The CHFF Mardi Gras menu

(Ed. Note: This piece originally ran on February 5, 2008, before that year's Mardi Gras).

 

It's Fat Tuesday, folks, a day when chubby little trolls like us feel a little special. And there's nothing better before than a little taste of Mardi Gras flavors from the Big Easy.

 

Lucky for you, the Cold, Hard Football Facts tailgate team, the 225 Club, has quite a few New Orleans recipes in its database (many from our friends at Louisana Cookin' magazine, who get them from great restaurants all across the state).

 

So, in the spirit of a celebration named for chubby trolls, here's a look at our Fat Tuesday menu. Try some of these recipes yourself and let us know what you think!

 

Louisiana pain perdu (French toast)

Right from the heat of Cajun country, in Lafayette, Louisiana

 

Authentic French Quarter remoulade

From Tujague's in the heart of the French Quarter comes this classic spicy condiment of a New Orleans shrimp boil. But you can spread it on anything.

 

Marcelle Bienvenu's jambalaya

A Louisiana classic from Bienvenu, the Cajun cookbook author.

 

Crawfish pie

From Ma's Meat Pies in Natchez, Louisiana. We can't find their website for some reason, and not sure what happened to it. But we do have their recipe.

 

Real-deal New Orleans filé gumbo

A great recipe from the folks at Pampy's Creole Kitchen, which reopened after Hurricane Katrina in December 2006.

 

New Orleans-style butter sauce

Pour it over pan-fried fish or chicken. Takes the health right out of it!

 

Our own tailgate jambalaya

We adapted this recipe from the book "Cast-Iron Cooking" and it has become a stable of the Cold, Hard Football Facts cardboard-box world headquarters kitchen.

 

Homemade Louisiana tartar sauce

Straight from Louisiana'a "culinary ambassador to the world."