I've got it this time. No really, I swear.
Or at least as close as those in the know will confirm.
Although the Cagney's Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe I shared last week had seemingly come from a reliable source (a former worker there), I later found out it was passed on from him to his cousin, then that cousin to a friend, then that friend to me.
Some things were clearly lost in translation.
As soon as Wednesday's newspaper hit, I was bombarded with messages thanking me for providing a recipe that many in the Kanawha Valley have cherished for so long. I even got a call from Dave Weekley wanting to interview me on his MetroNews radio show, because he said snagging this recipe was such a big deal.
But those folks were quickly followed by others questioning the recipe's authenticity. Comments ranged anywhere from "That's kind of close" to "That's nowhere close" to "Are you high?" (Most quickly clung to the fact that the Cagney's dish had no peppers or mushrooms but did include tomatoes.)
Jeff Hudnall himself, the guy credited with originally passing down last week's recipe, also said it was off.
"The person you mentioned in your article was obviously not given the correct recipe or they have it confused with another recipe," he said. "I am sure my former Cagney's co-workers will be giving me a call to laugh at what was printed as the recipe."
Jeff was a great sport about it, but make no mistake, that recipe didn't come from him. The good news is that misstep helped shine considerable light on the wildly popular dish, resulting in a recipe this week that has been verified to be pretty darn close to the real deal. But notice I still didn't call it THE real deal. Here's why ...
As I started fielding a flood of calls from former Cagney's cooks, hosts, servers and customers - many of them claiming to have the original recipe - it immediately became clear that none of them do.
But one thing most Cagney's insiders did have in common was the name of the guy who could solve this mystery once and for all. You really ought to talk to Jay Fink, they suggested.
So I did.
"You found the right guy!" Jay said, when reached over the weekend.
Jay's been in the local restaurant business since the early '80s, first at the old Steak & Ale on MacCorkle Avenue before he and three buddies decided to go "across the river" to open up Cagney's. Although Steve Cummings (a Cagney's manager) has often been credited with creating the restaurant's Cajun Chicken Pasta dish, Jay said that's not the case.
"Steve was a good mentor to me, for sure, but he wasn't in the kitchen as much and didn't come up with this recipe." Jay said. "It was actually me and Dale Gouty who made it, so you definitely have the originator right here."
GASP!
Breathe, Food Guy. You've got the creator right here on the phone. Don't blow this.
"So," I say, "any chance you'd be willing to share the original recipe? Clear this up once and for all and help me go from zero to hero?"
Hearty laugh on the other end of the line.
"You won't believe how many times I'm still asked to share that recipe, even after all these years," said Jay, who later went on to Dockside Bar & Grille in Charleston, Yesterday's in Montgomery and Casey's in Beckley. He now works on quality assurance with franchisees of Better Foods, the parent company for Gino's and Tudor's.
"I'm not sure I want to divulge the original recipe," he continued. "At least not all of it."
A glimmer of hope! My spirits raised, I start peppering him with questions.
Is it true that the recipe was never written down anywhere, and that it's always made from memory?
"Oh no," he said. "I have it written down alright."
Is it true there are only five ingredients?
A pause.
"Well you know, Steven, sometimes the most simple things are the ones that turn out best," he responded. "That really was a once-in-a-lifetime creation. The simple ingredients just blended together so well and became a big hit."
He went on to confirm it does include cream and tomatoes, as many have claimed.
"We actually used green onions on top, not chives or parsley," he said. "We used fettuccine instead of linguine, because it holds the sauce better. And shredded cheese. I would never use grated cheese on a dish like that."
Although Jay is hesitant to share the sacred recipe showing exact proportions and steps, he did offer to take a look at the ones I received, if I'd like to send them his way, to see if any were close.
So I did.
"Oh, the one Matt Kennedy shared is pretty much on target," he responded. "One of the closest I've seen."
My next call was to Matt, for even more verification.
"I worked for Steve Cummings for over two years at Hilltop Market and made 30-plus plates of the famous Cajun Chicken Pasta every Friday night while I was there," he said. "I used the exact recipe Steve brought from Cagney's, and I actually worked for Steve at Cagney's for a year or so also.
"Here is the recipe," he said. "Hope it makes a lot of people happy!"
Matt, you have no idea.
So there you have it, folks. Provided by a cook who made it for years and blessed by the chef who created it in the first place, I present - with confidence - the "official" original recipe for Cagney's Cajun Chicken Pasta.
Or at least as official as we're going to get. Enjoy!
nnn
During the hullabaloo, I also heard from the daughter of Steve Cummings, the late Cagney's manager I mentioned last week.
"Today I had a number of old friends share your article with me. It absolutely made my day to read about my dad in the paper," wrote Stephanie Cummings.
"He never put mushrooms or peppers in his Cajun chicken pasta, but the rest of the recipe looks pretty darn close though. He also never wrote the original recipe down. My brothers and I watched him make it from memory over and over. Maybe next time I'll try it with the extra ingredients, because it still sounds delicious!
"Thank you for your article. It certainly made my family very happy today!"
I'm so glad to hear that, Stephanie. Hopefully today's recipe brings you even more joy.
Steven Keith writes a weekly food column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and an occasional food blog at blogs.wvgazettemail.com/foodguy. He can be reached at 304-380-6096 or by email at wvfoodguy@aol.com. You can also follow him on Facebook as "WV Food Guy" and on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest as "WVFoodGuy."
Makes approximately two servings. Multiply ingredients for larger batches.
1 boneless chicken breast
1-2 tbsp. Cajun seasoning
2-3 cups fettuccine pasta
½ cup diced tomatoes
1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Shredded Parmesan cheese, to taste
Green onion tops, sliced
Blacken chicken breast by using Paul Prudhomme or other Cajun seasoning, then cooking until no longer pink in the middle. Let it rest, then slice.
Cook fettuccine per package directions.
While pasta is cooking, combine the sliced chicken, tomatoes and cream in a separate saucepan, heating until the mixture thickens enough to coat evenly.
Add cooked and drained fettuccine to the sauce, stir to combine and pour into dish. Top with shredded Parmesan cheese and fresh green onions.