenne, paprika, and pepper sauces predominate.
*[[Hot sauce]]
*[[Seafood boil]] mix
*Vinegar seasoned with small, pickled, hot green peppers is a common condiment with many Creole meals.
*''[[Persillade]]''
*[[Marinade]]s made with [[olive oil]], [[brown sugar]], and [[citrus]] juices
*Various [[spice rub|barbecue rubs]] similar to those in other states

'''Cooking bases'''

Knowing how to make a good [[roux]] is key to Cajun and Creole cooking. The technique was inherited from the French. A roux is "a mixture made from equal parts of fat and flour, used especially to make a sauce or soup thicker."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/roux|title=roux Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary|website=dictionary.cambridge.org|language=en-US|access-date=2017-02-17|archive-date=February 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218224833/http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/roux|url-status=live}}</ref> The fat and flour are cooked together on the stovetop until the mixture reaches a certain level of brownness, or darkness.

Creole roux in New Orleans are known to be lighter than Cajun roux and are usually made with butter or bacon fat and flour. But certain Creole dishes use a dark roux.

Dark roux are usually made with oil or bacon fat and flour. The scent of a good roux is so strong that it stays in clothes until they are washed. The scent is so widely recognized in Louisiana that others can tell if someone is making a roux, and often infer that they're making a gumbo.

The secret to making a good gumbo is pairing the roux with the protein, similar to pairing the right wine and protein.{{citation needed|date=March 2012}}

*Light [[roux]]: A light roux is well-suited for seafood dishes, because the roux will not overwhelm the subtle seafood flavors. A light-colored roux does not support the heavier meat flavor of meat-based gumbos. For a light roux, the flour is cooked to a light golden brown. 
*Medium [[roux]]: Medium roux are the most versatile and probably the most common among the Creole cuisine of the New Orleans area. They work well with most Creole dishes. A medium roux will turn the color of a copper penny or peanut butter. A medium roux begins to take on the warm, browned flavor widely associated with gumbo. 
*Dark [[roux]]: A dark roux, with its strong (dense) nutty flavor will completely overpower a simple seafood gumbo, but is the perfect complement to a gumbo using chicken, sausage, crawfish or alligator.{{citation needed|date=March 2012}}  Chicken will just settle into the darker flavor, while sausage and dark roux balance each other well. A dark roux is approximately the color of milk chocolate.
:Preparing a dark roux is complicated. It involves heating oil or fat and flour very carefully, constantly stirring for 15–45 minutes (depending on the darkness desired), until the mixture has turned quite dark and developed a rich, nutty flavor and smell. It is very easy to burn the flour as it moves toward a darker brown, and burnt roux renders a dish unpalatable. A heavy-bottomed pot can help protect the roux from burning. {{Citation needed|date=December 2009}}
*[[Stock (food)|Stocks]]: Creole stocks may be more heavily seasoned than Continental counterparts, and the shellfish stock sometimes made with shrimp and crawfish heads is unique to Creole cuisine.
**Fish stock and [[court-bouillon]]
**Shellfish stock
**Chicken stock