Fat Tuesday Recipes

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

24 Feb 2009 06:22 AM

Today is Fat Tuesday. In Hawaii it's Malasada Day and in Polish communities it's known as Paczki Day. A paczki (pronounced poonch-key) is a delicious, dense, deep-fried, cream- or fruit-filled doughnut that puts the fat in Fat Tuesday. Weighing in at nearly 400 calories, the paczki is almost as delightful (in my opinion) as the malasada, which is also a doughnut-like treat topped with sugar and devoured by millions on this day before Ash Wednesday.

If you can't make it to New Orleans to celebrate Fat Tuesday, but you want a taste of real Cajun cooking, then consider making the following recipes in your own kitchen:

MARDI GRAS SHRIMP

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons hot sauce

2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

1 stick butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 pound unpeeled, deveined shrimp

4 lemon slices

1 lemon cut in wedges

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a saucepan, carefully melt first 6 ingredients.

Place shrimp in a glass-baking pan. Pour butter sauce over shrimp and toss to coat. Toss lemon slices with shrimp.

Baked covered with foil for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring mixture twice, until shrimp are pink.

Garnish with parsley. Serve shrimp with lemon wedges.

NEW ORLEANS-STYLE CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE GUMBO

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch pieces

3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

2 tablespoons light olive oil

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup flour

1 pound andouille or smoked sausage, diced

2 celery ribs, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 medium onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

8 to 10 cups chicken broth

1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice

6 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions:

In a non-stick saucepan, combine vegetable oil and flour to make a roux.

Cook on medium-low heat, stirring constantly until mixture turns color of peanut butter. Don't burn.

Season the chicken with Cajun seasoning.

In a heavy pot, heat olive oil. Add the chicken and cook over moderately high heat until browned. Transfer to a plate.

In the same pot, brown the sausage over moderately high heat, 5 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the chicken.

Add the celery, pepper and onion and cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook a few minutes. Add the roux, 8 cups of broth and tomatoes, bring to a simmer. Add the chicken and sausages to the pot. Simmer over low heat for 1 to 2 hours until chicken starts to shred a bit. Stir often.

Serve over white rice and garnish with scallions.

Related Articles:

Getting Your Greens-Simple Recipes for Meatless Meals

Mardi Gras and the King Cake

Drumstick Gumbo

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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