Mardi Gras: a short history
The celebration of Mardi Gras came to the United States around 1699, before New Orleans was even an established city. Pierre LeMoyne d' Sieur d'Iberville is credited with bringing the celebration here from France, where it had been celebrated since the Middle Ages. I'berville established a camp on the west bank of the Mississippi River, on March 3rd, 1699, just 60 miles south of modern day New Orleans. This was the traditional date of the annual Mardi Gras celebration in France, in honor of the day I'berville named the camp site Point du Mardi Gras.
Mardi Gras was the evolution of a few pagan festivals celebrated by the Romans, Lupercalia being the most closely related. As Christianity started to spread and the Romans began to embrace the new religion, religious leaders decided it was best to incorporate the pagan festivals into the new religion instead of abolishing them totally. Carnival became the celebratory period before the period of Lent.
As with all celebrations food and drink plays a huge role in the festivites. Mardi Gras has introduced us to the king cake, jambalaya, gumbo, dirty rice, and other Louisiana-inspired favorites.
A quintessential Mardi Gras dish, is gumbo, technically a stew, it has its roots in creole/cajun cuisine. It is a pot that blends ingredients from a variety of cultures, gumbo is the perfect metaphor for who we are as a country. Spicy and flavorful, gumbo style are as varied as the places it is prepared. Here's a recipe that puts a gourmet spin on traditional gumbo that is sure to be the King at your Fat Tuesday celebration.
Courtesy of Gourmet Magazine | October 2006
Ingredients:
1 (5 1/2- to 6-lb) Long Island duck (also called Pekin), excess fat discarded and duck cut into 6 pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)
2 celery ribs, finely chopped (1 cup)
1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped (1 cup)
1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped (1 cup)
4 Turkish or 2 California bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (48 fl oz)
4 cups water
1 lb medium shrimp in shell (31 to 35 per lb), peeled and deveined
1 cup thinly sliced scallion greens (from 2 bunches)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Accompaniment: white rice
Preparation:
Pat duck dry, then prick skin of duck all over with tip of a sharp knife.
Heat oil in a wide 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat, then brown duck in 3 batches, skin side down, turning over once, 8 to 10 minutes per batch.
Transfer duck to a bowl and pour off and discard all but 1/4 cup fat from pot.
Reduce heat to moderately low, then add flour to fat in pot. Cook roux, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula or spoon, until well-browned (a shade darker than peanut butter), about 20 minutes. Add onions, celery, bell peppers, bay leaves, and salt and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 6 to 10 minutes. Add broth, water, and duck with any juices accumulated in bowl and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until duck is tender, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
Remove gumbo from heat, then transfer duck to a cutting board with a slotted spoon and shred meat into large pieces, discarding bones and skin. Skim fat from surface of gumbo, then return duck to gumbo. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and stir in shrimp, scallions, and cayenne. Simmer gumbo until shrimp is just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Serve gumbo over white rice.
Quick note: Gumbo, without shrimp, scallions, and cayenne, can be made 3 days ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and add shrimp, scallions, and cayenne and simmer until shrimp are just cooked through, about 2 minutes.
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