Alligator Season
The alligator is perhaps the most recognizable creature in the Cajun Culinary Kingdom. This pre-historic looking beast has full run of the Louisiana swampland. Other animals in the food chain steers clear this voracious reptile. However every September the hunter becomes the hunted, alligator season opens. The gator has made a strong comeback in the last decade, thanks to conservation management programs of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Because the alligator was once on the endangered species list the department set limits on the number of gators that can be hunted each year, and has relegated the hunting season to the 30 days of this month. Plants specifically set up to process the gators dot the Cajun countryside. A visit to one of these plants during the month of September is a lesson on how these animals make it to our tables. Alligators who were foolish enough to take a bite at the turkey leg dangling a few feet above the waterline on a hook litter the landscape. Eighteen wheelers are filled to capacity with frozen carcasses, huge containers of chilled gators wait to be processed and hunters arrive frequently with fresh kill in the back of their pick-up trucks. It is quite a site to see. Inside a crew of trained butchers process the animal for two distinctive purposes. The hide is cured in salt and shipped to factories where it is manufactured into luxury items like belts, shoes and boots. The meat is cut into usable portions; packaged and frozen for shipment to restaurants throughout the world. Because the wild alligator is not as tender as its farm-raised cousin the best way to cook the wild one is simmered in a sauce piquant. But if you happen to run across the farm raised variety try deep frying.

Cajun Fried Alligator with Cocktail Sauce

Ingredients:
4 cups Peanut Oil
1 pound farm raised alligator meat, cut into strips
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Pat's Spice Blend
1 teaspoon Lemon Pepper Seasoning
½ teaspoon salt

Milk-Egg Batter: 2 eggs ½ cup milk 1 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning Seasoned Flour: 2 cups flour 2 teaspoon Lemon Pepper Season 1 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning ½ teaspoon salt

Cocktail Sauce: b cup ketchup 2 teaspoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon minced parsley 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon horseradish ½ teaspoon Pat's Spice Blend ¼ teaspoon hot sauce

Directions:
1. Heat cooking oil to 350 degrees in a 4-quart pot.
2. Season alligator with lemon juice, Cajun Seasoning, lemon pepper seasoning and salt. Set aside.
3. In another bowl beat together egg, milk and season all. Set aside.
4. In another bowl blend together flour, lemon pepper, season all and salt. Set aside.
5. Start battering process by first dredging a of alligator strips in flour, shaking off excess flour, then dip in milk-egg batter and dredge back in flour, again shaking off excess flour.
6. Carefully drop into heated cooking oil stirring to assure alligator strips do not stick together and fry until floating and golden brown. Drain on paper towel lined plated.
7. Repeat process until all of alligator is fried.
8. Combine all ingredients for cocktail sauce in small bowl and stir until blended together. Serve with alligator.
Yields: 6-8 appetizer portions


Alligator Andouille Sauce Piquant

Ingredients:
2 lbs. diced alligator meat
5 cups water
2 tablespoons Tony Chachere's
Creole Seasoning
1 lb. andouille or smoked sausage, cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
one-half cup chopped bell pepper
one-half cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 -14oz. can Del Monte Crushed Tomatoes, drained
3 tablespoons dark roux
1 6 oz. can Del Monte Tomato Paste
one-half cup red wine
1 cup ketchup
1 – 8 oz. can Del Monte Tomato Sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 whole lemon, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 – 8 oz. package sliced mushrooms
one-half cup minced green onions
one quarter cup parsley minced
10 cups cooked rice



Directions:
1. Place alligator meat and 1 tablespoon of Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning in large saucepot. Cover with water and bring to boil. Lower fire and simmer for 30 minutes. Reserve 2one quarter cups liquid to use as alligator stock in recipe.
2. Heat oil in large saucepot. Add andouille and cook until browned. Add onion, bell pepper, celery and cook for 2 minutes over high heat. Add garlic and cook for additional minute.
3. Add Del Monte Crushed Tomatoes, Del Monte Tomato Sauce and Del Monte Tomato Paste, roux, red wine, ketchup and hot sauce. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes allowing water to evaporate. Be careful not to brown too much.
4. Add alligator stock, thyme, lemon and bay leaves and remaining 1 tablespoon of Creole seasoning. Lower fire, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add sliced mushrooms and alligator meat and simmer, covered, for an additional 10 minutes.
6. Add green onions and parsley and serve over steamed white rice.
Yields 10 servings.




Chef Patrick Mould
Louisiana Culinary Enterprises, Inc
http://louisianaschoolofcooking.com
Return to Food Writing