CANE RIVER

Sometimes a book club hostess picks a special read for us- one that makes us think, ask questions, and challenge old ideas. Jeanne did that with her first selection for our book club (November 2001) by picking CANE RIVER by Lalita Tademy. I haven't mentioned before that Jeanne is our "published author" and we are very proud of her. She wrote THE NEW MOM'S MANUAL (Random House) and I picked it up for both of my daughters-in-law when they were expecting...very helpful. (Of course, my mother-in-law advice through the years is too, I'm sure?!?)

"When the urge hit her, Lalita Tademy was corporate Vice President of Sun Microsystems: she had the feeling there was something else she was supposed to do. While she was discovering what that something else was, she spent two years researching the slave branch of her family (her mother's side). Returning to her ancestors' Cane River roots, she scouted old sharecroppers' farms; ransacked old courthouse archives; plotted a paper trail from grueling bondage to better days. Then, discovering what she was supposed to do, she sat down to write this novel about the lives of slaves who were never allowed to write it themselves. Genealogy with wings."

Jeanne and Margie prepared a delicious menu of shrimp and andouille sausage gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, salad with Creole vinaigrette dressing, cornbread, and homemade pralines. Here is Jeanne's note to me-

" Hey Donna, this is the recipe I used , but I left out the white fish fillets. Sure makes the kitchen smell good!" Jeanne

Jeanne's New Orleans File Gumbo

This is one of the richest Cajun gumbos, and makes a hearty and unusual dinner. Be sure to include plenty of sausage from the pot, along with a piece of chicken in each serving.
THE GUMBO BASE:
1 lb. Creole or smoked sausage, sliced 1/2 " thick
1/2 lb. lean baked ham, cut into 1/2 " cubes
1 chicken fryer, cut up
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound white fish fillets
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced green scallions
2 Tbsp finely minced parsley
1 Tbsp finely minced garlic
2 cups chopped onion
1 large ham bone, cut into 3" lengths (optional)
THE ROUX
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup flour
THE LIQUID AND THE SEASONINGS
2 qt. cold water
3 1/2 tsp salt (less if cooking with ham bone)
1 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
3 whole dried bay leaves
2 1/2-3 Tbsp file powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp dried marjoram

After assembling the ingredients for the gumbo base, heat the oil in a heavy 7-8 quart pot or kettle over high heat. Brown the chicken parts in the hot oil, turning several times to ensure even browning. When the chicken is brown, remove it to a hearted platter and place, uncovered, in a preheated 175 degree oven to keep it warm.

Make the roux by gradually adding the flour to the oil in the pot, stirring constantly. Cook over low heat until a dark brown roux (the color of peanut butter) is formed. Do not try to hurry this step. The roux is the most important part of any gumbo base, and will take approximately 20-30 minutes of stirring to get it right. It's worth the wait.

When the roux reaches the right color, quickly add the sausage, onion, green pepper, scallion tops, ham, parsley and garlic. Continue cooking over low heat for 10 minutes more, still stirring, then add 1/4 cup of the water, the reserved chicken pieces and all the seasonings except the file powder; mix thoroughly. Gradually stir in the rest of the water. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the gumbo for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the chicken parts are tender. Stir frequently, taking care not to break the pieces of chicken.

Before serving, bring the gumbo back to a boil and add the shrimp and fish. Simmer just until the shrimp turn pink, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let the simmer die down. Add the file powder and stir. Let the gumbo stand in the pot for 5 minutes after adding the file, then serve in gumbo bowls or deep soup bowls over boiled rice.

If this recipe makes too much for your family to eat at one time, take only the amount you want to serve and add the file to it. The leftovers, or "lagniappe" (another marvelous meal), should be stored in the refrigerator, and the file added after reheating.

Jeanne also wrote- " My girlfriend from Louisiana made these for me at my house the day prior to book club.  It took a couple of hours from start to finish but well worth it if I recall..."

Creamy Pralines

Ingredients:

·         3 cups chopped pecans

·         2 cups light brown sugar, packed

·         1 cup granulated sugar

·         1 1/2 cups heavy cream

·         1/3 cup whole milk

·         6 tablespoons butter, unsalted

·         3/4 teaspoon salt

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

Toast pecans:
Heat oven to 350°. Spread chopped pecans out on a large baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes, or until the chopped pecans are lightly browned and aromatic.

In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cream, milk, butter, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, to 230°. Lower heat slightly if the mixture threatens to boil over. Add the toasted pecans and continue cooking, stirring constantly, to 236° F. The mixture should form a soft ball when a little is dropped in cold water. Remove from the heat and add vanilla; let stand for about 5 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is thickened and slightly creamy, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, spoon the pralines onto a sheet of parchment paper or waxed paper. If the mixture becomes grainy, heat and stir over medium heat for a few seconds, or until it can be easily scooped and dropped.
Makes about 4 dozen.

Decorations were sugar cane and willow, reminding us of the bayou...all in all a wonderful time with friends.

Next blog will be Skipping Christmas, but we certainly did not skip Christmas! We began a tradition that has lasted for 10 years- look for it soon...