I'm not Catholic, but I believe deeply in any holiday that involves food or is an excuse for preparing a feast. So in my house, the weekend before Mardi Gras is the time to celebrate Cajun/Creole food. Sometimes the celebration is just me, more often I invite a couple of friends over, and a few times I've thrown a party. Sometimes I can find crayfish, sometimes I settle for shimp and crab and oysters are never a bad idea. This menu is suitable for a couple, but if you're feeling more ambitious it scales upward easily. So laissez les bons temps rouler.
Creole Crab Dip: Munching in New Orleans
Copyright 2011 JeffreyW
I first had something like this Creole Crab Dip on my second visit to New Orleans. We were a large party (about 20 I think) and we probably dropped $3000 on the restaurant that night - and it wasn't a particularly expensive restaurant. The chef had been warned by our host that we were all dedicated eaters so when our drink orders arrived he sent out a complementary amuse bouche - happy mouth. They were single-bite-sized puff pastry cups filled with a Creole crab dip.
Shrimp Jambalaya: Spanish Heritage
Gunnar Grimnes via Flickr
Think of jambalaya as a Cajun paella (which is probably it's origin). You can make jambalaya using almost anything from chicken to crawfish to alligator to, I suppose, tofu if you're so inclined. I particularly like crawfish jambalaya and crawfish are in season in the dead of winter, but shrimp are available year-round and are easier for most people to buy. Spoon the jambalaya over Dirty Rice or plain white rice.
Dirty Rice: Not so Dirty
Copyright 2010 Norwichnuts
Dirty rice is a fixture of Cajun cooking. I've been told it's called dirty rice because of all the stuff in it. I've also been told it's called that specifically because of the chicken livers and gizzards. Whichever, it's become difficult to find chicken organs sold alone - if you want them you have to buy a whole chicken and that's only one of each. So I make a version I call Grimey Rice that uses chicken stock or broth instead and andouille.
Collard Greens: Charleston Specialty
Copyright 2010 Alyssa Tomfohrde
Although not actually a New Orleans recipe, the low-country cooking of South Carolina arises from the same culinary roots - French, Spanish, English, African, and native American - as the food of New Orleans and is an excellent side dish for this menu. Serve it with a side of cornbread to sop up the pot likker (the juice the collards cook in). Of course you can also follow another Southern custom and just pour the likker in a cup and drink it.
Bananas Foster: A Big Easy
Copyright 2011 Michael Coppens
Bananas Foster is the most famous of New Orleans desserts - not because it's good but because it's showy. Made by a tuxedoed waiter at the table and flambed it's a spectacular end to an evening out. But, in fact, Bananas Foster is good. And when I served it to 20 people at a Cajun dinner party I skipped the table-side preparation and showy presentation. Instead I had to get down to real flavors. In that case I resorted to baking, but in a skillet it's a quick and easy recipe - without danger of fire.