Waking up Mardi Gras morning, the smell of a freshly made roux hugged me like my grandmother’s arms. By the time I made it downstairs, my grandmother, Nan, and my mom had the kitchen in full swing.
This is what happened every year in our home near the Uptown parade route. Our house became Carnival central. There was plenty of family, friends, food and of course bathrooms for them to use. Gumbo was simmering on the stove, chicken was swimming in grease, cakes were in the oven and potato salad was in the fridge chilling. This was the fuel to get us through the day of celebration.
Everyone would leave the house and head over to Napoleon Avenue to catch Rex, the King of Carnival, then return home to drop off their bounty of throws, eat and walk to St. Charles Avenue to watch the truck parades.
This year the Rex Organization’s theme is the "Two Worlds of Lafcadio Hearn," in honor of a writer who moved to New Orleans in 1878. Though he lived in the city for only 10 years, he completely immersed himself in the culture.
What excites me is the fact that Hearn wrote an early cookbook of Creole cooking, "Le Cuisine Creole." This book allows us to look at the origins of many dishes that are still made today.
Rex is also paying tribute to the first celebrity chef to come out of New Orleans, Nellie Murray. She served as Chef de Cuisine at the Louisiana Mansion Club at the 1893 Chicago World Fair.
I chose to go back to our simpler times and did a very easy but flavorful shrimp Creole that I know everyone will enjoy. And for those who believe that king cake should not be eaten outside of the Carnival season, I used the same flavors and created a cinnamon cake roll fit for a king.
So before the float gets in front of you and your attention is drawn to the beads and doubloons, look at the Rex floats. They tell a beautiful story.
Cinammon cake roll
Cinnamon Cake Rolls Fit for a King
FOR YEAST:
1 cup milk, warm to the touch
¼ cup melted butter
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
2½ teaspoons quick-rise yeast
FOR ROLLS:
1 egg, whisked
3½ cups all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Cooking oil spray
FOR FILLING:
¾ cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter, melted
FOR ICING:
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Yeast: Combine the warm milk together with the melted butter, sugar and yeast in a large bowl. Allow to stand for 10 minutes, until frothy.
3. Rolls: Add the whisked egg to the milk mixture. Add in flour and salt, and mix until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 2 minutes, occasionally rolling into the flour on your bench top to prevent the dough sticking to your fingers.
4. Lightly coat a large bowl with cooking oil spray and transfer the ball of dough to the bowl, turning once to coat in the oil. Cover with a damp towel. Turn oven off and transfer bowl of dough to the warm oven. Allow to rise for 30 minutes. To check if dough is ready, gently press two fingers into dough. If an indentation remains, dough has not risen enough. Punch dough down; cover and let rest for an additional 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
5. Roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface, into a 19-inch x 13–inch rectangle. Brush the melted butter over the dough and sprinkle evenly with brown sugar and cinnamon. Gently rub the cinnamon mixture into the butter. Beginning at one long side, roll up dough tightly like a jelly-roll; then gently pinch the seam down to seal. Trim the ends for even slices, and cut dough into 12 or 15 slices.
6. Arrange the rolls in a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover with the damp towel and allow to rise for a further 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
7. While rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
8. Uncover rolls; bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly golden. Cool slightly before glazing.
9. Icing: Prepare icing while rolls are baking. Beat together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla, until smooth and creamy. Beat in the powdered sugar until lump free. Spread icing over rolls.
Shrimp Creole
Shrimp Creole
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
½ cup onion, chopped
¼ cup green pepper, chopped
¼ cup celery, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 15-ounce can of tomato sauce
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds fresh shrimp, cleaned and deveined
1. Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan. Add flour and cook over a medium flame, stirring constantly to make a golden-brown roux.
2. Add onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic and cook until tender.
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Cinnamon cake rolls and shrimp Creole fuel a day on the Mardi Gras parade route - NOLA.com"
Post a Comment