Recipe: Mardi Gras Recipes (12)

recipelink.com Chat Room Recipe Swap
03-07-2000 - Fat Tuesday Recipes Parade
12 Mardi Gras Recipes

Cat (05:10:36) : Chocolate Doberge Cake

2 cups cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
10 Tablespoons margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs, separated, whites beaten until stiff
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract

Filling

2 1/2 cups evaporated milk
2 (1-ounce) squares semi-sweet chocolate
1 1/4 cups sugar
5 Tablespoons flour
4 egg yolks
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Frosting

1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
4 Tablespoons margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 nine-inch round cake pans. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, soda, and salt 3 times. Cream the margarine and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and add egg yolks, one at a time. Gradually alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk, then add chocolate and mix well by beating about 3 minutes. Fold in the 3 beaten egg whites, vanilla, and almond extracts.

Bake for 45 minutes or until done. After the cake cools, split each layer in half to make 4 thin layers.

To make the filling, put milk and chocolate in a saucepan and heat until chocolate is melted. In a bowl, combine sugar and flour. Make a paste by adding hot milk chocolate by Tablespoons to the sugar and flour, then return to saucepan. Stir over medium heat until thick. Add 4 egg yolks all at once and stir rapidly to completely blend. Cook 2 or 3 minutes more. Remove from heat, and add butter, vanilla, and almond extract. Cool and spread on cake, layering as you go. Do not spread on top layer.

For frosting, combine sugar and milk in a heavy saucepan, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat and simmer for 6 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and blend in chocolate.
Add margarine and vanilla and return to medium-low heat, cooking 1 or 2 minutes. Place in
refrigerator to cool. Beat well, then spread on top and the sides of the cake.

Rich and sinful, a "must" for chocolate lovers! A special dessert of Louisiana that's worth every
minute of time and effort.

Cat (05:07:27) : Sauteed Fresh Mushrooms

Makes: 2 cups

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup minced onions
1 pound fresh mushrooms, rinsed, drained, and halved
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In a large skillet, melt butter, add onions, and saute for 2 minutes or until onions are clear. Add
mushrooms and saute for 5 more minutes. Stir in parsley, salt and pepper. Serve hot in a chafing dish surrounded by thinly-sliced toasted French bread.

Cat (05:06:34) : Cheesy Shrimp Canapes

Makes: 20

10 slices white bread
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
6 ounces cooked shrimp, cleaned and chopped
1/2 cup shredded Swiss Cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Dill weed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Using a 2-inch round fluted pastry cutter, cut 2 circles from each
bread slice. (Reserve scraps for crumbs). In small saucepan, melt butter and add thyme. Brush bread circles with this mixture. Place on a cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes, until golden. Meanwhile, combine shrimp with cheese, mayonnaise, bread crumbs and salt. When circles are cool, put a rounded Tablespoon of shrimp mixture on each. Sprinkle with a pinch of dill and place under broiler for about 3 minutes.

This is an easy make-ahead: toast circles early in the day, mix topping, and refrigerate. Put together and pop in broiler as guests arrive!

Cat (05:05:19) : Shrimp or Crab Mold
Serves: 24

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
8 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
1 (.25-ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin, softened in
1/4 cup water
1 bunch green onions, chopped
3 pounds cooked shrimp, coarsely chopped
or
1 pound crab meat
1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon lemon juice Tabasco, to taste

Heat soup, undiluted, and mix in the cream cheese. Stir in softened gelatin and blend well. Fold in remaining ingredients and pour into a lightly-oiled mold. Chill until firm and serve with your favorite
crackers.

Cat (05:04:11) : Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe

The King Cake is a traditional Mardi Gras treat, baked and covered with a poured sugar topping in Mardi Gras
colors; Purple, representing Justice, Green representing Faith and Gold representing Power. Traditionally, the person who finds the hidden "baby" in his or her slice of cake must provide the cake the next year. Hundreds of thousands of King Cakes are consumed at parties worldwide every year and in fact, a Mardi Gras party wouldn't be complete without a King Cake.

This recipe has a lot of steps but none of them are difficult. Now that you know how time-consuming it is to make a
King Cake, you can appreciate why many people just order one up from their favorite bakery!

Ingredients

1/2 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon duhst
31/2 41/2 cups unsifted flour
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup warm milk
5 egg yolks
1 stick butter cut in slices and softened, plus 2 tablespoons more
1 egg slightly beaten with a tablespoon of milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tiny plastic doll (not more than 1") (don't bake it inside the cake - it can be a choking hazard)

Pour the warm water into a small shallow bowl and sprinkle yeast and 2 teaspoons sugar into it. Allow the yeast and
sugar to rest for three minutes, then mix thoroughly. Set bowl in a warm place for 10 minutes until yeast bubbles up.
Combine 31/2 cups of flour, remaining sugar, nutmeg and salt and sift into a large mixing bowl.

Stir in lemon zest. Separate center of mixture to form a hole and pour in yeast mixture and milk. Add egg yolks and
using a wooden spoon, combine dry ingredients into the yeast/milk mixture. When mixture is smooth, beat in 8
tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time and continue to beat 2 minutes or until dough can be formed into a medium soft ball.

Place ball of dough on floured surface and knead, gradually adding up to 1 cup more of flour. When dough is no
longer sticky, knead 10 minutes more until shiny and elastic.

Using a pastry brush, coat the inside of a large bowl evenly with one tablespoon softened butter. Place dough ball in
the bowl and rotate until the entire surface is buttered. Cover bowl with a heavier kitchen towel and allow dough to
rise in a warm place for about 11/2 hours or until it doubles in volume. Coat a large baking sheet with one tablespoon
of butter and set aside. After the first rising, place the dough on a floured surface and punch it down with a heavy
blow. Sprinkle cinnamon, then pat and shape the dough into a long 'snake' or 'cylinder'. Form a twist by folding the
long cylinder in half, end to end, and pinching the ends together. Then twist the dough. Form a ring with the
completed twist pinch the ends together. Place the completed ring on the buttered baking sheet, cover it with a towel
and allow it to rise for 45 minutes or until it doubles in volume.

After the second rising, brush the top and sides of the cake with the egg and milk wash. Bake in a preheated oven at
375 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and hide the plastic baby in the cake.

Icing (2 parts)

Colored sugar
Green, purple and yellow coloring paste (sold with cake decorating supplies)
12 tablespoons sugar

Divide sugar into three portions (for green, yellow and purple).
Add a tiny amount of the coloring paste to each sugar portion. Try mixing the sugar and colored pasted between
your palms for best results. Set aside.

Poured icing

3/4 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
36 tablespoons of water

Combine ingredients until smooth, adding more water if it's too thick. Spoon icing over top of cake.
Immediately sprinkle on colored sugars, alternating between the three colors. Serve in 2"3" pieces.

calliope,.NY (03:47:23) : CALLIOPE'S FROZEN LEMON PIE with GINGERSNAP CRUST

3-egg yolks
3-egg whites
1/2-cup sugar
4-Tbsp. lemon juice
1-1/2 cups whipping cream
grated zest of 1/2 a lemon

about half a box of crisp gingersnap cookies...maybe more.
1/4-stick melted butter

Make a custard in a double boiler of the yolks, sugar and lemon juice.
Cool completely. Beat egg whites till stiff, fold in. Whip cream and fold in along with the lemon zest.
Melt the butter. Add the cookies you have ground somewhat fine in the food processor...don't turn them to powder, though. Press into the bottom of a buttered pie tin, and as much up the sides as you can. Spoon in the filling and freeze for at least 6 hours. Slices easier with a hot knife.
NOTE...You can use graham crackers or vanilla wafers, if you prefer.

cc (12:11:43) : Graham Kerr's LoFat Jambalaya

Serves 6

16 ounces smoked ham hocks (450 gm)
4 cups water (944 ml)
4 bay leaves
1-3/4 pounds uncooked shrimp in their shells (800 gm)
2 cups boiling water (472 ml)
1 teaspoon extra light olive oil with a dash of sesame oil (15 ml)
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery (118 ml)
1 tablespoon no-salt tomato paste (15 ml)
8 ounces lean ham steak (225 gm)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme (5 ml)
1/8 teaspoon whole cloves (.6 ml)
1/2 teaspoon fresh cayenne pepper (2.5 ml) (more if your tongue is asbestos)
1-1/2 cups uncooked Louisiana long grain rice (354 ml), rinsed
1 (28 ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes (794 ml), drained and roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley (59 ml)

Assemble:

Cover the ham hocks with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes. Remove the hocks and discard the water.

Place the blanched ham hocks into 4 cups (944 ml) of fresh water, add the bay leaves and simmer 1 hour, or pressure cook for 20
minutes.

Remove the ham hocks, strain and reserve liquid. Cut lean meat in shreds and discard all fat and bone. Return the reserved liquid
to the saucepan and reduce to 2 cups (472 ml) to make a ham hock stock. Skim off any surplus fat.

Cook the shrimp in 2 cups (472 ml) boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp and pour the liquid into the ham hock stock.

Put the cooked shrimp directly into ice water; peel, devein and slice in half lengthwise. Put the shells into the ham hock stock and
continue cooking until reduced to 3 cups (708 ml) - about 25 percent reduction.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil and fry the onion, garlic and celery. After 2 minutes, add the tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
Heat caramelizes the tomato paste into a deep brown color. Called the "Maillard reaction," this adds both color and depth of taste,
so essential when a lot of fat is removed from a recipe.

Cut the ham steak into bite sized cubes and add to vegetables with the shredded ham hock meat.

Place the thyme, cloves and cayenne pepper into a coffee bean grinder or a small food mill. Grind the spices to create a
wonderfully fragrant powder. Put half the mixture in the ham hock stock and half in the vegetables.

Remove the shrimp shells from the stock.

Cook the rice in 3 cups (708 ml) of the ham hock stock for about 20 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Never stir
the rice while cooking - it can break its texture into a mush.

Combine the cooked rice with the vegetables and ham. Add the tomatoes and the shrimp.

Stir in the parsley and a scattering of the chopped thyme. Now taste it...add more cayenne pepper if everyone likes it hot and
spicy. Serve it hot!

Helpful Hints & Observations

Rice cooked separately -
I have separated the rice from the other ingredients in order to avoid the common problem of having the rice "catch" if you don't use a heavy enough pan. Removing so much of the fat makes the sticking problem even worse. However, please note that I have used a good stock to cook the rice...so nothing is lost...only fat and frustration.

cc (12:10:09) : Graham Kerr's LoFat Shrimp Gumbo

Serves 4

1 pound fresh uncooked shrimp (500 gm)
1 cup uncooked long grain rice (236 ml)
4 tablespoons white flour (60 ml)
2 (14 ounce) cans cut okra (397 gr each), drained
2 tablespoons extra light olive oil with a dash of sesame oil (30 ml)
1 (6 ounce) can of no-salt tomato paste (170 gm)
1 large white onion, peeled and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
6 cups water (1.4 L)
6 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (2.5 ml)
Chopped green onions and fresh parsley for garnish

First prepare:

Peel and devein the shrimp, saving the shells. Cut each shrimp into three pieces and set aside.

Put the shrimp shells into a medium saucepan and cover with 2 cups (472 ml) water. Bring to a boil and simmer just a couple of
minutes. Strain out the shells, reserving the liquid. This flavor infused water will be used for cooking your rice.

Now cook:

Cook the rice in the reserved shrimp shell water until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked through.

Put the flour in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until it turns light brown. Remove from the heat and cool. This step
is crucial in developing a nice, toasty flavor and brown color for your gumbo.

Put the drained okra in a large plastic bag. Pour in the cooled flour. Seal off the top and shake until the okra is completely coated
with flour.

Heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the oil in a large pot. Add the flour-coated okra and the flour, one half at a time. You want the okra
to fry and become really brown. Push the okra to one side of the pot.

On the other side of the pot, add the tomato paste and cook, stirring often. Continue cooking until the tomato paste turns a dark
brown. This is a caramelizing called the Maillard reaction. Now stir the tomato paste into the okra pieces. Turn the cooked okra
out onto a plate, scraping up all the tasty brown pan residue.

Add the remaining oil to the same pot. Add the onions, celery, green pepper and garlic. Let the vegetables swelter and fry over
high heat. Stir in the cooked okra and continue frying over high heat.

Pour in 4 cups (944 ml) water, thyme, bay leaves and the "Creole torpedo" - the cayenne pepper. Simmer 30 minutes.

Just before you're ready to serve, stir in the shrimp. Cook only about 4 minutes. The shrimp should not be overdone.

To Serve: Spoon the rice, fragrant from the shrimp shells, into a bowl. Sprinkle the chopped green onions over the rice. Top with
the shrimp gumbo. Sprinkle with emerald flecks of fresh, chopped parsley.

Helpful Hints & Observations

What to do with the roux?
Another really tough issue: can it be Creole without the roux, the incredible invention that provides both depth of taste and silky
thickening to so may wonderful dishes? Roux is almost equal amounts of flour and butter, stirred together over mild heat to cook.
This combination can actually thicken up to six times its own weight in liquid! It is also rich in saturated fat and calories. I think this
recipe's method is a great alternative.

Okra
Fresh okra wasn't available when we made this dish on the television program, so we tried the canned variety, which turned out to
be just fine and much less complicated (or slippery). The fresh okra doesn't have a good, high nutrient value, so the normal canning
loss wasn't too much of a threat.

Gina,.Fla (09:37:19) : New Orleans Style Muffaletta

OLIVE SALAD (To be made the day before you want to
serve it)

3 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup chopped pimento stuffed olives
1 cup pitted and chopped black ripe olives or calamatas
1/2 cup roasted sweet red peppers cut unto small chunks
1 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
Mix all of the above and let stand overnight. Need not be
refrigerated for the first night.

MUFFALETTA FROM NEW ORLEANS
1 large round freshly baked Italian loaf
1/3 pound salami, sliced thin (Genoa or Italian wine cured)
1/2 pound provolone cheese, sliced thin
1/2 pound mild cheese, such as Havarti, sliced
1/3 pound mortadella or prosciutto or coppa ham, sliced

Make the salad the day before. Cut the bread in half
horizontally, as you would for a sandwich. Scoop out some
of the center of the loaf and drizzle olive oil from the salad
on both halves of the bread. Use plenty! On the bottom half,
place the salami, olive salad, cheeses and mortadella. Top
with the other half of the loaf. Cut into wedges.

Gina,.Fla (09:35:17) : Mama's Gumbo

serves 12

1 1/4 c. veg. oil
1 c. flour
1 1/2 c. chopped onions
3/4 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped green bell pepper
2 T. diced scallions
1 T. minced garlic
2 c. whole tomatoes, peeled
3 qts. chicken stock
1/4 c. chopped parsley
1/2 t. black pepper
1 t. salt
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
4 bay leaves
1 lb. fresh okra, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 lbs. med shrimp
1 lb. crabmeat
1 1/2 dozen oysters and their liquid

Heat 1 c. of oil over med heat and stirring constantly, pour in the flour gradually to form a roux.

Cook slowly 30 mts. until roux is deep brown, the shade of pecan shells.

Saute onions in remaining 1/4 c. of oil in a large stockpot. When onions are limp, add all the other veggies. When they begin to soften, stir in roux and cook 10 mts. Crush tomatoes in your hands and add with their juice to the mixture.

Pour in the stock, turn heat to high and stir well to blend all. Add parsley and seasonings, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 45 mts. Add okra and cook 5 more mts.

Add shrimp and crabmeat and bring to a boil again. Remove from heat and add oysters and their liquid. Serve on top of rice.

Gina,.Fla (09:22:38) : REAL NAW'LLINS PRAWLEENS

Butter for greasing foil
1 1/4 cups walnut or pecan pieces
1/2 cup almond slivers (optional)
4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) butter, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup canned evaporated milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or good rum

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a large piece of foil with butter. Set aside.

Spread nuts on a baking sheet and roast until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. If using almonds, too, put them on the baking sheet near the oven door so that you can watch them. While the nuts are hot, stir in 2 tablespoons butter and sprinkle with salt. Set aside.

In a heavy medium saucepan, stir together well and boil the brown sugar, granulated sugar, evaporated milk, 2 tablespoons of the butter and roasted nuts until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage (236 degrees). Let stand undisturbed for 4 minutes to cool.

Add vanilla. Then start beating with a large wooden spoon. The second you feel the mixture begin to thicken, start spooning up the candies. Spoon heaping tablespoon-size pralines as fast as possible onto the buttered foil. Let stand to cool and set. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 30 2-inch pralines.

Gina,.Fla (09:21:58) : MARDI GRAS KING CAKE

This traditional recipe is from the files of Cook's Corner columnist, Linda Cicero. If your supermarket doesn't have purple and gold colored sugars, try a cake-decorating supply store (check the Yellow Pages).
cup warm water (105 to 110 degrees)
2 packages dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 cup warm milk (105 to 110 degrees)
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup finely chopped candied citron (optional)
1 pecan half, dried bean or Mardi Gras charm
GLAZE
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
TO FINISH
Purple, green and gold sugar crystals

Combine warm water, yeast and 2 teaspoons sugar in a small bowl. Mix well; set in a warm place for about 10 minutes to proof.

Combine 4 cups of the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, salt, nutmeg and lemon rind; add warm milk, melted butter, egg yolks and yeast mixture. Beat until smooth.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in enough remaining flour to make a dough that is not sticky. Continue kneading about 10 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic.

Place dough in a well greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, for about 1 1/2 hours, or until double in bulk. Punch dough down and place on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle with citron, if desired, kneading until citron is evenly distributed. Shape dough into a cylinder 30 inches long. Place cylinder on a buttered baking sheet; shape into a ring, pinching ends together to seal. Place a well-greased pound coffee can or shortening can in center of ring to maintain shape during baking.

Cover and let the cake rise in a warm place about 45 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove coffee can immediately. Allow cake to cool.

Combine glaze ingredients and beat until smooth. Drizzle cake with glaze, then sprinkle with sugar crystals, alternating colors. Makes 18 servings.