This video will show you how I make a great Alligator Sauce Piquant.
This is not a family recipe. I learned to cook in many different styles during my reign as a Sous Chef on the WWL TV cooking show with Chef Frank Davis.
Living and working in south Louisiana allows one to learn many different styles and techniques from his own family and from the many different cultures of people that live and work in the areas of New Orleans Louisiana, such as Metairie, Kenner, LaPlace, Houma, and many other areas. Too many to name.
Where I'm from, going to a camp on the weekend was a common thing to do. Fishing, trawling, and hunting were what we loved more than anything.
I'm sure I could write a volume of cookbooks on wild game cooking.
What I'm saying is that I never copy a recipe from another chef. I cook things the way I feel I'd like to eat them. This recipe is my own.
Honestly, I learned most of what you see here from Chef Frank Davis.
If you make this recipe, you'll probably love the flavor. It's outstanding!
As Frank used to say, "That sauce would make the bumper of a 57 Chevy taste good"
Enjoy!
Alligator Sauce Piquant
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Alligator Meat
1 Medium Onion chopped
½ Green bell pepper chopped
2 Ribs Celery chopped
½ Cup Fresh Parsley chopped (Italian Flat Leaf)
6 Small toes garlic minced
1 bunch green onions chopped
2 Cups plum tomatoes
3 cups seafood stock
1 cup water
All-purpose flour
Blackened Redfish seasoning (Cajun Land) (for seasoning alligator meat)
Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Butter
2 Tbsp. Creole Seasoning (Cook Shop in New Orleans)
1 Tbsp. Vegetable Seasoning
3 Bay leaves
1 CUP DRY RED WINE
INSTRUCTIONS
Drain any water off the alligator meat.
On a cutting board, hit each piece of meat with a meat tenderizer to flatten.
Cut the meat into smaller bite size pieces.
Spread the meat out on a baking pan and sprinkle with Cajun Land Blackened Redfish Seasoning.
Sprinkle or dredge alligator meat in all-purpose flour before browning.
In a 6 Quart pot, melt the butter and add in the olive oil. When it’s nice and hot, brown off your alligator meat. When the meat is browned, remove and reserve.
In that same pot, add in the onions, green onion bottoms, some green onion tops, bell pepper, celery, parsley and garlic. Sauté this until the vegetables are very soft. Add in 1 cup of red wine and continue to sauté until the wine has reduced completely.
Now add in the plum tomatoes and stir.
Toss in the Creole seasoning and vegetable seasoning.
Stir quickly then add in the alligator meat.
Now add in the seafood stock and water and bring all this back up to a slow simmer.
Toss in the 3 bay leaves, cover that pot and simmer for 1 hour, stirring ever so often to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom.
Serve over some white rice and garnish with green onion and a bit of parsley.
Chef’s Notes:
I used 3 bay leaves but forgot to add them in the video.
When using green onion, chop the bottom and top separately so you can use them at different times. I usually chop the white bottoms along with about 2 inches of the green. I’ll use this during the sauté period. The green onion tops are reserved for adding in the pot later as well as a garnish.
As you may know, Cajun folks use different recipes for most dishes. In fact, most don’t even use a recipe. They just get in front of that pot and start adding until they’re happy.
This recipe is to be used as a stand along if you’re not familiar with cooking alligator.
But feel free to add anything you wish. I bet some smoked sausage and okra would be good too. See what I mean!
NO KNEAD BREAD: • NO KNEAD BREAD / CRUST...
SEAFOOD STOCK: • SHRIMP STOCK / SEAFOOD...