Mardi Gras in Southeast Texas!

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Mardi Gras in Southeast Texas!

Yes, southeast Texas 'does' Mardi Gras too! We're right on the border of Louisiana (at least my Golden Triangle of Orange, Port Arthur and Beaumont are). Sure, Crystal Beach, Galveston and Houston 'do' Mardi Gras too, but it's all right here so why travel and miss any time away from a party?

Mardi Gras 2008 planning began right after the 2007 Mardi Gras and the parties, balls and 'doings' began well before the end of the year.

This year, our area's Mardi Gras main public festivities will be held a week before and up until Fat Tuesday, February 5th. The area links at the bottom of this article will direct you to a few events. The www will lead you to many more avenues and venues.

My family did not have Mardi Gras traditions or family dinners. We were always more interested in the surrounding holidays (depending on the Mardi Gras / Ash Wednesday date) and with getting ready for St. Patrick's Day, Valentine's and Easter. Those were BIG deals at our house.

Since being grown, I have thrown Mardi Gras and all it's wonder into my mix of traditions. Let me share a few recipes and suggestions of dishes with you.

Of course you have to have gumbo. (Don't forget the file and Tabasco! File is pronounced fee-lay y'all.) Rice, potato salad and plenty of crackers are a must. King Cake and bread pudding, with or without a sauce, is also a staple. Then, depending on the size of your guest or family list, the other menu items could or would include: boudain, boudain dip, jambalaya or dirty rice, red beans and rice, Mexican or crawfish cornbread, fried fish, boiled shrimp, beignets, funnel cakes, sangria and plenty of bloody Marys!

Let's start with my gumbo. I make chicken and sausage gumbo because that is what I like best. That's my method of cooking. I cook what I like.

I simply cannot start with the biggest pot I have. I always make more than I originally intend and have to graduate to bigger pots as ingredients are added. If I started with my biggest pot, I wouldn't have a bigger one!

Depending on the number of people you expect to feed, boil an adequate amount of chicken so that the pot will not be scarce of deboned poultry. Don't cook it to death, but make sure that the juices run clear. Remember that additional cooking time will be had in all the simmering you'll be doing. Cool and debone the chicken but don't throw out the broth!!! You want a very rich broth so be sure to add either canned liquid, granulated or cubed chicken broth to the boiled chicken water.

Meanwhile, cut up (but not diced size) plenty of onions, celery, garlic and bell peppers. These will be your vegetables in your gumbo so they must be big enough to see and munch on. Well, go ahead and dice the garlic. Not many want to crunch into a large piece of this.

My roux for years was a 45 minute stirring constantly ritual of flour and oil over a slow fire (as in stove top). More than once, I had to throw the mixture out and start the process over. Grrrrr. Then, wonder of wonders, geniuses prepacked the mixture to simplify my life!!! This is now the only way I make roux!

So make your roux according to the product's instructions. No, more is not better and the cooking time is an important factor. Please use a cast iron skillet. There's no other way it should be prepared!! And again, read the instructions for the roux. Some are completely different than my cooking method.

Make sure your cut-up veggies are well drained (or you'll burn yourself as they hit the hot roux and make a mess of your stove and the roux to boot) and saute in the prepared roux.

Add a very little bit of the still warm broth to the roux / veggie mixture and stir like crazy. Add a little more at a time until roux and vegetables are not all clumped together. Reheat your broth if it hasn't been on simmer, and slowly add your skillet concoction to the pot of broth and stir well. Some people swear that you have to have the mixture come to a rolling boil. I have never felt the need as mine will simmer for quite a good period of time.

Next add the cut-up chicken. The amount of chicken in the pot will determine how much sausage you want to use in it. It may look like a lot of chicken in there, but if you let everyone fix their own bowl, they'll dredge all of the meat out quicker than you think! I like to buy precooked smoked sausage. Andouille sausage is preferred by many, but is not in every grocery store in my area. This is the time that you want to add salt and pepper to the pot. Before you get too heavy handed with the salt, look to see how much salt / sodium was in that broth you added. Everyone will probably add more seasonings at the table, but put yours in there anyway.

Now it just needs to simmer so that all the flavorings can blend. The longer it simmers, the better the flavor in my opinion. The time allows me to finish other preparations too.

Wash and cut up green onions and parsley. These you'll stir into the pot about 15 minutes before serving time or let your guests add as desired.

Make rice and potato salad. Yes, potato salad. Some people, though I don't know many, like their bowls of gumbo with nothing else. Most will want either rice or potato salad in their bowls of gumbo. The file and Tabasco will be used, or not, by those that want it. Crackers are a staple with gumbo, but some have French bread and / or cornbread available as well.

Enjoy and hope that you'll have leftovers! It gets better after the first day! That is another good reason you can make this prior to your gathering! Tastes better and you won't look so tired on the day of your gathering.

I have, but no longer, made King Cake. It's far too easy to buy one and not at all as expensive as making it yourself. Many websites offer recipes for this sugar fantasy. I do, however, make bread pudding. This is something I've never seen in one of our locals grocery stores.

Bread pudding
I'll give you the recipe that I wrote on an index card years ago. It's simple, simple and was probably my grandmother's recipe. Actually I make bread pudding by quadrupling this recipe. During the spring and summer I add well ripened bananas to the mix for a real yummy taste.

10 slices of white bread, broken into small pieces and soften in warm water (not necessary if you use older, half-stale bread.)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla (mine is from Mexico and is potent, but I like it that way)

1 c (or more) of sugar

2/3 c milk

Mix all well. Please no water with the bread! Pour into pan. The pan size depends on your quantity. You can wax paper line the pan but don't grease. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes at 400 degrees.

Some people make either a whiskey or rum sauce to go with the pudding (which actually is more like gummy bars when it's cooled and you cut it or you can spoon it from the pan into bowls or dishes). I don't like to waste or share my whiskey, plus there's always some kid around that shouldn't taste that.

Boudain Dip
I first heard of this from one of our local television meteorologists, Dana Melancon. I love it but haven't found it on the station's website again.

Mix crumbled boudain, stripped of it's casing and heated in the microwave to cook as per the package instructions, with sour cream, a dab of mayonnaise, a touch of lemon juice if you like, and sprinkled liberally with a Cajun seasoning mix of your choice. Make this to real dip consistency.

This can be served either chilled or slightly heated in the microwave. I like it both ways. Serve with crackers, veggies or fancy breads. Ritz crackers are really good.

Jambalaya
Again, from one of my recipe index cards. Have no clue where I copied it from or when. Many years ago, I guarantee.

1/3 c vegetable oil

l large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 green (bell) pepper, chopped

2 lbs shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 lb smoked sausage

2 c uncooked long grain rice

2 c chicken broth

14 oz can halved or diced tomatoes

1 tsp cayenne

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp crushed dried thyme

Salt to taste

1 T chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in large skillet (I'm overly fond of cast iron). Saute onion, garlic, celery and bell pepper over medium-high heat until tender. Add shrimp and sausage; cook 10 minutes. Add rice, broth, tomatoes with their liquid, cayenne, thyme, bay leaf and salt. Cover and bring liquids to a boil. Reduce to simmering. Cover for 40 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in parsley about 5 minutes before you take it off the stove to serve. Be sure and take the bay leaf out and throw it out. It's served it's purpose.

Dirty Rice
This is my way, not similar to the regular recipes. I prefer making and eating Dirty Rice to Jambalaya. I'm not overly fond of shrimp.

4 c of cooked rice

1 1/2 lb of ground meat

2 ribs celery, diced pretty small

1 medium onion, diced small

Salt, pepper and cayenne

1 small clove garlic, dice pretty small

Chicken broth - you're going to 'wet' the dish, not drown it.

Brown ground meat (using a cast iron skillet, of course). Season with the salt, pepper and cayenne. Use a little vegetable oil if the meat didn't provide fat. If it did, pour off the majority of it. In the remaining oil (you can leave the meat in there or not), add the diced veggies and saute until slightly tender. Combine this skillet full with the cooked rice in a large pot. Add enough of the broth to be damp enough that it won't burn as you heat it on the stove (or in the oven if you'd like to pour all into a pan). You just want to heat enough to blend the flavors and to serve.

You can provide chopped green onions and parsley on the side at the table for those that prefer.

Mexican Cornbread - now you can use the box mixes if you prefer

1 c yellow cornmeal

1 cup buttermilk (hint: rather than buy, make it with sweet, whole milk and a dash of lemon juice or white vinegar; let it sit and you'll see that it looks like buttermilk!)

2 eggs

1/4 c bacon drippings (you can use melted butter, margarine or vegetable oil)

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 medium onion, diced

canned, sliced jalapenos to taste

1 small can cream style corn

1/2 lb grated cheddar

Now I use about a pound of browned ground meat, seasoned to taste; other recipes don't usually call for this.

Mix together all but meat and cheese. Pour 1/2 of the batter into a large iron skillet that has been greased and heated. Sprinkle meat and cheese evenly over the top, then pour the remaining 1/2 of the batter on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 to 50 minutes. Test like a cake with a toothpick through the top middle portion if you think it may not yet be baked through.

Beignets
There's a mix in the grocery store. Trust me: lots easier than making your own.

Sangria
Pour a bottle or two of your favorite red, wine or rose wine into a large pitcher. Add combinations of slices of lemons, orange, limes, pears, mangoes or strawberries. Taste and add sugar if not sweet to your liking. Brandy is a nice additive too.

Pour over ice in tea sized glasses and garnish or add some of your 'drunk' fruit! Replenish the fruit in the pitcher as needed. Make plenty because it's a crowd pleaser.

Bloody Marys
Everyone has their favorite recipe or mix to use. I have tried mix after mix after mix and I don't like any of them.

In a large pitcher add V8 hot and spicy, a good amount of vodka (don't make too thin; some people can add their own to their glass if they prefer). Stir in salt, pepper and celery salt (better to start with that and see how much salt you need - again, people will add their own to taste). Serve the drinks over ice in tea glasses.

Cut cleaned celery sticks to glass length and have available. Some folks don't care for it so why waste it. Have salt, pepper, celery salt, vodka and Tabasco within serving reach.

Let people 'doctor' their own! Why should you???

I hope that you enjoy these favorites and have a wonderful time celebrating Mardi Gras!

Websites to further 'wet' your fancy:

Beaumont, Tx: www.beaumontcvb.com

Port Arthur, Tx: www.portarthur.com

Orange, Tx: www.orangetexas.org

Crystal Beach, Tx: www.crystalbeach.com

Galveston, Tx: www.galveston.com

Houston, Tx: www.visithoustontexas.com

V8: www.v8juice.com

Gumbo File: www.texjoy.com

Tabasco: www.tabasco.com History, bottles, flavors and more!

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