GOURMET FRIDAYS GONE ~CAJUN~

JAMBALAYA! Just kidding, we didn't cook up jambalaya but something even more exquisite...Pecan Crusted Alligator, Crawfish Etouffee (eh-2-fay), Browned Butter Garlic/Creme Anglaise Sauce and Chocolate Bread Puddin'...Oh yeah, it's on! And all thanks to our very own "Master Chef," Chef Doug! (don't think his first name is really chef but i forgot to ask..) This guy's an artist with pans, salt, pepper and anything else edible so feel at liberty to scope out other masterpieces Chef Doug's whipped up at http://www.funwithfoodcatering.com/

Alright, let's get these recipes into your index box and then onto your plate...saucy! (oh and pictures coming soon! i promise! kris p. kreme's slackin'...)

Crème Anglaise Sauce

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup half and half
6 ounces sugar
1 each vanilla bean, split and scraped
8 ea. Egg yolks

Combine cream, half and half, vanilla and ½ the sugar. Bring to a boil. Mix egg yolks with the rest of the sugar. Temper hot cream into the eggs. Return to the pot. Cook stirring constantly until coats a spoon. Strain and put into a ice bath.


Browned Butter Garlic Sauce

1 ½ sticks Salted Butter
2 tsps. Garlic, Minced
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. Parsley, chopped fine

Method:
Melt the butter in a 1 quart saucepan over high heat until half melted, shaking the pan constantly. Add the garlic and continue cooking until butter is melted and foam on the surface is barely browned, about 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Stir in the parsley and cook until the sauce is light brown and very foamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Pecan Crusted Alligator

Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
• 2 pounds cleaned Alligator tail
• Salt and pepper
• 3 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp. Blackening Spice
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 4 cups chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
Preparation
Gently pound alligator cutlets to 1/8-inch thickness between 2 sheets of plastic wrap with flat side of meat pounder or with rolling pin. Pat dry and season with salt and pepper.
Beat together eggs in a large shallow bowl. Place pecans in a large shallow bowl. Mix the blacken spice with the flour and place it in a large shallow bowl. Dip alligator, 1 piece at a time, into the flour mix, then dip into the egg mixture, letting excess drip off. Dredge in the chopped pecans, pressing to coat completely. Repeat with remaining pieces of alligator.
Heat butter and 2 tablespoons oil in large heavy skillet over moderately high heat, until foam subsides. Sauté alligator in 2 batches (without crowding) until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined platter and keep warm.
Serve alligator with the browned butter garlic sauce.


CRAWFISH ETOUFFEE
• Yield:
4 servings
Ingredients
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped yellow onions
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1 1/2 cups shrimp stock or water
• 1 pound crawfish tails
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
• Cooked long grain white rice, accompaniment
Directions
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, to make a light roux. Add the onions, celery, bell peppers, green onions, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the sherry and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the stock and crawfish tails and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice.
Stir in the parsley and remove from the heat.
Adjust the seasoning, to taste. Serve over rice, garnished with additional parsley.

And lastly,

Chocolate Bread Pudding (for da ladies..)


1 3/4 cups Heavy Cream
1/2 cups & 2 Tbsps. Sugar
1/4 cup Milk
1 1/4 cups Semi-sweet Choc. Chips
1 ea. Large Egg
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
4 oz. French bread w/ crust
Cut into 1 inch cubes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bring cream, ½ cup sugar, and milk to simmer in a heavy saucepan. Stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, add ¾ ‘s of the chocolate chips. Whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk egg and vanilla in a large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot chocolate mixture. Cool chocolate custard 10 minutes, stirring often.
Add bread cubes and remaining chocolate chips to custard, and toss to coat. Transfer to a 6 quart shallow baking dish. Sprinkle 2 Tbsps. sugar over mixture. Bake until custard thickens and center is just set, about 50 minutes. Serves 6