Fat Tuesday is next Tuesday, the last hooray for indulging in rich food before the penitential season of Lent. We immediately think of the parades, bead throwing and great food happening at that time in New Orleans, but its earliest origins occurred in Rome, with the holiday called Saturnalia, dedicated to Saturn, the Roman god of the harvest.
It was celebrated in mid-December, but as Christianity spread throughout Europe, Christmas overtook Saturnalia as the celebration in December. Around the world, the period between the Christian feast of Epiphany on January 6 and Mardi Gras changes, depending on when Easter falls. Ash Wednesday is always 46 days before Easter, and Fat Tuesday is always the day before Ash Wednesday.
Catholics are not allowed to eat meat on Ash Wednesday and most adults are expected to fast and eat only one full meal per day. Acceptable foods include milk, eggs, fish, grains, fruits and vegetables. This would make Ash Wednesday this year interesting because it is February 14, or Valentine’s Day. So a fancy dinner with your sweetheart may not be happening this year for some on this special day if you are observing Lent.
A wonderful seafood gumbo sounds like a great meal, maybe celebrating Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day a day early.
Seafood Gumbo
Serves 12
Make the seafood stock by peeling one pound shrimp and placing them in oil, with about 1/2 cup of chopped carrots, 1/2 cup chopped celery, one cup of diced onions and 2 cloves of garlic. Cook until the onions are translucent. Add 1-1/2 quarts water, about 1/4 cup of white wine, two sprigs of fresh thyme and simmer for one hour. Strain through a sieve.
To make roux:
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup flour
Heat the oil, whisk in the flour and cook over moderately low heat, whisking constantly, until a deep mahogany brown with a nutty aroma, about 40 minutes.
Stir in:
1/4 pound andouille sausage, finely chopped, about 2 cups
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped garlic
1/2 pound okra, thinly sliced
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Add:
12 cups seafood stock
1 pound tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon file powder
1/8 teaspoon Creole seasoning
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Simmer over moderate heat for 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the seafood:
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and used for seafood stock and deveined
2 dozen freshly shucked oysters
2 tablespoons hot sauce
Basmati rice for serving
Cook until the shrimp turns white, about 3 minutes.
Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Ladle the gumbo into bowls over rice. Garnish with green onions, and serve with additional hot sauce.
Making beignets would bring back memories of those at Cafe du Monde in New Orleans.
Beignets
Serves 12
In a large bowl, stir together then set aside:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 packages active dry yeast, or 4-1/2 teaspoons
In a small saucepan, stir together heat until warm, 120 degrees F:
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup shortening
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Add the milk mixture to the flour, then add:
2 large eggs
Beat with an electric mixer for 30 seconds on low to medium for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Using a wooden spoon stir in more flour to make a moderately soft dough:
2-1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
Shape the dough into a ball. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the surface of the dough. Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll into an 18×12-inch rectangle, then cut into 36 3×2 inch rectangles. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. In a deep saucepan, heat 3 inches to 375 degrees F:
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Fry dough rectangles, a few at a time, in hot oil until the beignets are golden, about 1 minute, turning once. Using a slotted spoon, remove the beignets from the oil and drain on paper towels. Keep warm in the oven while frying the rest of the beignets. Sift confectioners sugar over the beignets. Serve warm.
Email Audrey Wilson at audreywilson808@gmail.com.