Community Cookbook: Mardi Gras’ Christianity and Voodoo a peculiar (but delicious) symbiosis

Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is the last day of a three-day festival (some believe longer) known as Carnival, characterized by plenty of celebration and indulgence. It precedes Lent, the Christian season leading up to Easter. Fasting during Lent is traditional, though not as widespread nowadays. Abstaining from meat, alcohol and/or dairy products is common in Lenten fasting. Feasting followed by fasting, that’s not unlike bears fattening up before hibernation.

So, how is it that Christianity and Voodoo co-mingle and even thrive, elbow-to-elbow, in New Orleans and at Mardi Gras? Catholicism and Mardi Gras were imported in the 1700s by French settlers. Voodoo practices arrived later with African slaves. Over the years, these very diverse beliefs and practices merged somewhat to create a unique culture in the New Orleans area.

When asked what he liked most about Mardi Gras, consummate fan Pope Luigi III reportedly answered, “You haven’t lived until you’ve splashed a mambo (voodoo priestess) in the dunk tank at Carnival!” (loosely translated from the original Italian).

I was a good ol’ Catholic school boy for 12 years. I can “hear” the nuns and priests warning me now that if I tempt Lenten fasters, I’ll be doing time in purgatory for it. So I urge you to stick to your penitential diets and not indulge in Festive Jambalaya or Red Beans and Sausage until after Lent. For you, we offer delicious Hurried Curried Cod. It’s hoped that by providing this cautionary note, my eventual time in purgatory will be shortened for good behavior. For those of you not abstaining for Lent, I guess you can dig in and enjoy these dishes anytime.

Festive Jambalaya

Jambalaya is one of the best-known and most popular Cajun and Creole dishes. The ingredients and cooking methods can vary considerably, but the “trinity,” consisting of onion, bell pepper, and celery, seems a constant. Just about any meat and seafood, including venison and alligator, can be found in jambalaya. This Creole-style version uses chicken, sausage, and, of course, shrimp.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped bell pepper

½ cup chopped celery

3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1½ cup uncooked long-grain rice

4 cups warm chicken broth

1 (14½-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon taco seasoning (I like Taco Bell brand for this dish)

2 dried bay leaves

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

⅛ teaspoon black pepper

¾ pound, peeled, deveined, tails off, 61- to 70-count raw shrimp

½ pound boneless, skinless chicken, cut into ½-inch cubes

½ pound andouille sausage, cut into ½-inch thick slices, then quartered

2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Heat the oil in a large skillet over high-medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the rice. Stir in the next 9 ingredients (through black pepper). Increase the heat to medium-high and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the shrimp, chicken, and sausage. Add a little more broth, if needed. Cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, the jambalaya has thickened, and nearly all of the liquid has been absorbed (reducing the heat further, if needed, to keep the rice from scorching). Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.

Yield: About seven main-dish servings

Red Beans and Sausage

This hearty mess of beans is a close cousin of the Southern classic, red beans and rice. Like the classic, this dish may be best when ladled over a generous mound of hot steamed rice. It can also be eaten, Chicago-style, on a bed of spaghetti or simply as is. (This recipe has been corrected from a previous publication).

1½ pound dried small red beans (don’t use kidney beans)

6 cups water

2 large dried bay leaves

1 12- to 14-ounce hot smoked or Andouille sausage ring

1½ cup chopped onion

¾ cup chopped celery

3 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

4 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon ground mustard

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 cup chopped jalapeño or bell pepper

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 teaspoon red pepper sauce

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Minced green onion, flat-leaf parsley, or cilantro for garnish

Sort and wash the beans; place in a small stockpot. Add 12 cups of water and 3 tablespoons of salt; stir well. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 12-15 hours. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Place the beans, water, and bay leaves in a 4-quart or larger slow-cooker. Cook on low heat for a total of 11 hours. Slice the sausage into 1/4-inch thick disks, then into halves; refrigerate until ready to use. At 9 hours, 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the onion, celery, and garlic. Combine the next 7 ingredients (through black pepper) in a small bowl. At 10 hours, stir in the sausage, jalapeño or bell pepper, and seasoning mix. At 10 hours, 45 minutes, stir in the tomato and pepper sauces. At 11 hours, turn the heat off and remove the crock without lifting the lid. Let rest for 30 minutes, then stir in the vinegar. Serve with hot steamed rice, if preferred. Top with the garnish and serve with red pepper sauce.

Notes: For less soupy servings, use a slotted spoon, then a ladle for the desired amount of broth. Reduce the sausage by half for a leaner version.

Yield: About 3 quarts

Suggested schedule:

6 a.m.: Brine beans

9 p.m.: Beans, water, bay leaves to crock, low heat on

6:30 a.m.: Add onion, celery, garlic

7 a.m.: Add sausage, pepper, seasoning mix

7:45 a.m.: Add tomato and pepper sauce

8 a.m.: Turn off, remove crock, don’t lift lid

8:30 a.m.: Add vinegar, done

Hurried Curried Cod

Once the cod is thawed, this lean seafood dish is quick to prepare. The curry sauce can also be used with meats and vegetables.

4 frozen boneless, skinless cod pieces (about 2⅔ ounces each)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1¼ teaspoon chicken bouillon powder

½ teaspoon curry powder

¼ plus ⅛ teaspoon granulated sugar

½ cup water

2 teaspoons butter or margarine

Salt and black pepper

Minced flat-leaf parsley or green onion tops

Unwrap or poke a couple of holes in the wrap of each cod piece; thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Or quickly thaw by placing the wrapped pieces in a large bowl of cold tap water (put a plate on top to keep them submerged). Replace the water and turn the pieces every 30 minutes until thawed (1-2 hours). Remove as soon as thawed; unwrap and drain. Squeeze some of the liquid out and pat with paper towels (the pieces are saturated with water). Refrigerate until ready to use. Combine the next 5 ingredients (through water) in a 3- or 4-cup glass bowl. Make sure the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Drop the butter or margarine in and microwave on high power for 2 minutes, gently stirring when the timer reads 1:10, :50 and :30, especially around the bottom edge (the sauce has to boil for 1 minute). When done, let sit for a couple of minutes without stirring. Place the cod on a microwave grill with space between each, the thickest parts facing outward. Cover with a vented lid or wax paper. Microwave at 60% power until the pieces are cooked through and flake easily, about 5-6 minutes. Let sit for 2-3 minutes before uncovering. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Plate the cod and spoon the desired amount of sauce on or around. Garnish with parsley or green onion tops.

Notes: Be careful when removing the lid because of the possible steam. This recipe was developed using a 1000-watt microwave oven with a turntable. Cooking times will vary with ovens of different wattages.

Yield: Two main-dish servings

Dick Sellers is a freelance writer. Contact him at dickskitchencorner@outlook.com