NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State
University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
February 12, 1998
Never been to New Orleans during Mardi Gras? Don't feel alone. In fact, I can't recall ever having met anyone who's actually been to The Big Easy during the Carnival Season. Maybe I'll go some day. Meanwhile, I plan to celebrate from my own kitchen.
In case you didn't know, many private Carnival Season galas kick off in the fall throughout the South and continue right up to what's called Fat Tuesday, or Shrove Tuesday, which this year falls on Feb. 24. The nighttime parades and assorted festivities that the general public take part in typically commence 10 days to two weeks before that celebrated Tuesday.
Forget the parades. To do the Carnival Season justice, I think you should eat Creole or Cajun food several times during the fortnight leading up to Fat Tuesday. What has always caught my food fancy around Mardi Gras time is the Po-Boy, a sandwich featuring spicy deep-fried seafood, shredded lettuce and either mayonnaise or a sassy cocktail sauce, served on a section of crusty French bread.
I finally got my first authentic Po-Boy last year when we were visiting friends in southeast Texas. In fact, I had two the same day: an oyster Po-Boy for lunch and a shrimp Po-Boy later on. I've seen restaurant menus that list catfish and softshell-crab Po-Boys too.
Here's a quick rundown on how I bread and fry the seafood (oysters being my favorite) for the Po-Boys I've made since returning from Texas. First you need some seasoned flour. For each cup of flour, blend in 1 teaspoon each of salt, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
Then, dredge your raw seafood pieces through the seasoned flour, after which you put the floured pieces into an egg wash consisting of three whole eggs per quart of milk. From the egg wash, run your seafood through some Cajun-style breading—for every 3 cups of fresh bread crumbs, mix in 1 cup of cornbread crumbs, along with 1 to 2 tablespoons each of chili powder or ground chili pepper and freshly ground black pepper. If you're using ground chili pepper, begin by mixing in 1 tablespoon because pure chili pepper has a tendency to overpower with its color.
Fry your breaded seafood in either a deep fryer or a frying pan. If using a frying pan, make sure there's at least an inch of oil in the pan—and here's the really important part: fry in batches so the oil maintains its heat, from 350 F to 375 F.
Now, there are less labor-intensive ways to celebrate Mardi Gras at home. Here's a vegetarian version of red beans and rice that might make those of you with really vivid imaginations feel as if you've been transported to a sidewalk cafe in the French Quarter, somewhere along Bourbon Street, within earshot of a parade.
Louisiana Red Beans and Rice
This recipe includes the "trinity" of Gulf Coast cooking: onions, celery and bell peppers.
Yield: 12 servingsIngredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 green peppers, chopped
1 cup diced celery
3 16-ounce cans red beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
several dashes hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon each dried oregano and thyme, crumbled
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 to 4 cups cooked white riceProcedure:
In 5-quart Dutch oven or other large saucepan, saute onions in oil for 2 to 3 minutes; add garlic, peppers and celery and continue cooking until onions become transparent. Add all remaining ingredients except rice and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Check seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve over hot rice.
What's Your Take on This, Julie?
New Orleans is known as much for its jazz music as its Cajun and Creole foods, of which red beans and rice is a classic dish (and a personal favorite) that's as healthful as it is tasty. Beans are low-fat sources of protein, fiber, iron and folic acid and also contain some calcium.
In vegetarian diets, rice and beans provide complementary protein sources—that is, each provides the amino acid the other lacks. Cereal and milk are complementary sources of protein too. If you like meat with your meal, try adding some lean smoked ham or sausage.
A serving (about 1/12 of this recipe) provides about 235 calories, less than 5 grams of fat and no cholesterol. It's a great source of fiber, providing about 11 grams, or nearly one-third of the recommended daily amount. It also provides more than 60 percent of the recommended daily vitamin C, 18 percent of the recommended iron and 16 percent of the recommended vitamin A as beta carotene.
You can adjust the spices to suit your own tastes. If you like a spicier dish, for instance, go heavier on the cayenne pepper. Add a side salad and some fruit for dessert and you'll be well on your way to the daily recommendation of five servings of fruit and vegetables.
If you plan to serve the breaded seafood described in the article with red beans and rice, keep in mind that deep-fried seafood is high in fat and calories. You might want to try baking it in an oven-proof dish sprayed with vegetable oil if you're watching your fat and calorie intake. Or try eating fewer oysters or shrimp, or smaller pieces of fish.
Enjoy this taste of the Mardi Gras. You'll almost hear a Dixieland band in the background.
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Sources: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136
Julie Garden-Robinson (701) 231-7187
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