Cajun Seafood Boil with Ultimate Garlic Butter Sauce

There is something wonderfully indulgent about a Louisiana seafood boil. A big pot filled with seafood, corn, potatoes and all the good things, followed by a generous coating of garlicky Cajun butter. It looks like something you'd order at a restaurant, but the truth is, a seafood boil is surprisingly easy to make at home, and so much cheaper too.

Lobster Seafood Boil

This was actually my second time making a Cajun seafood boil at home due to a request from my youngest. The first time, I went all out with whole lobsters. The next time, I switched things up and used frozen crawfish tails. Both versions were delicious, but I love how adaptable the  boil is- using whatever seafood you enjoy or whatever happens to be available and affordable.

Crawfish Tails Seafood Boil

And as luck would have it, my lobster boil happened to land on September 25th, National Lobster Day. I couldn't have planned that better if I tried!

The beauty of a seafood boil is that the cooking process itself is incredibly simple. You are essentially creating a flavourful broth and then cooking your ingredients in stages (according to how long they need to cook), allowing everything to soak up all that seasoned goodness. For my broth, I use Old Bay and Cajun seasoning, with cayenne if I want some extra heat. But there are a few ingredients that really make the broth special: onions, lemons, bay leaves and beer- yes beer 🍺.

If there is one thing you absolutely need for an ultimate seafood boil, it's the sauce- a garlicky rich and savoury Cajun butter sauce is where all that flavour really comes together, that gets poured over the cooked seafood while holding some back for individual dipping bowls for further sopping.

And the best part is digging in true boil fashion- get messy with plenty of napkins nearby. Spread everything out on a big platter or right onto a table lined with parchment or butcher paper, grab some crusty bread for soaking up the extra sauce, and devour away.

Cajun Seafood Boil

Serves 4 to 6

2 lbs. small potatoes or medium potatoes, cut in half

4 fresh corn on cob, chopped into 4 to 5 pieces (use a cleaver)

6 whole (1-1/4 lbs.) live lobsters

1 lb. jumbo shrimps (shell-on)

1 lb. mussels on the half-shell

1 lb. crawfish (frozen whole, or tails), optional

1 lb. Polish or Andouille sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

The Spicy Boil Broth:

2-1/2 gallons of water

1/2 cup Old Bay seasoning

3 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning

1 to 2 Tbsp. cayenne pepper

1 Tbsp red pepper flakes

1 can or bottle beer (optional, adds depth)

2 large onions, halved

2 heads of garlic, halved

2 lemons, halved

5 bay leaves

The Ultimate Cajun Garlic Butter Sauce:

2 cups unsalted butter

8 to 10 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning

3/4 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning

3/4 Tbsp. lemon pepper seasoning

1 Tbsp. paprika (for colour)

1 cup reserved boiling broth

Look for live fiesty lobsters at your fish monger.
Remove the elastic bands just before cooking.

Whack crawfish tails with the side of cleaver to loosen shells.
This also helps the butter sauce to seep into the tails.

Essential Add-Ins for a complete seafood boil

In your largest pot, bring water, beer, onions, garlic, lemon, bay leaves and broth seasonings to a roaring boil. Let it boil for five minutes so the spices open up.

The seasonings that make the boil Cajun authentic!

Beer adds depth and deliciousness

Add the potatoes, cover and let cook for 10 mins. Add the corn; cover and let cook for 5 mins. Add the lobsters, one by one, head in first. Cover and cook for about six minutes.

Add the shrimps, cover and boil for 2 mins. before adding the mussels and crawfish tails. Cover and cook for another 3 mins. or until the lobsters are bright red and the potatoes are fork-tender. Reserve 1 cup seafood broth for the sauce. 

Meanwhile, while the boil finishes, in a saucepan over medium heat, pan-fry the sausage slices until golden and set aside. Melt the butter in the same saucepan over medium-low heat. Saute the garlic until fragrant about 2 mins. Stir in the sauce seasonings and 1 cup of reserved seafood broth. Simmer for 3 mins. or until slightly thickened.

Carefully remove the lobsters onto a large platter. Strain the remaining boil a metal strainer, discard the loose boiled onions, garlic, bay leaves and set aside. *I keep the lemon halves for extra flavour squeezing tableside. Dump everything into a large platter or turkey pan, add the sausages, then pour in all/ half the sauce and keep some for individual bowls. I like to serve my whole lobsters separately, so I then top the platter with them in true luxury gourmet feast fashion. 

Well, will you just look at that!!!

Crawfish Tails Seafood Boil ready for feasting

Always need the extra scrumptious sauce for dipping

And perhaps this Cajun seafood boil is a little prelude to what’s to come.

There’s a lot more crustaceans, mollusks and fins on the horizon; my next culinary adventure is taking me to a not-too-far destination where the ocean, local traditions and some seriously good seafood are part of the story. Stay tuned... The next seafood chapter is going to be a very Canadian one 🇨🇦🦞.

'Em cute tasty tails

Next time, we will do the butcher paper-lined table experience!

Nom Nom

Full Recipe:

Cajun Seafood Boil

Serves 4 to 6

2 lbs. small potatoes or medium potatoes, cut in half

4 fresh corn on cob, chopped into 4 to 5 pieces (use a cleaver)

6 whole (1-1/4 lbs.) live lobsters

1 lb. jumbo shrimps (shell-on)

1 lb. mussels on the half-shell

1 lb. crawfish (frozen whole, or tails), optional

1 lb. Polish or Andouille sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

The Spicy Boil Broth:

2-1/2 gallons of water

1/2 cup Old Bay seasoning

3 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning

1 to 2 Tbsp. cayenne pepper

1 Tbsp red pepper flakes

1 can or bottle beer (optional, adds depth)

2 large onions, halved

2 heads of garlic, halved

2 lemons, halved

5 bay leaves

The Ultimate Cajun Garlic Butter Sauce:

2 cups unsalted butter

8 to 10 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning

3/4 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning

3/4 Tbsp. lemon pepper seasoning

1 Tbsp. paprika (for colour)

1 cup reserved boiling broth

In your largest pot, bring water, beer, onions, garlic, lemon, bay leaves and broth seasonings to a roaring boil. Let it boil for five minutes so the spices open up.

Add the potatoes, cover and let cook for 10 mins. Add the corn; cover and let cook for 5 mins. Add the lobsters, one by one, head in first. Cover and cook for about six minutes.

Add the shrimps, cover and boil for 2 mins. before adding the mussels and crawfish tails. Cover and cook for another 3 mins. or until the lobsters are bright red and the potatoes are fork-tender. Reserve 1 cup seafood broth for the sauce. 

Meanwhile, while the boil finishes, in a saucepan over medium heat, pan-fry the sausage slices until golden and set aside. Melt the butter in the same saucepan over medium-low heat. Saute the garlic until fragrant about 2 mins. Stir in the sauce seasonings and 1 cup of reserved seafood broth. Simmer for 3 mins. or until slightly thickened.

Carefully remove the lobsters onto a large platter. Strain the remaining boil a metal strainer, discard the loose boiled onions, garlic, bay leaves and set aside. *I keep the lemon halves for extra flavour squeezing tableside. Dump everything into a large platter or turkey pan, add the sausages, then pour in all/ half the sauce and keep some for individual bowls. I like to serve my whole lobsters separately, so I then top the platter with them in true luxury gourmet feast fashion. 

Portuguese Octopus Rice (Arroz de Polvo Malandrinho)

 

Ola 👋 Reminiscing one of my favourite food memories from Lisbon 🇵🇹... a humble bowl of tender, melt-in-your-mouth Portuguese octopus rice, arroz de polvo 🐙🍚. Perfect for fall comfort just around the corner.

Heavenly arroz de polvo at Lisbon's best sunset rooftop resto Chapito a Mesa.

Beautiful rooftop view during sunset 

Savoury arroz de polvo at Lisbon's Maria Catita.

So naturally, being Susan's savour-it (favourite), I had to recreate it; And for such a seemingly luxurious dish, it is a cinch to cook. But I have to say, it was three times to charm.

There is something so beautiful about this dish. It is simple, rustic Portuguese cooking at its best. Just a few ingredients, but every one of them matters. Octopus/squid, rice, onion, garlic, tomato, white wine, olive oil and herbs come together in a deeply flavourful broth that tastes unmistakeably of the sea. 

Traditional arroz de polvo is meant to be malandrinho, a wonderfully Portuguese style where the cooked short-grain rice stays loose and saucy, almost like a thick, brothy rice stew. It isn't about slowly coaxing starch into a creamy consistency or finishing with butter and Parmesan in a traditional risotto. The flavour comes from the broth itself, and octopus remains the star.

My little secret? Start with frozen raw octopus or large squid 🐙. Note *freezing breaks down the muscle fibres for the ultimate tenderness. The process is simple: simmer the octopus in water first. This releases incredible deep-sea flavour, creating a broth that is intensely savoury, briny and surprisingly slightly sweet. Then use the liquid bronze to cook the rice, so every grain becomes infused with the ocean.

It is one of those dishes that reminds me why I love travelling for food. You taste a place, bring the memory home, and then start playing in your own kitchen. Lisbon inspired me. My kitchen took it from there 🇵🇹💖

Portuguese Octopus Rice (Arroz de Polvo Malandrinho)

Serves 6

2 lbs (1 kg) octopus or giant squid tentacles, preferably frozen *see note above

1 medium onion, unpeeled and halved

3 bay leaves. divided
8 cups of water

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red or yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large ripe tomatoes, finely chopped 
½ cup dry white wine

2 cups short-grain rice, preferably Carolino or Italian 
6 cups reserved hot octopus cooking broth, plus extra as needed
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
Fresh flat-leaf parsley or kale leaves, generously chopped

If you can't find octopus, giant squid tentacles are just as good!

In a medium pot, add the cleaned octopus with the halved onion, 1 bay leaf and 8 cups of water.

Add the excess brown liquid in package. Flavour on flavour.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat. Cover and cook for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the octopus is tender when pierced with a fork *no need to add salt at this stage. Remove the octopus from the pot and set aside to cool slightly.

Do not discard the broth! Strain it through a fine-mesh sieve and reserve it. This essential rich, bronze and slightly pink cooking liquid is what gives the rice its distinctive depth of flavour.

Cut the octopus into bite-sized pieces, leaving a few tentacles whole if you want a more dramatic presentation.

In a wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onions, garlic and 2 bay leaves. Saute until softened, translucent and fragrant about three minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they break down and soften, stirring occasionally.

Pour in the white wine, let it bubble and allow the alcohol to cook off for two minutes. Add the chopped octopus to the saucepan, stirring to coat them in the aromatics. Stir in the rice.

Pour in the 6 cups of reserved hot octopus broth; bring to a rolling boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover; let simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick. 

During the last two minutes of cooking, stir in finely chopped kale if using, or parsley. The rice consistency should be thick and saucy. The dish is ready when the rice is cooked through. Add more broth if it needs it. Serve hot with a drizzle of EVOO at the table.

The dish should be saucy. If it seems dry, add more reserved hot broth.

Such a beautiful dramatic dish to present at the table for family or friends. Serve by itself as a hearty bowl or alongside fish and other accompaniments. This lovely was made using arborio rice which is an alright substitute for carolino or Italian rice but its a bit too starchy, and if you don't eat it right away it continues to absorb liquid and gets mushy. 

First attempt albeit dry (with Arborio rice) served with pan-fried salmon.

Missing our Lisbon girl's getaway trip in May (In Cascais)

Full Recipe:

Portuguese Octopus Rice (Arroz de Polvo Malandrinho)

Serves 6

2 lbs (1 kg) octopus or giant squid tentacles, preferably frozen *see note above

1 medium onion, unpeeled and halved

3 bay leaves. divided
8 cups of water

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red or yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large ripe tomatoes, finely chopped 
½ cup dry white wine

2 cups short-grain rice, preferably Carolino or Italian 
6 cups reserved hot octopus cooking broth, plus extra as needed
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
Fresh flat-leaf parsley or kale leaves, generously chopped

In a medium pot, add the cleaned octopus with the halved onion, 1 bay leaf and 8 cups of water.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat. Cover and cook for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the octopus is tender when pierced with a fork *no need to add salt at this stage.

Remove the octopus from the pot and set aside to cool slightly.

Do not discard the broth! Strain it through a fine-mesh sieve and reserve it. This rich, slightly pink cooking liquid is what gives the rice its distinctive depth of flavour.

Cut the octopus into bite-sized pieces, leaving a few tentacles whole if you want a more dramatic presentation.

In a wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onions, garlic and 2 bay leaves. Saute until softened, translucent and fragrant about three minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they break down and soften, stirring occasionally.

Pour in the white wine, let it bubble and allow the alcohol to cook off for two minutes. Add the chopped octopus to the saucepan, stirring to coat them in the aromatics. Stir in the rice. 

Pour in the 6 cups of reserved hot octopus broth; bring to a rolling boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover; let simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick. 

During the last two minutes of cooking, stir in finely chopped kale if using, or parsley. The rice consistency should be thick and saucy. The dish is ready when the rice is cooked through. Add more broth if it needs it. Serve hot with a drizzle of EVOO at the table.

Trinidadian Curry Chicken Roti

Canada brought the win 🇨🇦⚽️💨, and I brought the flavour in da house.

During Canada’s big game against South Africa, I wanted something celebratory, comforting, and easy enough to enjoy while still keeping one eye on the soccer. For me, that meant Trinidadian curry chicken roti, a dish that feels like pure comfort wrapped in something soft, flaky, and delicious. At that meant manning with one foot in the kitchen and the other in the living room :)

Trinidadian roti has such a beautiful history. It comes from Indian culinary traditions brought to Trinidad and Tobago by indentured labourers in the 19th century, and over time, it became its own beloved part of Trini food culture. Like so much Caribbean cooking, it tells a story of migration, adaptation, and flavour shaped by many cultures.

In Trinidad, roti can refer to the flatbread itself, but also to the full meal: curried meat, potatoes, chickpeas, or vegetables wrapped inside dhalpuri, paratha, or served with buss up shut. Last time, and my first time, I went all in and made fresh homemade buss up shut, the buttery, flaky Trini-style paratha whose name comes from its torn-up “busted shirt” appearance. It was so worth it, but this time, for soccer game day, I needed a shortcut.

Buss Up Shut Step-By-Step Recipe

Enter frozen Taiwanese flaky onion pancakes.

And honestly, they worked beautifully.

Crisped up in a pan, they gave me those lovely flaky layers and just enough savoury onion flavour to make the curry chicken feel right at home. It may not be traditional, but it was joyful, practical, and very Toronto. A little Caribbean, a little Taiwanese, a lot of multicultural kitchen magic.

Frozen pancakes found in all Asian Supermarkets

For the curry chicken, layer the seasoned chicken with potatoes, chickpeas, curry powder, garlic, onion, thyme, cumin, and allspice. After a gentle simmer, everything becomes tender, saucy, and deeply comforting, with the potatoes thickening the curry and the chicken soaking up all that warm Trini-inspired spice. Try this as an easy weeknight meal, allowing the marinated chicken to chill overnight. Double the recipe for a bigger batch- leftovers are superb!

Trinidadian Curry Chicken Roti (adapted by African Bites)

Serves 6

Chicken Marinade
2½-3 pounds chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, and cut into bite-sized pieces
½ tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. curry powder
½ tsp. chicken bouillon

Chicken Roti
2 Tbsp. canola oil, more if needed
1 large onion, diced
2 tsp. minced garlic
1½ tsp. thyme, fresh or dried
1 tsp. ground cumin
1½ tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. ground allspice
2-3 Tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon
2 cups cubed potatoes
½-1 tsp. cayenne pepper or 2 chili peppers, optional
1 tsp. white pepper
3-4 cups chicken broth
salt to taste

Place chicken in a large bowl then add salt, garlic, thyme, white pepper, and curry powder.

Mix chicken with a spoon or your hands until well coated. Set aside in the fridge and marinate for 30 minutes or overnight.

When ready to cook, heat a large saucepan with oil. Add onions, garlic, thyme, cumin, allspice, smoked paprika, nutmeg, and curry powder. Stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent.

Then add the chicken, stir, and sauté for 2-3 more minutes. Add chicken stock if necessary to prevent burning.

Next, add chickpeas, chicken bouillon, potatoes, cayenne, white pepper, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes soften and the sauce thickens (about 20-30 mins). Adjust with salt, pepper, and broth for taste and consistency. 

Serve at the table with warmed paranthas or pancakes.

Once the curry was ready, spoon it into the hot flaky onion pancakes and wrapped them roti-style or tear the pieces, pick up some curry with it and enjoy! 

Golden, saucy, messy in the best way, and completely satisfying.

This is the kind of food I love most: rooted in tradition, open to improvisation, and full of personal story. Cooking in Toronto often looks like this, honouring where a dish comes from while also using what we have, what we love, and what fits the moment.

Canada was on the screen, curry was bubbling on the stove, and dinner brought the world together in one flaky, saucy, joyful bite.

Let’s go Canada gooooo! 🇨🇦⚽🔥

FULL RECIPE:

Trinidadian Curry Chicken Roti (adapted by African Bites)

Serves 6

Chicken Marinade
2½-3 pounds chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, and cut into bite-sized pieces
½ tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. curry powder
½ tsp. chicken bouillon

Chicken Roti
2 Tbsp. canola oil, more if needed
1 large onion, diced
2 tsp. minced garlic
1½ tsp. thyme, fresh or dried
1 tsp. ground cumin
1½ tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. ground allspice
2-3 Tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon
2 cups cubed potatoes
½-1 tsp. cayenne pepper or 2 chili peppers, optional
1 tsp. white pepper
3-4 cups chicken broth
salt to taste

Place chicken in a large bowl then add salt, garlic, thyme, white pepper, and curry powder.

Mix chicken with a spoon or your hands until well coated. Set aside in the fridge and marinate for 30 minutes or overnight.

When ready to cook, heat a large saucepan with oil. Add onions, garlic, thyme, cumin, allspice, smoked paprika, nutmeg, and curry powder. Stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent.

Then add the chicken, stir, and sauté for 2-3 more minutes. Add chicken stock if necessary to prevent burning.

Next, add chickpeas, chicken bouillon, potatoes, cayenne, white pepper, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes soften and the sauce thickens (about 20-30 mins). Adjust with salt, pepper, and broth for taste and consistency. 

Serve with warmed paranthas or pancakes.

The Most Reliable Way To Predict The Future...

Over a year ago, Newcomer Kitchen lost its funding and I lost my job. Like many people facing unexpected change, I wasn't entirely sure what came next.

So I did what I know how to do. I kept moving.

I travelled. I spent time with family and friends. I reflected on what mattered most. And alongside a small but mighty team at Newcomer Kitchen, I continued volunteering and contributing where I could, even when the future felt uncertain.

For months, we kept plugging away because we believed in the work and shared a vision that newcomer women deserve opportunities to build businesses, confidence, and belonging.

Over the years at Newcomer Kitchen

Then things started to happen.

Funding was secured.

Meanwhile, Toronto was having a moment- recognized on the global stage. FIFA World Cup 2026™ was around the corner. The Depanneur, where NK started, received accolades for their cookbook and earned international acclaim, winning a Gold Medal at the 2025 Taste Canada Awards and three Gourmand International 'Best in the World' Cookbook Awards. 

The Depanneur Cookbook

What began as a food-related proposal, unexpectedly evolved into something completely different. Because FIFA World Cup 2026™'s existing sponsors already occupied many food categories, we pivoted and ultimately got approved to became an Official FIFA World Cup 2026™ Licensee with a limited-edition cooling sports towel collection of three series- 6 towels instead.

Series 2- Towel D "We are the World in a City" is FIFA World Cup 2026™’s tag line

‘specially for the Six. Toronto is the most cosmopolitan city in the world and

we couldn't be prouder of our multicultural heritage.

What sounds simple on paper turned into a fascinating journey of applications, approvals, supplier sourcing, finding the right local production partner, compliance audits, licensing requirements, design reviews, shipment delays and countless hurdles along the way. Today, having our towels around our neck feels surreal. And being invited as a VIP licensee guest at Friday's FIFA World Cup 2026™ opening game was on another level.

At Canada vs. Qatar Game with Willowdale Councillor Lily Cheng

At the same time, another passion was quietly growing.

I embraced AI early, taking courses, attending workshops, following the rapid developments in the field, and exploring how it could be used thoughtfully to empower people rather than replace them.

Attending A Toronto Tech Week Event

Recently, I had the opportunity to incorporate AI into a food education program with a junior public school community. Together, we used technology, creativity, and storytelling to help families share recipes and experiences that ultimately became a community cookbook. Watching families see their stories and recipes come to life was incredibly rewarding.

With Lynnwood Principal Joy Reiter

Nutritious and Delicious Three-Protein Shakshouka

📢 I am so proud to announce, I've stepped into the role of Program Director and Program Development at Newcomer Kitchen Canada as we prepare for an exciting new chapter and national growth.

Farmer's Market during my early NK years as a trainer with my students

One of my priorities will be rebuilding and reimagining our food entrepreneurship training programs, combining the heart of community-building with the possibilities that AI can offer to support learning, creativity, and business development.

The future still feels uncertain. Perhaps it always will.

But I've learned that uncertainty isn't something to fear. It's an invitation to create.

To create with passion.

To create with joy.

To create with purpose.

And sometimes, when you keep showing up, believing, learning, and building, the future begins to meet you halfway 💖.