Top Recipes for Mardi Gras Celebrated on February 16, 2010  Save as Bookmark  Send this Page to Friend. Mardi Gras Home   Celebration of Mardi Gras   History of Mardi Gras   Mardi Gras Costumes   Mardi Gras Greetings   The First Modern Mardi Gras   The Power Of The Mask   Top Recipes for Mardi Gras   Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya Ingredients : 1 fryer- 3-4 pounds, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil 1/2 teaspoon dried 1-1/2 tablespoons salt 3 teaspoons ground red pepper 2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried 2 teaspoons ground black pepper 2 teaspoons ground white pepper 4-5 tablespoons dark roux 1 pound smoked Pork Sausage sliced 1/2 inch thick 2 cups chicken stock 5-6 shots Tabasco Sauce 2 large yellow onions chopped fine 2 cups raw rice 2 medium bell peppers chopped fine 1 cup chopped green onions 3 celery ribs chopped fine 1 cup chopped parsley Directions : 1.Cut the fryer into small serving pieces. 2.In a small bowl, mix together the salt and peppers. 3.Season the chicken with half this mixture. 4.Place a Dutch oven or other large heavy pot over medium heat, add the sausage and brown on all sides. Remove. 5.Add the chicken to the pan, brown on all sides and remove. 6.Pour off any excess fat. 7.Reduce the heat, add the onions, bell peppers and celery, and sauté for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. 8.Stir in the herbs and the rest of the salt-pepper mixture and sauté for a few minutes more. 9.Stir in the roux and let cook for a few minutes, to get it good and hot. 10.Then slowly add the chicken stock until the mixture is a little thicker than a gumbo but not as thick as a stew. 11.Stir in the Tabasco and let the mixture simmer slowly for 20 minutes, stirring often. Then add the sausage and chicken, cover and cook over low heat until the chicken is very tender, stirring occasionally. A younger fryer will take 45 minutes to an hour; an older fryer or roasting chicken may take longer. Meanwhile, steam the rice. 12.When the chicken is tender, remove it to a serving platter. 13.Transfer the rive to a large mixing bowl, and gradually add the jambalaya base until you get the consistency you like. (You will probably not use all of the jambalaya base for this quantity of rice. 14.Store the excess in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or freeze it.) 15.Add the green onions and parsley and mix well. 16.Serve on plates with the chicken alongside. (You can also bone the chicken and return it to the jambalaya base before mixing with the rice, but I prefer to serve it separately so that everyone can pick the part he likes.     Riz au Lait (Rice Pudding) Ingredients : 3/4 cup short grain rice 1 quart whole milk (or even half-and-half for a very rich pudding) 2/3 cup sugar 2 Tbs. honey 1 tsp. Mexican-style vanilla 1/3 cup golden raisins 1/8 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. cinnamon Pinch nutmeg Directions : 1. Rinse the rice well, then put it in a heavy saucepan with the milk, sugar, honey, vanilla, raisins, and cinnamon. 2. Bring the pot to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until thickened into a pudding consistency. This usually takes 25 to 30 minutes. 3. Allow to cool or even refrigerate. Sprinkle with a little nutmeg when serving.     Grilled Lamb Chops with Garlic and Mint Ingredients : 16 lamb chops, 4 oz. each Salt and pepper 3 Tbs. olive oil 2 Tbs. chopped garlic 6 Tbs. balsamic vinegar 1/3 cup rich chicken stock 1 tsp. chopped fresh mint 1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley Directions : 1. Sprinkle the lamb chops with salt and pepper, and grill them about two minutes on each side (for medium rare) in a skillet with 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Set aside and keep warm. 2. Lower the heat and add the remaining olive oil to the skillet. Add the garlic and cook until it begins to brown slightly. Immediately add the balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil. 3. Add the chicken stock and return to a boil. Reduce until the sauce thickens. 4. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then add the mint and parsley. Spoon the sauce over four lamb chops per person.     Red Snapper Veracruzana Ingredients : 4 fresh red snapper fish fillets, 6-8 oz. each Juice of two limes 1/4 cup olive oil 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 yellow onions, cut into thin strips 2 green bell peppers, cut into thin strips 4 medium ripe tomatoes, cubed 1 Tbs. chopped cilantro 1/2 Tbs. chopped jalapeno pepper Pinch oregano Pinch sweet basil 2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce 1 cup tomato puree 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. Tabasco Directions : 1. Marinate the fish fillets with lime juice for a few minutes. 2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and saute the garlic, onion, bell pepper, and tomatoes until tender. 3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then add the snapper fillets. Cover and cook for about 8-10 minutes, until fish is cooked. Goes well with Spanish-style rice.     Moo Shu Pork Ingredients : 2 Tbs. soy sauce 1/4 tsp. sugar Pinch salt 4 tsp. cornstarch 1 cup dried tree ear mushrooms 1/2 cup tiger lily flowers Vegetable oil 2 eggs, lightly beaten 10 oz. pork loin, cut into strip 2 cups light chicken stock Directions : 1. Combine the soy sauce, sugar, salt, cornstarch, and 1 Tbs. of cold water to dissolve everything. Reserve. 2. Soak the tree-ear mushrooms and the tiger-lily petals in warm water. 3. Heat 1/2 cup of vegetable oil in a wok or skillet until moderately hot, and pour in the beaten egg. Cook, stirring lightly, for 15-20 seconds. Pour the entire pan contents through a strainer into a cup. Set the eggs aside to drain, and reserve the oil. 4. Return 1 Tbs. oil to the wok or skillet. Over the highest heat you can get, stir-fry the pork strips for about one minute, until browned on the outside. Remove and reserve. 5. Wipe the wok out, leaving a light film of oil. After shaking off the water, add the tree ear mushrooms and tiger lily petals. Cook for two or three seconds, then add the chicken stock and the soy sauce mixture from step 1. Bring to a boil and cook for three minutes, until sauce thickens. 6. Return the pork strips and the egg curdles back to the wok and stir into the mixture. Cook for another 30 seconds or so, then spoon onto serving plate. Serve with flour tortillas or Chinese thin pancakes.     Turkey Gumbo Ingredients : 1 turkey carcass 1 pound Chaurice Sausage or other fresh hot link sausage 3/4 cup butter 1/2 cup flour 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup chopped green bell peppers 1 cup chopped celery 1 Tbs. minced garlic 1 Tbs. File Powder 2 bay leaves 1 tsp. thyme 1/2 tsp. basil 1/2 tsp. sage 1/2 tsp. white pepper 1/2 tsp. black pepper 1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper 2 tsp. salt 2 cup diced tomatoes Directions : 1. Trim as much meat as possible from the turkey carcass as possible and cut about 1 1/2 pounds of meat into bite sized pieces and set aside. 2. Break the turkey carcass into several pieces and place in a stock pot with three quarts of water. Bring the pot to a boil, lower the fire and simmer for three or four hours, reducing to two quarts. Strain the stock and set aside. 3. Meanwhile, slice the hot sausage into half-inch discs and spread evenly on a sheet pan or shallow baking pan. Place in a 400º oven and allow the sausage to brown, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and pour off the rendered fat. Set the sausage aside. 4. In a large heavy bottomed Dutch oven, melt the butter over a medium high fire. (If you wish you may replace part or all of the butter with the rendered sausage fat). Whisk in the flour and make a dark brown roux. 5. When the roux reaches the proper color, add the chopped onion, bell pepper and celery. Stir well and cook until tender, from time to time allowing the vegetables to stick a bit and then scraping up the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add bay leaves, thyme, basil, sage, white, black and cayenne pepper and salt. Cook for one more minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for five minutes, repeating the sticking and scraping process. 6. Slowly pour in the turkey stock, mixing well. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the reserved turkey meat and sliced cooked sausage and bring back to a boil. Lower the fire and simmer for 15 minutes. Adjust the seasoning, skim off any excess fat and add a little more stock if the gumbo is too thick. Serve in large bowls over steamed rice mixing well. Bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the reserved turkey meat and sliced cooked sausage and bring back to a boil. Lower the fire and simmer for 15 minutes. Adjust the seasoning skim off any excess fat and add a little more stock if the gumbo is too thick. Serve in large bowls over steamed rice.     Caesar Salad Ingredients : 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce 1/4 tsp. Tabasco 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 egg yolk 1 head excellent romaine, outer leaves removed, picked well. 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup toasted croutons. Directions : 1. Rub the inside of a bowl with the garlic cloves, then throw them away. 2. Add the mustard, the vinegar, the Tabasco and the Worcestershire and whisk them together. 3. Slowly add half the olive oil and a tablespoon of water. Whisk until a smooth emulsion forms. Add the egg yolk and whisk till blended. Then add the rest of the olive oil--again, slowly--while whisking constantly. The dressing should thicken noticeably. 4. Add the greens to the bowl and toss them to coat. Sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese and the croutons, and toss just a little more. Serve immediately--the greens will begin to wilt. If you want to add the anchovies, I recommend an idea I saw at Begue's. Fry anchovies and some capers in hot olive oil, and scatter them atop the salad when you serve it. Serves four side salads.     Pasta with White Beans and Bacon Ingredients : 2 Tbs. bacon fat 1 Tbs. olive oil 1 Tbs. chopped garlic 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms 1/4 cup sliced green onions 1 roasted bell pepper, chopped 8 slices bacon, fried medium crisp, crumbled 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper 1 lb. (precooked weight) cooked white beans (leftovers are best) 2 cups chicken broth 8 oz. (precooked weight) cooked broad pasta, shells, or tubes. Directions : 1. Heat the bacon fat and the olive oil together in a large skillet. In it saute the garlic, mushrooms, green onions, and roasted peppers until limp. 2. Stir in the bacon, basil, crushed red pepper, white beans and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and heat through. 3. Serve in a soup bowl with a generous sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.     Apple Walnut Cake Ingredients : 2 cups white sugar 1/2 pound butter 3 eggs 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup chopped walnuts 3 cups sliced Macintosh apples Directions : 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter and flour one 10 inch tube pan. 2. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Set aside. 3. Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add to wet ingredients and mix well. 4. Stir in vanilla, walnuts and apples. Mix well and pour into prepared pan. 5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Set aside to cool. Slide knife along outer edges to release bottom of tube pan. Slide knife along bottom of tube pan and inner tube to release cake.     White Chocolate Mousse Ingredients : 8 oz. white chocolate 2 oz. half-and-half cream 3 eggs, separated 2 Tbs. sugar 2 1/2 cups heavy cream 1/2 tsp. vanilla 1 oz. white crème de cacao liqueur Directions : 1. Melt chocolate in a double boiler (this can also be done in a microwave oven on.about 50 percent power; don't let it start bubbling). 2. Rapidly mix the half-and-half into the.chocolate. Allow to cool, but not solidify. 3. In a separate bowl, whip egg yolks and 1 tsp. sugar until foamy. Set aside. 4. In a third bowl (completely free of any fat or yolk), whip egg whites until peaks form. Add the remaining sugar and whip into a stiff meringue. 5. Fold the egg yolk mixture into the meringue. 6. In yet another bowl (sorry), whip the heavy cream until stiff. Add vanilla and creme de cacao. 7. Fold the chocolate into the meringue, then add the whipped cream. Gently blend everything together with a wooden spoon. Spoon into white chocolate cups or dessert bowls and cool for several hours. Serve chilled.