Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez With Mardi Gras Gumbo
Contributed by: NAPSA
by LouAna(r) Chef Patrick Mould
(NAPSA) - You can celebrate the festive event of Mardi Gras by serving up a true Louisiana dish. Mardi Gras Gumbo featuring duck, fresh sausage and mirliton is the perfect blend of spices and ingredients to sum up the spirit of Cajun country. Here's what you'll need to serve 6 people:
Ingredients:
- 1 5-6-pound duckling cut up 8 ways*
- 4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, separated
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce, separated
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup dark roux**
- 2 quarts chicken broth
- 1 cup chopped onion, separated
- 1/2 cup chopped celery, separated
- 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper, separated
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pound fresh sausage
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 large mirliton, peeled, seeded and diced medium
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
- 1/4 cup minced parsley
- 3 cups cooked white rice
**Dark Roux
- 3 cups peanut oil
- 4 1/2 cups flour
Directions:
First, season duckling with 3 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon Tabasco.
Next, place duckling on baking pan and roast in 400-degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove duckling from pan and discard fat. Add water to pan, scrape and deglaze pan and add to 6-quart stockpot. Add roasted duckling to pot.
Add to stockpot; roux, chicken broth, 1/2 cup onion, 1/4 cup celery and 1/4 cup bell pepper, garlic, remaining Cajun seasoning and remaining hot sauce, bay leaves, sausage. Bring to boil, lower fire, cover pot, simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove sausage from pot and allow sausage to cool, cut into 1/2-inch slices, set aside. Add remaining onion, celery and bell pepper. Cover and simmer for an additional 30 minutes.
Stir in sliced sausage, add salt and pepper to taste, continue to simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Add mirliton, cover and simmer for additional 15 minutes. Stir in green onions and parsley. Serve each portion with 1/2 cup cooked rice.
*Chicken may be substituted for duckling. Reduce roasting time by 15 minutes and first simmer time by 10 minutes.
**Dark Roux
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or heavy aluminum saute pan, heat peanut oil on medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Then, slowly whisk in flour until completely incorporated.
Cook for 15 minutes, stirring constantly until roux begins to brown slightly. Place in preheated oven and cook for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Allow roux to cool before using in gumbo. Can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer indefinitely.
LouAna(r) Chef Patrick Mould is the owner of the Louisiana School of Cooking, and the author of "Recipes From a Chef." He has appeared on NBC's "Today" show, ABC's "Good Morning America," and on hundreds of TV stations across the United States. For other recipes and more information, visit www.louana.com.
Serving Size: Makes 7 Cups
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