Denizens of many regions of the world must cringe and weep when they taste what passes for authentic versions of local food in modern restaurants, and if I were to throw my chef's hat into the ring, I might even join in on the cries of "cultural exploitation." You see, Cajun gourmet cooking is in a class of itself not only in the United States, but in the world as well, and it would be well worth one's time doing some research now. But my job here is to tell you how to make a genuine Cajun roux, not to be the Leftist Gourmet.

Now, a true Cajun roux is a wondrous thing, and the best part about it is that you only need a dime or two (a marvel in itself in these hard times), a hot stove (a black iron skillet is de rigueur but honestly Teflon works just fine), equal amounts of flour and any sort of vegetable oil that is not strongly flavored (like olive oil or sesame oil), and a not unreasonable amount of virtue, for a Cajun roux demands thirty minutes of your complete attention. No phone calls, no answering the door; if you burn a roux there is no saving it.

OK- here's how you make it! I like to use one cup of oil to one cup of all-purpose flour- ingredients don't get easier than that. Heat the oil on medium heat until it's hot enough for the flour to 'sizzle' a bit when added. Once all the flour has been stirred in and the ingredients have consistency, turn the heat to low. Next stir, stir, and stir some more. In fact, don't stop stirring for the next 30 minutes. You will notice a gradual change as the flour becomes browner and browner and the roux takes on a wonderful fragrance. If you did it right- and the key words here are simple and patient- it will smell toasty and nutty.

Be careful because it is very hot; so let it cool before storing. It will keep practically forever in the fridge so go ahead and make much more than you need.