Mardi Gras Jambalaya and Hurricanes

Happy mardi gras, yall!  Mardi gras holds a special place in my heart. Although raised below the Mason-Dixon line in Virginia, most people from the D.C. area hardly consider themselves southerners.  However, I was born in Jackson, Mississippi and spent summers in the muggy heat of Baton Rouge while visiting my grandparents growing up (I could have lived there myself had I been born just a year earlier).  My dad went to LSU and my sister to Loyola New Orleans.  I love the south.  I am lucky enough to have been to New Orleans a number of times, most memorably for Mardi Gras!

My sister, friends, and me on Bourbon St. holding a famous Hand Grenade in 2004

In my opinion, New Orleans' food is some of the best in the world.  I'll never forget the first time I had Beignets at Cafe Du Monde or my first Po Boy at Mother's Cafe.  My family loves cajun food so much that our first dog was named Gumbo and my parents' current yellow lab is named Beignet.

In honor of cajun country this year, I'm making my family recipe for Jambalaya.  I've added a few extra ingredients to this recipe, which was very basic when my mom gave it to me a few years back.

Jambalaya

1/2 lb andouille sausage

3 Tbs flour

2 medium onions, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 orange bell pepper, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 Tbs parsley

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups rice

2 1/2 cups chicken broth or water

1/2 lb shrimp

1 tsp red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1. Brown meat.  Remove from skillet (leave the drippings in the pan)

2. Add flour and stir until dark roux forms

3.  Add onions, peppers, celery, parsley, garlic, cook until soft

4.  Add rice, broth (or water), salt and pepper, and shrimp. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low.

5. Cover, simmer 1 hour or until rice is dry.  Stir in red pepper flakes, green onions, and sausage.  Top with lots of Louisiana hot sauce and bon appetit!

I served this with cast iron skillet cornbread and Hurricanes, the Crescent City's signature drink.  The most famous Hurricanes at Pat O'Briens are made with passion fruit. But seriously? Where the heck does someone buy that?  I don't even know what a passion fruit looks like. Here's an easier recipe: 

Hurricane

2 oz light rum

2 oz dark rum

1 oz grenadine

1 oz pineapple juice

1 oz lime juice

Shake all ingredients together and serve over ice.

“I'm not going to lay down in words the lure of this place. Every great writer in the land, from Faulkner to Twain to Rice to Ford, has tried to do it and fallen short. It is impossible to capture the essence, tolerance, and spirit of south Louisiana in words and to try is to roll down a road of clichés, bouncing over beignets and beads and brass bands and it just is what it is. 
It is home.” 
― Chris Rose, 1 Dead in Attic

White Bean Dip

I was going to make hummus the other night, when I blindly opened a pan of canellini beans instead of chickpeas.  Turned out to be a delicious mistake!

White Bean Dip

1  15 oz can of white canellini or kidney beans, drained

2 tablespoons of tahini

1/2 the juice of one lemon plus 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon garlic

salt and pepper to taste

GOOD olive oil (the expensive kind makes all the difference in this recipe)

Combine all ingredients except olive oil into a food processor or blender. Slowly pour in olive oil until the dip reaches desired consistency (for me it ended up being about 2 Tbs). 

Serve this dip with pita chips, bread, chips, or veggies!

Note: Tahini is sesame paste (although it has a much more of a watery consistency than what I consider a "paste"). It's sold in a jar like peanut butter.  It can be hard to find, but when in doubt- consult the shelves of Whole Foods, they have EVERYTHING.