Millions of people flock each year to New Orleans to celebrate one of the biggest events in the city: Mardi Gras. This holiday revolves around parades, costumes and lots of traditional food. The problem, however, is that many of us don’t have the time to fly down to the Big Easy for this special event. While you may not be in New Orleans for Fat Tuesday fun, you can bring the fun to your living room or backyard.

Make your Mardi Gras party a masquerade and ask people to wear masks and costumes. You can pick a theme like a 17th century ball (the attire of choice for many of the Mardi Gras balls in New Orleans), a favorite celebrity or even characters from comic books or movies. Or, you can simply ask that your guests come in their favorite costume without giving the dress a specific theme.

Traditional food during Mardi Gras includes slow-cooked dishes like gumbo, red beans and rice, chili or jambalaya. Finger food is always welcome, as well as any food that is purple, green or gold. A King Cake is traditional.

Bright and colorful decorations are key to any Mardi Gras party. Purple, green, and gold are the official colors of the holiday, so be sure to incorporate them into your decor You can hang purple, green and gold streamers and beads along fences or the stairs. A fun idea is to get enough beads for everyone coming to the party that you can hand to them to wear as they walk in the door.

The other most frequently tossed items from floats are doubloons, aluminum coin-like objects bearing the insignia of the float krewes. Decorate your table with an assortment of colorful doubloons and encourage your guests to take some home as souvenirs. Scatter confetti on the tabletop and light some votive candles.

I have lived for some years near New Orleans, but I have not developed a taste for their traditional seasoned dishes. So here is my suggested dinner party menu for 8 for some great food that is somewhat close to the New Orleans style.

Don’t forget to play New Orleans jazz or Zydeco music and, then, there are the drinks.

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

The Hurricane became popular at Pat O’Brien’s bar in 1940’s New Orleans, after it debuted at the 1939 World’s Fair. It was named after the hurricane lamp-shaped glasses the first drinks were served in. It’s said that O’Brien created this rum drink as a means to get rid of the large stock of rum his Southern distributors forced him to buy.

Hurricane Cocktail

1 cocktail

• 2 ounces light rum
• 2 ounces dark rum
• 2 ounces passion fruit juice
• 1 ounce orange juice
• Juice of a half a lime
• 1 tablespoon simple syrup
• 1 tablespoon grenadine
• Orange slice and cherry for garnish

Directions

Squeeze juice from half a lime into cocktail shaker over ice.

Pour the remaining ingredients into the cocktail shaker.

Shake well.

Strain into a hurricane shaped glass.

Garnish with a cherry and an orange slice.

Citrus-Marinated Shrimp with Louis Sauce

Makes 10 to 12 appetizer servings

Ingredients

Shrimp

• 2 lemons, halved
• 2 limes, halved
• 1 orange, halved
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
• 4 pounds unpeeled, large fresh shrimp
• 2 cups fresh orange juice
• 2 cups grapefruit juice
• 2 cups pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 orange, sliced
• 1 lime, sliced
• 1 grapefruit, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• Garnish: citrus fruit slices

Louis Sauce

• 1 (12-ounce) jar chili sauce
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons grated onion
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Greek seasoning
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

Directions

Make the Louis Sauce:

Stir together all the ingredients. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Make the Shrimp

Combine the lemon, lime and orange halves, crushed red pepper and salted water to cover in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; add shrimp and cook about 2 minutes or just until the shrimp turn pink. Plunge shrimp into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain.

Peel shrimp, leaving the tails on. Devein.

Combine orange juice with the remaining ingredients, except the garnishes in a large shallow dish or heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Add shrimp, cover or seal and chill 25 minutes.

Drain off liquid. Serve shrimp with Louis Sauce and garnishes.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Serves 8-12

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 cups cornflake crumbs
• 8 medium green tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• Louis Sauce, recipe above

Directions

In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and cayenne. In another shallow bowl, beat the eggs and milk. Place cornflake crumbs in a third bowl. Pat green tomato slices dry with paper towels. Coat with flour mixture, dip into egg mixture and then coat with crumbs.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Fry tomato slices, four at a time, for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown, adding more oil as needed. Drain on paper towels.

Place fried tomatoes on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Serve along side shrimp and Louis sauce.

Blackened Steaks with Horseradish Cream and Butter-Basted Potatoes

Serve with the Arugula Salad on the side. Recipe below.

8 Servings

STEAKS

• Olive oil cooking spray
• 3 lbs boneless grilling steaks (such as ribeye, top sirloin, or strip)
• 4 tablespoons blackening seasoning
• 8 oz whipped cream cheese spread
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 4 tablespoons prepared horseradish

POTATOES

• 8 medium white baking potatoes
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons herb-seasoned salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 8 slices bacon, cut into 2 inch pieces

Directions

For the potatoes

Preheat the oven to 475ºF.

Cut potatoes into quarters; place in microwave-safe bowl. Top with butter and cover; microwave on HIGH 5 minutes.

Stir potatoes to evenly coat with butter; microwave 5 more minutes or until potatoes are hot and just beginning to soften.

Transfer potatoes to 2-quart baking dish and arrange in single layer. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and pepper.

Arrange onions evenly over potatoes; top, evenly, with bacon pieces. Bake 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender and bacon is browned and semi-crisp.

For the steaks

Coat grill rack with cooking spray; preheat an outdoor grill.

Season both sides of steaks with blackening seasoning. Place steaks on grill; close lid (or cover loosely with foil). Grill 4-6 minutes on each side or until 145°F (for medium-rare).

Whisk remaining ingredients until blended and smooth. Serve horseradish cream with steaks.

Arugula, Orange and Fennel Salad

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 4 navel oranges
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 (5-ounce) bag arugula, washed, stemmed, and spun dry
• 2 medium fennel bulb, quartered and sliced very thin 
• 2 small sweet onion, sliced very thin
• Black or green olives, slivered

Directions

Slice off top and bottom of each orange with a serrated fruit knife or sharp paring knife, removing some flesh with the peel and reserve. With the flat end of an orange on a cutting board, cut off peel with a sawing motion from top to bottom, working all the way around the orange. Working over a bowl to collect juice, cut between membranes to separate orange segments and set aside. Repeat with the three other oranges.

Squeeze juice from orange tops, bottoms and membranes into bowl (you should have about 1 cup) and strain into a sauté pan. Add vinegar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 7 minutes. Pour hot liquid into a bowl and whisk in olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Stir in salt and pepper.

Toss arugula with fennel, onion and 1/2 cup of the dressing. Divide among 8 plates and add reserved orange segments to each plate. Drizzle with a little of the remaining dressing and top with olives. Serve immediately.

Country Corn Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup (8 ounces) plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda and salt. Whisk together the egg, yogurt and oil. Stir into the dry ingredients just until combined.

Transfer to an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cut into small squares and serve warm

King Cupcakes

Makes 1 dozen

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup warm whole milk (110°)
• 2 (1/4-ounce) packages dry yeast
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 4 teaspoons
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cake flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons hot water
• Purple, green, and yellow sugar sprinkles

Directions

Combine milk, yeast and 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl. Stir well and set in a warm place for about 10 minutes. In another bowl, combine butter and next 3 ingredients; stir in 2 teaspoons lemon juice.

Combine flours, 2 teaspoons cinnamon and kosher salt in an electric mixing bowl. Add milk/yeast mixture and butter mixture, and beat, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons flour if dough is too sticky, until dough is smooth and forms a shaggy mass. (It should remain soft.)

Place dough in a well-greased bowl, turning to the grease top. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down, and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a 12 x 8 inch rectangle. Combine remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 4 teaspoons sugar and sprinkle evenly over dough. Roll dough into a log and cut into 12 equal pieces. Places pieces into paper baking cups in a muffin pan; let rest 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush cupcake tops with beaten egg and bake 20 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack.

Combine powdered sugar, water and remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a small bowl. Drizzle over cooled cupcakes and top with sprinkles.

Posted by Jovina Coughlin in Appetizer, Beef, Bread, corn, cupcakes, Desserts, fennel, Healthy Italian Cooking, horseradish, orange, potatoes, Salad, tomatoes Tags: dinner party, Mardi Gras