Heavenly Recipes

Heavenly Recipes

Theresa Dardar

Theresa Cooks a: UNIQUE CRAB DISH

Story and Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

This month’s heavenly recipe, pot fried crabs, comes from Houma native and member of the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe, Theresa Dardar. Theresa, who has been living in Pointe-aux-Chenes since 1973 with her husband Donald, has worked for the diocese for the past 16 years. She began working with disaster assistance for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, but has been mostly working as the diocesan liaison for American Indian Ministry.

Like most women, Theresa learned to cook from her mother. “I learned to cook from my mom. I remember being around eight years old and cooking breakfast for my grandfather. My mom was a great cook. I can’t cook the way she used to. No one in my family can make a pot roast like my mom used to. I learned how to pot fry crabs from my mom.”

Moving to Pointe-aux-Chenes and marrying a trapper and fisherman was an adjustment for the young woman from Houma. “Life was different when I moved on the bayou. I learned to cook with my mom but never new how to prepare the seafood before cooking. I didn’t know the work that was involved in trapping and fishing. I helped with cleaning the fur and going on the shrimp boat. Part of the wife’s job was to help her husband. This was all new to me.”

Theresa says her mom was the one who instilled the Catholic faith in her and her siblings. “My mom made sure we went to church on Sundays. My dad worked on the oyster boat for weeks at a time, sometimes being away for 28 days at a time. My mom practically raised her nine children by herself.”

Soon after she was married, Theresa became involved in teaching CCD at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Pointe-auxChenes where she taught first grade for many years. Later

Pot Fried Crabs

INGREDIENTS:

1 dozen crab bodies, cleaned with claws attached 3 large onions, sliced 1/4 cup cooking oil Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Place crabs in a large pot. Add salt to taste; put onions on top. Pour oil on top of onions. Put the heat on high and cover pot. Let the crabs begin to cook. When crabs start to fry, lower temperature to medium and stir the crabs and onions well. Cover pot and continue cooking until onions are cooked down and begin to brown, stirring often so as not to burn (approximately 35 to 45 minutes). Serve over cooked rice.

she became the parish DRE and held that position for many years. She was a founding member of the Pointe-auxChenes Kateri Circle, a group that was formed to gather and pray for the canonization of Kateri Tekakwitha. “Now we get together to learn more about American Indians and traditions, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and other studies within the church.”

She hopes to help with the forming of a Kateri Circle in the Golden Meadow community soon. “There is a large Indian population there. I would like to have meetings with the people there to start the process.”

Realizing that life hasn’t always been easy for the Indian people in her community, she says that her Catholic faith has always been her refuge. “My friends and I talk about it often. Many times we even ask each other why are we Catholic? Our answer is always the same. It has to be the Eucharist.” BC