Mardi Gras With Meaning
Celebrate Fat Tuesday
By Sue Marquette Poremba
Gumbo is easy to make and serves a lot of people, which is why it is a Mardi Gras celebration favorite. Other foods to serve include jambalaya, crawfish, shrimp creole, fried catfish, oysters and beignets for dessert. While traditional New Orleans food is spicy, it is better to keep the flavoring mild and offer a variety of hot sauces for those who want to add a kick to their meal.
At the end of the party, make sure each guest goes home with a bag of "throws" from Mardi Gras, but don't stop there. Place a little note in each bag, encouraging your guests to make monetary donations to organizations (
American Red Cross,
Salvation Army,
United Way, etc.) that are helping to rebuild New Orleans – and preserve the spirit of Mardi Gras for generations to come.
| Chef Patrick Mould's Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo 1 chicken, about 2 1/2 pounds
14 cups water
2 tablespoons Emeril's Original Essence
1 bay leaf
12 cups reserved chicken stock*
1 pound smoked sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup dark roux
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup minced parsley
4 cups cooked rice Put the chicken, the water, 1 tablespoon of the Essence and bay leaf in a large stock pot. Bring to boil and simmer for 45 minutes. Strain and reserve the liquid. Cool the chicken, debone and discard the skin. Coarsely chop the meat and set aside. Reserve 12 cups of chicken stock. Heat a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the smoked sausage and cook, stirring, until browned. Add the onions, celery, bell peppers, garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the reserved chicken stock and bring to boil. Add the roux, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the hot sauce and remaining tablespoon of Essence. Simmer for 30 minutes longer. Add the chopped chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the green onions and parsley. Divide the rice into equal portions and put in eight gumbo or soup bowls. Ladle the gumbo over the rice and serve. Makes 8 servings *If you don't end up with 12 cups of chicken stock you may add water to make up the difference. | |
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