Party Mardi
Laissez les bon temps rouler!
BY BARBARA ROLEK
brolek@nwitimes.com
219.933.3256
Munster Times, IN
This story ran on nwitimes.com on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 12:26 AM CST
Slip on a feathered mask, accessorize with glittery beads and let the good times roll.
But don't wait until Fat Tuesday. That's the time to say au revoir, à bientôt, buh-bye to Mardi Gras festivities.
Do it the Big Easy way -- flashing optional -- and celebrate the entire week leading up to Ash Wednesday.
Despite two-thirds of its half-million population displaced in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is putting on the show it's famous for.
Stephen Perry, president of the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, says it may not be the largest, but it will be the most emotional and important Mardi Gras of all.
Among the side effects of the disaster are short supplies of fresh oysters, crawfish and shrimp, especially for out-of-state restaurants.
"I'm told the oyster beds won't come back for three years or more," says Charlie Orr, owner of The Maple Tree Inn in Blue Island.
"But that hasn't kept us from providing our customers with the same high-quality seafood they're accustomed to."
Orr brought Cajun to Chicago's South Side in 1980 after an epiphany-inducing read of Howard Mitcham's "Creole Gumbo and All That Jazz" (first printing in 1978).
In two weeks' time, he had transformed his 5-year-old country French restaurant, originally on 107th Street and South Western Avenue, into an authentic Cajun-Creole hotspot.
"There are a lot of misconceptions about Louisiana food," says Orr, who makes and smokes his own andouille sausage. "Contrary to popular belief, blackening isn't traditional."
True Crescent City cuisine is a literal gumbo of the flavors of France, Spain, Italy, Africa, the West Indies and Native America.
Creole dishes are more haute cuisine, dependent on roux and finely tuned sauces from the French, and tomatoes, peppers and garlic from the Spanish.
Cajuns, French Acadians exiled from Nova Scotia, on the other hand, cooked country style with whatever was available in the bayous and swamps -- crawfish, oysters, crab, duck and squirrel -- to make robust, one-pot meals.
Slaves used gumbo, the Ethiopian word for okra, as a thickener in their dishes, and the native Choctaw Indians thickened theirs with filé powder made from crushed, dried sassafras leaves.
Orr blurs the line between Cajun and Creole at his restaurant with dishes like Dixie Door Stop Pork Chop (see recipe) stuffed with andouille sausage, braised in beer with Creole vegetables and served over cornbread dressing.
If push came to shove, Jim Fassinger, executive chef of HotOrNot in Portage, would say that quintessential Louisiana ingredients include red pepper, thyme, basil, hot sauce, lots of butter and the holy trinity -- onions, celery and green pepper. Throw in garlic and tomatoes and there you have it.
HotOrNot is keeping the tradition alive this Mardi Gras with a performance by jazz trumpeter Guy Fricano and his sextet and a menu featuring 15 options topped off with Bananas Foster (see recipe) or a slice of owner Judy Joll's King Cake.
King Cakes are made of a cinnamon yeast dough that's braided, coiled into a round and iced with purple, green and gold -- the colors of Mardi Gras, signifying justice, faith and power, respectively.
Traditionally, a coin, bean or ceramic baby was baked into the cake. Nowadays, a plastic baby is inserted after the cake comes out of the oven. The guest whose slice contains it becomes the king or queen for the evening and must host the next party serving King Cake, naturally!
In many European countries, King Cake, whose braided dough symbolizes the circuitous route taken by the Three Kings to avoid detection by King Herod, is eaten on Twelfth Night or the Epiphany when the Magi presented their gifts to the Christ Child. But in New Orleans, it's the preferred dessert for the entire Carnival season -- from Jan. 6 to Fat Tuesday.
No discussion of Mardi Gras would be complete without paying homage to Chicago's Jimmy Bannos.
The owner of the Heaven on Seven restaurants is the author with John DeMers of "The Heaven on Seven Cookbook" (Ten Speed Press, 2000) and "Big Easy Cocktails: Jazzy Drinks and Savory Bites from New Orleans" (Ten Speed Press, 2006).
"When the craze hit in 1985 or so, it was very irritating because there was a lot of fake Cajun food out there and there still is. People would say, 'Let's put cayenne pepper on everything and call it Cajun.' That's NOT what Cajun food is all about," Bannos says.
If you want to experience the real deal, he invites you to Heaven on Seven restaurants on Wabash Avenue, North Michigan Avenue at Rush and Ohio streets, Clark Street and the one in Naperville for what he calls the biggest Mardi Gras party outside of New Orleans.
"This is our 20th year and it's a special one because of Katrina. We'll have music, face painters and King Cake on top of regular menu items like chicken andouille sausage gumbo, jambalaya, red beans, étouffée, hickory BBQ shrimp, crab cakes, brisket smoked for over 12 hours, pulled pork po'boys, just to name a few," Bannos says.
If you decide to try some of his recipes at home, Bannos says a good source for specialty foods like tasso ham, boudin, pickled pork and more is www.cajun.com.
"Even places like Jewel and Dominick's are starting to carry andouille. But the recipes in my new book are so simple -- five or six ingredients at the most -- you shouldn't have trouble finding what you need."
Free stuff
Turn to Foodie Finds and learn how to win Jimmy Bannos' cookbooks and a king cake mix from King Arthur Flour Company.
Mardi Gras specials
* Dixie Kitchen & Bait Shop, 2352 E. 172nd St., Lansing, (708) 474-1378, www.dixiekitchenchicago.com/lansingmenu1.html
4 p.m. to closing all week through Fat Tuesday. $14.95 dinner includes cup of gumbo OR jambalaya, salad, pecan catfish OR Cajun chicken pasta, praline cookie, grab bag and mask. Reservations not required.
* Heaven on Seven Restaurants, 111 N. Wabash Ave., 7th floor, Chicago, (312) 263-6443; 600 N. Michigan Ave., 2nd floor, Chicago, (312) 280-7774; 3478 N. Clark St., (773) 477-7818; 224 S. Main St., Naperville, (630) 717-0777; www.heavenonseven.com.
During regular restaurant hours (call for particulars), face painting, music, favors and fun. Reservations recommended.
* The HotOrNot, 2782 Willowdale Road, Portage, (219) 762-1984, www.hotornotcajun.com
7 to 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. $30 package includes your choice of 15 dishes, including roll, soup, Bananas Foster, King Cake, nonalcoholic beverages and party favors. Optional appetizers, alcohol, tax and gratuity are extra. Entertainment by jazz trumpeter Guy Fricano and his sextet. Reservations mandatory.
* The Maple Tree Inn, 13301 Olde Western Ave., Blue Island, (708) 388-3461, www.blueislandbiz.com/mapletree.html
5 to 9 p.m. Sunday ($20 per person) and Tuesday ($25 per person). AYCE buffet, exclusive of beverages, tax and gratuities. Reservations not required.
COOK LIKE A CAJUN | Crown Point
Chef Vicky Lindsey will teach "Cajun Cookin: Celebrate Mardi Gras Style!" from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at The Cooking School at Amelia's, 10839 Randolph St. You'll learn to prepare Cajun Dry Rub Ribs, New Orleans BBQ Shrimp, Jambalaya and Spicy Bean Dip. Register by today.
FYI: (219) 661-5582 or www.ameliasmarket.com
Maple Tree Inn Dixie Door Stop Pork Chop
4 (18- to 20-ounce) center-cut pork chops
Olive oil
1 pound andouille sausage, cut into thin circles
3 cups Creole vegetable mix (see recipe)
3 cups amber beer (not porter or stout)
* Heat oven to 325 degrees.
* Brown pork chops aggressively in olive oil until dark brown on the outside.
* Cut a 1-inch hole in meat edge of chop with a small knife. Enlarge the hole to create a large cavity.
* Stuff each chop with 4 ounces sausage circles. Place chops in Dutch oven. Add Creole vegetable mix and beer. Bring liquid to a simmer over medium heat, then cover and place in oven for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until done. If you like your pork firmer, test with a fork after an hour.
Makes 4 servings.
Maple Tree Inn Creole Vegetables
1 pound yellow onion, 1/2-inch dice
4 ounces celery, 1/2-inch dice
8 ounces bell pepper, 1/2-inch dice
12 ounces green onion, 1/2-inch cut
1 to 2 ounces garlic chopped
2 ounces flat leaf parsley or cilantro leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
10 cups diced tomatoes in juice
1 small can tomato paste
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
* Sauté vegetables in olive oil, covered, till soft but not brown. Place in 4- to 6-quart nonreactive pot. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, pepper and cayenne. Simmer on stove for an hour or so until sauce is thick.
* Adjust seasoning with salt and more pepper as you feel is necessary. Use what you need for pork chops, freeze rest for later use.
Makes about 9 cups.
HotOrNot Seafood Gumbo
Roux:
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup flour
Gumbo:
1 whole bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon each white, cayenne and black peppers
1/4 teaspoon each dried thyme and oregano leaves
1 cup yellow onion, chopped
3/4 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2-3/4 cups seafood stock
3/4 pound andouille smoked sausage, or other smoked sausage
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled
1/2 dozen medium oysters
6 ounces crab meat
2-1/2 cups cooked rice
* Combine seasonings with chopped onion, green pepper and celery.
* Combine oil and flour in large pot to make roux, cooking until medium brown in color. Add stock, blending until smooth.
* Add vegetable-seasoning mixture, sausage and seafood. Stir well and cook until seafood is done.
* Remove bay leaf and serve over rice.
Makes 4 servings.
Jimmy Bannos' Barbecue Shrimp on Corn Bread Squares
1 (8-inch by 8-inch) pan baked cornbread
36 jumbo shrimp, peeled
3 teaspoons Angel Dust seasoning Blend (see recipe)
3 cups unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups Abita Turbodog (available at HorOrNot) or other dark beer
3 teaspoons black pepper
3 teaspoons white pepper
3/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons roasted garlic purée
3/4 cup heavy cream
* Cut cooled corn bread into 36 squares. Season shrimp with Angel Dust and set aside.
* Heat butter in large skillet over high heat. Stir in beer, peppers, Worcestershire, garlic purée and cream. Reduce until thick and creamy, 5 to 7 minutes.
* Add shrimp and cook in sauce just until pink, about 4 minutes. Spoon one shrimp and plenty of sauce over each corn bread square and serve at once.
Makes 36 squares.
Angel Dust Seasoning
3 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
1-1/2 tablespoons Spanish paprika
5 teaspoons salt
1-1/4 teaspoons dried thyme
1-1/4 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon black powder
1/3 teaspoon onion powder
* Thoroughly combine all ingredients in small bowl. Use as needed, storing remainder in airtight container for up to 2 months.
Makes 1/2 cup.
SOURCE: "Big Easy Cocktails: Jazzy Drinks and Savory Bites from New Orleans" by Jimmy Bannos and John DeMers (Ten Speed Press, 2006).
HorOrNot Bananas Foster
2 tablespoons butter
1 firm ripe banana, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 dash cinnamon
1 dash nutmeg
1 tablespoon dark rum
1 tablespoon brandy (optional)
1 scoop good-quality vanilla ice cream
* Melt butter in sauté pan over low heat. Cook bananas for approximately 5 minutes on one side. Turn and cook an additional 5 minutes just until fork tender. Don't overcook.
* Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Transfer bananas to heatproof serving dish.
* Add rum and optional brandy to skillet, deglazing and loosening caramelized bits of sugar over medium heat. When tip of a finger tells you alcohol is hot, ignite with a long wooden match and pour over bananas.
* Place ice cream in a serving dish and spoon bananas over.
Makes 1 serving.
Barb Rolek's Café Brûlot
1/2 cup brandy
1/4 cup thinly sliced lemon peel
1/4 cup thinly sliced orange peel
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Triple Sec
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
4 cups strong hot coffee (preferably a chickory blend)
* Combine all ingredients except coffee in large skillet. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Using a long match, ignite mixture.
* Gradually pour in coffee, extinguishing flames. Strain liquid into large glass measuring cup. Divide liquid equally among 8 demitasse cups and serve.
Makes 8 servings.
Jimmy Bannos' Mint Julep
1-1/4 ounces bourbon
1 lime, quartered
1 sugar cube
4 leaves fresh mint
Soda water
Mint sprig, for garnish
* Combine bourbon, lime quarters, sugar cube and mint leaves in a Collins glass. Top with crushed ice and soda water and gently stir. Garnish with mint sprig and serve.
Makes 1 serving.
SOURCE: "Big Easy Cocktails: Jazzy Drinks and Savory Bites from New Orleans" by Jimmy Bannos and John DeMers.
Cajun Martini
2 habañeros peppers, sliced
1 bottle vodka
* Place peppers in vodka and chill for two days.
* For each martini, shake 3 ounces habañero-infused vodka with 1/4 ounce plain vodka. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a cherry pepper.
SOURCE: Adapted from Jimmy Bannos and John DeMers' "Big Easy Cocktails: Jazzy Drinks and Savory Bites from New Orleans."
http://www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2006/02/22/features/food/a4a35723fb16028e8625711b006502d0.txt
