Had 3 pcs of shrimp n it tasted n smelled like burnt beans!!!! Never again!!! I want my money back!!!!!

Angiepooh

Louisville

HEB recently revamped, again, their single serving frozen food section. Gone were some long time favorites, appearing has been a line of Richard's Cajun Favorites. I spent nearly twenty years in food service, cooking, managing, writing.. I have an inkling of what Cajun means; an almost religious tantalization of the taste buds with a distinct flavor profile. Not something with a really lackluster taste, almost to the point of calling it mud. I am fully aware of the restrictions one has to put on frozen foods when looking at mouth feel, but flavor should not be a fatality.

Molesworth

South Texas

It used to be if you wanted seafood gumbo you had to eat out or make it yourself. If you wanted really good gumbo you had to get in the car and drive to Louisiana. Recently, I've discovered another alternative and it's been better-visited than the first two. Found in grocery stores locally, Richard's (pronounced Reee-Shaaardz) frozen seafood gumbo allows me to enjoy a bowl of hot gumbo in about 5 minutes whenever the mood hits for some authentic Cajun food. To be deemed authentic, by the way, Cajun food must be prepared by those living in Louisiana and Richard's meets the criteria. The owner developed his Cajun recipes over a lifetime of working amongst fellow Cajun's at a family grocers. Distribution was local at first and has steadily expanded due to the success of the bayou-born recipes. I'll get the obvious out of the way right up front - yes, the shrimp is frozen and therefore a little rubbery. That's unavoidable but I don't find it that objectionable and it beats not having any gumbo at all, right? The flavor is actually pretty good, has a slightly smoky roux with better flavor than I've found in some restaurants. Most people I know drown their gumbo in Tabasco sauce to make up for a disappointing roux but it isn't necessary with Richard's. I usually add a little heat with carrot-based habanero sauces but as-is this is good gumbo. I've been through many a single-serving bowl by now so here's what I can share: When heating it in the microwave it is best to go 2 minutes, stir a little, then 1 minute, stir thouroughly, then another minute and stir again then finish heating but watch it carefully that last round. If it gets too hot it will bubble up and over the rim and make a mess. Also, every great once in awhile I'll get a bowl that seems a little dry. If it is, just add a little bit of water after the first few minutes and it will turn creamy again. Yes, it does have calories (420) and sodium (920 mg) as well as 8 grams of saturated fat and they warn you it contains wheat, seafood and soy so if you're allergic to any of those it's not for you. On the other hand, there's no MSG. Personally, I consider 420 calories to be a pretty light lunch and as for the sodium, well, just don't add salt and forget about it. As an alternative to most of what we eat for lunch, it's health food, relatively speaking, and it does fill you up.  Nothing beats a great bowl of gumbo but if you're like me and you find it inconvenient to find Cajun food most of the time, Richard's is a welcome member of the freezer. They make other single-serve meals, including a variety of etouffes, some of which I've tried and liked. For me, though, it's the gumbo I keep going back to. If you'd like to learn more about the company and its products it's worth a visit to Richard's Cajun Foods on the web. The company is an active supporter of their local community, which makes buying their product even more satisfying. As they say, C'est Si Bon, and who can argue with that? Now cut out all the mumbo jumbo and go get a bowl of this gumbo.       

rustaddsflavor

Houston, TX