Big Easy Mango Freezy

When we lived in New Orleans, one of my favorite events was the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival that is held the last weekend in April and first weekend in May.  It's a riotous celebration of all genres of music as well as food and crafts from the different cultures represented in the New Orleans metro area (Cajun and Creole French, Italian, African American, Latino, and Vietnamese, among others).  The music is hot, the people are cool, and the food?  Unforgettable.  Unparalleled.  Seems like I have sampled every one of the Jazz Fest food offerings over the years.

Although held in the Spring, The Fest gets plenty HOT since it's held at the Fairgrounds where there is not a lick of shade.  Some people cope by bringing their umbrellas

But most people just "glisten".  What I used to do to beat the heat was slurp down a wonderfully cooling treat called a Mango Freeze.

Things are heating up in Texas (triple digits tomorrow...Lord, have mercy!), so I decided to try my hand at making Mango Freeze for myself.  Brings back some GOOD memories!  Watch and listen to New Orleans' own Rebirth Brass Band as you scroll through the pics to get the full effect. :)

First you'll need to make a simple syrup with 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar.  Boil down until you only have 1 cup liquid in total, then cool to room temperature.

Next you'll need the pulp from about 3 1/2 lbs. ripe mangoes.  Two of mine were huge and one was smaller.

Mangoes have a flat pit right in the center, and if you don't cut the fruit correctly, the pulp can be stringy and difficult to extract. Here's a little visual on the technique I use:

Cut down one side slightly off center, then do the same on the other side.  Score each section and flip it inside out.  Use your knife to cut away the cubes.  I also use a spoon to scrape as much pulp out as I can.

Put the mango in the bowl of a food processor or blender.  

Juice about 2 small limes (you'll need 3 tablespoons in total).  I only had 1 lime, so I used that and half an orange.

Combine the citrus juice and simple syrup, and slowly pour it through the feed tube of the food processor with the machine running.

You will end up with about 5 cups of mango puree base for the sorbet.  Cover and chill for several hours in the refrigerator.

I used my ice cream maker to churn this because I wanted a velvety smooth result.  My pic may be grainy, but my mango freeze sure wasn't!

I have read that you can freeze the base in ice cube trays and then pulse the frozen cubes before serving to smooth it out, but I haven't tried that personally.

We haven't been to the Jazz Fest since 2005, but  our family is going next year f'sure!

Wanna meet me in the Gospel Tent?  I'll be the woman with the Mango Freeze and a smile of pure joy because I'm soaking up the sights and sounds of one of the most unique places on earth.

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Gobbledy Good Turkey Gumbo

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends.  I enjoy taking the some dedicated time to reflect on the many ways God has blessed me and my family.

I was also particularly excited to prepare the feast this year because I haven't been in the kitchen much lately with all of the home renovation going on.

We, of course, had the traditional roast turkey and all the trimmings.  On Thanksgiving night, I made a turkey stock with the carcass and lots of onions and celery and simmered it for several hours.  I knew I wanted to make a gumbo with some of the turkey leftovers.

Traditionally, gumbo is made with a nice, dark roux.  Roux (pronounced "roo") is nothing more than a combination of fat (vegetable oil, in the case of gumbo) and flour in roughly equal proportions.  Roux is used to thicken and flavor a sauce or soup.  The lighter the roux, the milder the taste and the more thickening power it lends to the finished dish.  The roux for gumbo is dark, sometimes as dark as mahogany-colored.  I like mine to be a little darker than peanut butter, because it is difficult to get the darkest color without burning it.

Traditional roux made with oil

After all of the rich food from Thanksgiving, I decided to make a lower-fat version of gumbo that I have recently perfected.  A typical gumbo recipe has a cup of oil: that's more than 1900 calories!  We certainly didn't need those calories after all of the pumpkin pie and stuffing we have consumed lately.  My mom and her ancestors have French Canadian roots, and my grandmother used to make roux for an apple gravy (that goes with duck) using this method.  I decided to try it for gumbo, and it was a great success!

First, brown a cup of flour in a cast iron skillet in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes, stirring frequently.  The color you are going for is somewhere around the color of peanut butter.  Note that this is very...shall we say...aromatic!  Make sure you have your exhaust fan on because it does have quite a nutty smell.

I browned 2 cups of flour because I plan on making the duck with apple gravy recipe sometime around New Years.  The browned flour keeps for several months in an airtight container.

As you can see, there are quite a few lumps, so sift the cooled flour.

Next, combine 2 cups of cold turkey stock and add it to the 1 cup of browned flour, making a slurry.  Set aside.

Next, saute your veggies (called the Holy Trinity in New Orleans: onions, celery, and bell pepper) in about a tablespoon or two of canola oil for about 10 minutes over medium heat or until clear.

Add a couple of cloves of minced garlic and cook for another minute or two.

Next, add the turkey stock and bring to a simmer.  Homemade stock is really the way to go with gumbo and soups, but you could use canned broth in a pinch.

Next, add the roux slurry to the bubbling stock and whisk well.

Add a pound of your favorite smoked sausage, sliced, and simmer for about 15 minutes..  I used Chisesi green onion sausage, which is my favorite New Orleans brand.

 If you want to cut the fat even more, you could use a smoked turkey sausage.

Add the leftover roasted turkey chunks (about 2 1/2 cups) and heat through, about 5 or 10 minutes.

If you want, you can also add okra.  I like canned okra because it is "de-slimed" and adds some color and a different texture.  I have previously tried using frozen okra and just don't like how it changes the viscosity.  Or leave it out, your call.

Serve over steamed white rice and garnish with green onions.

Reduced Fat Turkey and Sausage Gumbo
(click here to print)

8 cups homemade turkey stock (use leftover carcass) or canned low sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup flour
1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced
2 1/2 cups leftover roasted turkey chunks
1 tsp. creole seasoning or to taste
14 oz. can sliced okra, optional
several dashes tabasco sauce

Brown the flour in a cast iron frying pan in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes.  Stir frequently until evenly browned and about the color of peanut butter.  Remove to cool, then sift.  Combine the dry browned flour with 2 cups of cold turkey stock and whisk to a slurry.  Set aside.

Saute the onion, celery, and bell pepper in oil over medium heat until clear, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute or two.  Add the remaining 6 cups turkey stock and bring to a simmer.  Add the slurry and whisk well, then add the sausage and simmer on medium low for about 15 minutes.  Add the turkey chunks and heat for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, then add the creole seasoning, tabasco, and okra (if using).  Heat through and serve over fluffy white rice.

Gobble it down!

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Savory Sunday

Tradition with a Twist

I lived in New Orleans for a long time, so on Monday, I made beans and rice.  Red beans and rice are a menu staple in New Orleans, but Monday is when the locals eat 'em.

Menu Board at Mother's Restaurant

The story goes that Monday was wash day in times past, and housewives made beans and rice for dinner because they didn't require a lot of tending.  Beans are easy and can simmer for a few hours on the stove while you take care of other things.

I alternate between making red beans and white beans.  We love them both.  Red beans have a rich, almost smoky flavor while white beans are milder.  They don't get the play that red beans do.  They may be considered an also-ran, a has-bean, if you will.  But I remember the first time I had white beans and rice at the Des Allemands Catfish Festival.  I was smitten!  They were served over fluffy steamed rice as a side to the crispy catfish, but white beans are also often served as a side with a grilled pork chop or paneeed chicken (pounded chicken cutlets dipped in seasoned flour and pan fried).  We eat white beans and rice as a main course; they're an inexpensive meal and a complete source of protein.  Can't beat that!  Plus, beans freeze beautifully (freeze the beans and rice separately, though) and are hearty and delicious fare on those nights when you just don't feel like cooking.

Soak the beans overnight (or use quick-soak method), then drain:

Saute onion and celery in a small amount of oil for 5 minutes:

Add ham cubes, garlic and bay leaf and saute for another 5 minutes:

Add drained beans along with 6 cups of fresh, cold water and some Tabasco:

Stir the pot, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for about 2 hours, stirring periodically and adding additional water as needed to prevent beans from sticking.

Mash the beans slightly (you want them to be quite broken up):

Start boiling your rice.  Meanwhile, add about 1/3 lb. of your favorite smoked sausage (cubed) to the beans

I brought 10 lbs. of this stuff back last time I went to New Orleans

and serve the rest of the sausage on the side.  Garnish with green onions and add additional Louisiana Hot Sauce or Tabasco.

Creole Style White Beans and Rice
from Emeril Lagasse's Louisiana Real & Rustic
click here to print

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 bay leaves
1 cup chopped boiled ham
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1 lb. dried white navy beans, soaked overnight and drained
6 to 8 cups water
1 lb. smoked sausage (divided use)
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce

Heat oil over medium heat in large, heavy saucepan or dutch oven.  You want a heavy pan so that mixture doesn't scorch too easily.

Add onions, celery, salt and pepper.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the ham, garlic, and bay leaf.  Cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Add drained beans, Tabasco, and 6 cups of the water to start.  Stir and cover; bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water as necessary.

Mash beans against side of pot so that they are creamy  Add 1/3 lb. of the sausage and cook uncovered for an additional 30 minutes.  Remove bay leaf and serve over rice with a side of sausage and additional hot sauce, if desired.

 C'est Bon, Cher!

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Simply Delish Saturday

Picnic Perfect Sandwich

It's been steamy all over the good ol' USA the past few weeks, so I thought I would share a favorite, easy sandwich that's great for a picnic.  No cooking required = Cool!

The Muffaletta

The muffaletta hails from New Orleans' famous Central Grocery on Decatur Street in the French Quarter (just down the street from St. Louis Cathedral).

The key components of a traditional muffaletta are sliced cold cuts (typically smoked ham, genoa salami, and capicola) and provolone cheese on a round, sesame-encrusted Italian loaf smothered with an exceptionally tasty olive salad.   YUM!

Here in Texas, it's a little difficult to find the special bread for a muffaletta, so I had to improvise.  I decided on these La Brea Bakery mini-loaves from Costco because they have the requisite chewy, dense texture.

I layered on deli smoked ham, turkey (not traditional, but I like it), salami, and provolone.

Then comes the piece de resistance: olive salad.  I used this one from a jar.

 
Olive salad can be found in the condiment or pickle and olive section of many grocery stores or can be ordered here.  It is a mixture of olives, vinegar, olive oil, veggies, and seasonings.

I have made olive salad from scratch before when I lived outside of Louisiana and couldn't find it anywhere.  Here's the recipe I used, straight from the pages of New Orleans' Times-Picayune if you would like to try it yourself.

Homemade Olive Salad for Muffalettas

(click here to print)

1 cup EACH celery, carrots, and cauliflower, coarsely chopped
2 cups high-quality salad olives (green olives w/pimento), drained and coarsely chopped
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Bring water to boil in a medium saucepan.  Add celery, carrots, and cauliflower and blanch until crisp-tender, about 1 or 2 minutes.  Remove with slotted spoon and immediately plunge into ice water to retain the color.  Drain vegetables and combine with the olives.  Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, and pepper together and pour over the olive mixture.  Cover and let marinate overnight.  This will keep for several weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

NOTE:  You can use a mixture of olives that you like for olive salad.  I sometimes throw in some Kalamata olives for variety.


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