Mardis Gras in Your Kitchen .:. Healthy Cooking with your Friendly Italians Episode 26

Jim and Marilyn give you some amazing recipes to help you celebrate Mardis Gras 2014!

MUFFULETTA – ITALIAN SANDWICH SERVED AT CENTRAL GROCERY

Cut a 10 inch round or a square loaf of bread in half, use a crusty hearty Italian style bread
Dampen the inside of the bread with the juice from the olive salad

OLIVE SALAD

Mix chopped green olives with pimentos, chopped garlic, chopped parsley, chopped kalamata olives, chopped pickled Italian vegetables (giardiniera)
Mix olive juice,( 9 teaspoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon olive juice)
To assemble:
Layer of salami and capicola,, layer of olive salad, layer of provolone cheese, on bottom half of bread
Cover with top half of bread, cut into quarters serves 2
To add extra spice, if you dare, sprinkle chopped garlic and hot pepper flakes over the provolone cheese.

BANANAS FOSTER

In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons salted butter
Add 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Add 2 bananas sliced lengthwise
Add 1/4 cup Rum pour over the bananas (prefer dark rum)
Ignite and baste the sauce over the bananas
To serve plate 2 slices of banana
Top with 1 scoop vanilla ice cream, spoon sauce and serve
You can substitute 1/4 cup of Banana Liquor for the 1/4 cup of Rum

WHITE BEANS, RICE AND SMOKED SAUSAGE

Soak 2 pounds white navy beans overnight, or red kidney beans
Drain and put into a 8 or 10 quart pot
Add 2 cups of chopped onions,1/2 cup chopped green pepper.2 tablespoons of chopped parsley, 1/2 cup of chopped scallions
1/12 teaspoon minced garlic,1 smoked ham bone,1pound cubed ham steak, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne,1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
3 quarts cold water, simmer for 3 hours, add more water if needed
Grill 6 Kielbasa or Andouille sausages, cut into 1/2 inch slices
Add to the beans simmer 11/2 hours
Serve over rice
Serves 12

BBQ SHRIMP IN THE SHELL

Messy dish but so good even if clogs your arteries
In a large saute pan heat 2 sticks of salted butter,1 cup of canola oil, 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, 4 minced bay leaves, 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, simmer for 8 minutes
Let set for 1 hour at room temperature.
Add 2 pounds shrimp in the shell
Cook over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes
Place in a 450 degree preheated oven for 10 minutes
Serve shrimp in soup bowls
Ladle sauce over,
Serve with French or Italian bread to sop up the sauce
Eat with your hands
Have lots of paper napkins on hand.

FISH FILLET AMANDINE

Made famous at Galatoires Restaurant
Use trout or tilapia fillets
Rinse fillets, pat dry
Place in a bowl, cover with cold milk
In a dish mix 1 cup flour, 1/1/2 teaspoon salt,1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
Lift fillets out of the milk, let the excess milk drip off and coat in flour mixture
Saute in canola oil 1 minute per side
Remove and serve with Amandine sauce

AMANDINE SAUCE

Heat 1 stick of butter over low heat
Add 1 cup of slivered almonds until they start to turn brown
Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon black pepper
Cook over low hear 1 minute
Pour over fillets.

ETOUFFEE SAUCE

For shrimp,clams,craw fish, oysters, fish fillets
On low heat add 6 tablespoons of salted butter
Add gradually 1/4 cup flour, cook till stars to brown 15 to 20 minutes, stir constantly
Add 1 cup of chopped onions, 1/2 chopped green pepper, 1/2 cup chopped celery, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
Cook over low heat for 15 minutes
Add 1 cup of water,1teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 cup cayenne, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/3 cup of sliced scallions ,1 tablespoon parsley
Simmer 5 minutes
Add seafood, cook for 5 minutes
Serve over rice

HURRiCANE

First served at Pat O’Briens in 1940, served in a Hurricane Lamp shaped glass,
Sold at Pat O’Brien’s in 1960 for $2.00 and you kept the glass

In a cocktail shaker ,juice of 1/2 lime, 2 ounces light rum. 2 ounces dark rum, 2 ounces passion fruit juice, 1 ounce orange juice
1 tablespoon simple syrup, 1 tablespoon grenadine
Pour into a Hurricane Lamp shaped glass, garnish with orange slice and cherry