Food conversations, especially in South Louisiana, easily lend themselves to making new acquaintances in a multitude of places. Whether it is in a grocery store conferring with a fellow shopper on the freshest produce, in the meat department wondering out loud how to cook an unknown cut of meat, or in a restaurant observing a nearby diner’s meal, asking if they would order it again.

Individuals, previously unknown, become newly made friends with similar interests.

As it would happen, I had the pleasure of making a new acquaintance at the recent St. Peter’s Catholic Church Cajun Fiesta celebrating the feasts of Saints Peter and Paul.

While commenting on the recipe for a blueberry cobbler being served, Stephen Melancon, a Catholic Seminarian studying for the Priesthood at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans and spending the summer with the parishioners of St. Peter’s, agreed with my interpretation of the recipe. It was a dish he was familiar with from preparing it at the seminary.

Somewhat surprised that this young man studying for the priesthood had such a knowledge of baking, I asked him more about his experience in the kitchen.

In a later visit over lunch, Stephen explained that belonging to a family of 10 children, his dad and all siblings helped their mom with the cooking. His interest in cooking began as a young child when he would get up early to spend quality time with his dad who would cook a big breakfast before they attended 10:30 a.m. Mass in his hometown of Parks, La.

He grew up in a family of good cooks which included his grandmother, who lived next door. He described his grandmother’s creative spirit as she often tried new recipes and fondly recalled her period of experimenting with bread recipes.

He and his siblings were only too happy to taste test the results upon returning home from school and immediately heading to her house for hot, freshly baked bread with butter.

Stephen’s skills in the kitchen were widely known, as when he would visit the homes of friends their parents would let him cook.

Now, as a student in priestly formation at Notre Dame Seminary, Stephen is sharing his extensive cooking skills with his fellow seminarians in New Orleans.

He is especially fond of cooking Parisian style recipes such as Coq au vin, a dish of chicken braised with wine and cooked with mushrooms, carrots, and other vegetables. Fondant potatoes cut into cylinders, browned and slowly roasted in the oven is another in his repertoire of French recipes, although he is regularly called upon to make his Cajun gumbo at the first cool spell.

Jambalaya is his spring signature dish and welcomed by all, while another favorite is what he calls Rectory Soup, made with fresh vegetables brought to the seminary.

At the culmination of the sacred ceremonies of the Easter Triduum, the three days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday, Stephen enjoys baking Challah bread, a Jewish bread which he starts on Holy Saturday morning and is completed by 9 p.m. on Holy Saturday night.

Egg yolks and honey are incorporated into the bread dough which is then separated into three strands and braided. A honey and egg yolk wash is applied to the dough before baking, resulting in a golden, fluffy, doughnut-like bread indulged in by the seminarians after exiting the church at the end of the Easter Vigil Mass.

Just as Stephen brings his Cajun culinary heritage into his meals prepared at the seminary, others from Mexico, Spain, Uganda, and Vietnam also share their own recipes from home, while a friend from Chicago cooks brats on their outdoor grill.

In sharing his culinary talents with his fellow students studying for the priesthood, Stephen lives out the message from Heb., 13:2 of the New Testament Bible: “Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.”

The following is Stephen’s recipe for a Melancon family favorite which combines savory and sweet flavors in a sweet potato-sausage dish.

Sauteed Sweet Potato-Sausage Skillet

Ingredients

3 large sweet potatoes, roughly cut into eighth-inch cubes

2 links of smoked sausage, sliced into quarter inch rounds (a more tender sausage works well)

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

3 tsp. cinnamon

5 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning blend, or to taste (He recommends Ragin Cajun seasoning.)

Orange zest and chopped parsley for garnish

Small amount of water or chicken bouillon for adding additional moisture if needed

Directions

• Sauté sausage till golden in wide, flat pan, retaining some of the sausage drippings.

• Add butter and seasonings mixture to the sausage, stir well.

• Slowly add cubed sweet potatoes, incorporating them into the sausage-seasoning mixture, coating well.

• Continue smothering potatoes until desired texture is achieved.

• Sprinkle with orange zest and chopped parsley.

Note: the seasoning mix can be adjusted to make dish more sweet or savory as desired.