Read this first!

I can give you recipes, but there are some important extras that will elevate the flavors from average to extraordinary.

1. Use only the best ingredients. Buying the cheapest olive oil, for example, defeats the purpose of using olive oil at all. My personal favorite is Tuscan extra virgin olive oil. Wegmans carries a series of olive oils with their own label, and Tuscan is one of their varieties. As another example, I can give you Frank's recipe for Gumbo Ya Ya, but I can't help you make your own homemade authentic tasso ham (something Frank makes himself in his own outdoor smoker), or obtain the world's best andouille sausage from LaPlace, LA (where I once lived). You get the idea . . . .
   
   
2. Always use stock/broth instead of water, preferably homemade. Frank and I always have homemade stocks & broth on hand, and we never deglaze a pan with water. The flavors will be that much more intense if you always use stock or broth (preferably homemade) instead. Canned broth & stock is an emergency substitute, but often simply adds saltiness rather than flavor. This isn't very hard; simply keep assorted freezer bags in the freezer and keep adding the occasional pork bones/scraps, chicken parts, shrimp shells, fish heads, whatever, to the appropriate bag. When you have a full bag, just get a big pot of water going, add the parts along with some chunks of onion, carrot, & celery, and simmer for 6 hours (3 hours for seafood stock). Let cool & strain. Refrigerate and then scoop the hardened fat off the top. Pour into quart-size freezer containers to use as needed. In the case of pork or beef stock, we like to roast the bones with some carrot & onion quarters before adding to water and simmering. Finally, we never waste leftover pan drippings. The way we see it, there's no sense throwing good flavor down the drain. We pour off extra drippings into a freezer container to add to stocks or use otherwise later on.
   
   
3. Constantly adjust seasonings. We continuously taste things at many stages throughout the cooking process. For example, if we brown pieces of meat, we taste them to make sure the seasonings are perfect. Then we taste the seasonings in a braising liquid to which they will be added (careful, don't oversalt because this will cook down). Then we taste again just before serving. In this way, we can make sure that flavors are infused in everything that is added at every stage, with a final adjustment upon serving. Just like many chefs, we believe that our dishes are pretty much perfectly seasoned when we serve them, although we know there are some minor adjustments that people may wish to make based on their personal preferences (more hot sauce, cayenne pepper, or maybe a bit more salt).
   
   
4. Cooking skills matter. We have been making rouxs (pronouned rooz, and the basis for so many Cajun/Creole dishes) for a very long time. You will also need to know how to brown chicken pieces (don't crowd them, or they'll steam not brown) and how to deglaze a roasting pan (preferably with homemade stock). This cuisine isn't hard, but as with all ethnic cuisines, it has a few techniques that are unique. Be patient and take care, and you will be able to reproduce these dishes authentically.

Hope these hints help!