CREOLE-CAJUN RECIPES

SELECTIONS

drinks:
MARDI GRAS MADNESS PUNCH
HURRICANES
MINT JULEPS
PLANTERS PUNCH

appetizers:
SHRIMP OR CRAB MOLD
CHEESY SHRIMP CANAPES
MERLE'S SPINACH BALLS

soups:
CRAWFISH BISQUE
STUFFED CRAWFISH HEADS
CRAB BISQUE

seafood/entrees:
SEAFOOD GUMBO
CRAWFISH STEW
CRAWFISH PIE
CRAWFISH ETOUFFEE
CRAWFISH FETTUCCINE
CREAMY CRAWFISH TAILS WITH WILD RICE
LOUISIANA STUFFED CRABS OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER
CAJUN SHRIMP CREOLE
BAYOU SHRIMP FETTUCCINE
LOUISIANA BAYOU FISH FRY
DOWNHOME STUFFED TROUT
SPICY SEAFOOD-STUFFED BELL PEPPER
JAMBALAYA
LOUISIANA RED BEANS AND RICE
MAMA'S CANDIED YAMS AND APPLES

dessert:
CHOCOLATE DOBERGE CAKE

RECIPES

DRINKS

MARDI GRAS MADNESS PUNCH

makes: 8-9 quarts

1 ice ring
1 (40-ounce) bottle grape juice
1 (48-ounce) can unsweetened pineapple juice
1 (2-liter) bottle lemon-lime soft drink
1 fifty vodka, or more, to taste
2 oranges or lemons
2 limes

Place ice ring in bottom of punch bowl.
Add liquids in order given.
Float slices of oranges and limes on top.
Makes about 65 one-half cup servings.

Adds to the fun in true
Carnival colors of purple, green and gold!



HURRICANES

4 oz Dark Rum
2 oz Lemon Juice
2 oz Red Passion Fruit Mix

Serve in a Hurricane Glass
filled with Crushed Ice,
garnish with Orange slice and cherry



MINT JULEPS

2 oz 100 Proof Bourbon
1.5 oz Simple Syrup
4 or 5 Fresh Mint Leaves Muddle
(don't stir or shake)

Serve in a Mint Julep Glass
with Crushed Ice.
Garnish with Orange and Cherry
and One Sprig of Mint.



PLANTERS PUNCH

1 oz Dark Rum
3 oz Pineapple juice
1/4 oz Grenadine
2 oz Orange Juice

Serve over Ice.

APPETIZERS

SHRIMP OR CRAB MOLD

Serves: 24

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
8 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
1 (.25-ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin,
softened in 1/4 cup water
1 bunch green onions, chopped
3 pounds cooked shrimp, coarsely chopped
or
1 pound crab meat
1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Tabasco, to taste

Heat soup, undiluted, and mix in the cream cheese.
Stir in softened gelatin and blend well.
Fold in remaining ingredients and pour into
a lightly-oiled mold.

Chill until firm and serve
with your favorite crackers.



CHEESY SHRIMP CANAPES

Makes: 20

10 slices white bread
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
6 ounces cooked shrimp, cleaned and chopped
1/2 cup shredded Swiss Cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Dill weed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Using a 2-inch round fluted pastry cutter,
cut 2 circles from each bread slice.
(Reserve scraps for crumbs).

In small saucepan, melt butter and add thyme.
Brush bread circles with this mixture.
Place on a cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes, until golden. Meanwhile, combine shrimp with cheese, mayonnaise, bread crumbs and salt.

When circles are cool, put a rounded
Tablespoon of shrimp mixture on each.
Sprinkle with a pinch of dill and
place under broiler for about 3 minutes.

This is an easy make-ahead:
toast circles early in the day, mix topping,
and refrigerate. Put together
and pop in broiler as guests arrive!



MERLE'S SPINACH BALLS

Makes: 6 to 8 dozen

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen spinach
2 cups herb-flavored stuffing mix
1 large onion, finely chopped
6 eggs, well-beaten
3/4 cup melted margarine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 Tablespoon Cayenne pepper to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1-2 teaspoons Tony's Creole Seasoning (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
Cook spinach according to package directions
and drain well, squeezing to remove excess moisture.

Combine with stuffing mix, chopped onion, eggs, margarine, cheese, Cayenne and garlic salt. Mix well. Shape into 3/4-inch balls and place on cookie sheet.

Bake 15-20 minutes.
(These are successfully frozen by
placing on a pan in freezer until hard,
then storing in airtight bags.
To serve, thaw slightly and bake 20-25 minutes.)

Don't tell anyone this is spinach and they'll never know! Delightfully different

SOUPS

CRAWFISH BISQUE

Makes: 12-15 servings

1 cup oil
1 cup flour
4 large onions, finely chopped
6 large ribs celery, finely chopped
2 medium bell peppers, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 lemon, sliced
3 quarts water
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound crawfish tails, cooked
Crawfish fat
2/3 cup chopped green onions
6 Tablespoons chopped parsley
Stuffed crawfish heads (recipe follows)

Make a dark brown roux with oil and flour.
Remove 3 Tablespoons of roux
and set aside for stuffed heads.
In a large pot, place remaining roux; add onions,
celery, and bell peppers; cook until transparent.

Add water, bay leaf, lemon, salt and pepper.
Simmer for approximately 3 1/2 hours.
Add crawfish tails, stuffed heads,
fat and green onions. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Add parsley just before serving
as a gumbo over cooked rice.

STUFFED CRAWFISH HEADS

2 large onions, finely chopped
2 bell peppers, finely chopped
3 ribs celery, finely chopped
3 pounds crawfish tails, cooked, finely chopped
3 Tablespoons roux (reserved from Bisque)
Crawfish fat to taste
1/3 cup chopped green onions
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3 slices stale bread, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste
75-100 cleaned crawfish heads
Flour and oil

While the Bisque is simmering, prepare heads.
Cook onions, bell peppers,
and celery in roux until transparent.
Add crawfish fat, tails, and green onions.

Cook 15 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.
Add parsley, eggs, bread crumbs; mix thoroughly.

Cool and stuff heads of crawfish with this dressing.
Roll stuffed heads in flour, and fry in oil
until golden brown. Add to the Bisque.

This delicious, thick soup spicily seasoned
and full of heads stuffed with the dressing,
all over steaming rice, is a "must" in
Bayou Country during crawfish season!



CRAB BISQUE

Makes: 4-8 servings

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup flour
4 ribs celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup boiling water
2 cups milk
3 chicken bouillon cubes
Dash of ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt (approximately)
Pepper to taste
Tabasco to taste
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 bell pepper wedge
1 bay leaf
2 cups (or more, to taste) cleaned crab meat
1 pint whipping cream
Sherry, if desired
Chopped green onion (garnish)

In a large, heavy Dutch oven,
make a light roux by stirring butter and flour
over medium-high flame until light brown.
Add celery and onion and cook until soft.

Add water, milk, bouillon cubes, cloves,
garlic salt, pepper Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce,
tomato sauce, bell pepper and bay leaf.
Simmer 1 to 2 hours, or more.

Remove bell pepper and bay leaf.
Skim oil from top.
Add crab and heat thoroughly.

Before serving, add cream, (do not boil!),
sherry, if desired, and green onion garnish.
Serves four for a meal, 6 to 8 as an appetizer.

Add a diced baked potato
to make this a hearty main dish.
This recipe is easily doubled, and freezes well
before or after addition of crab meat.



SEAFOOD GUMBO

Servings: 16

1 gallon water for boiling sausage
1 quart water for roux
1 pound Andouille, cut in 4-to-6 inch lengths
1 pound smoked pork sausage,
cut in 4-to-6 inch lengths
8 large chicken breasts, skinned,
halved, well-seasoned
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup finely-chopped onion
3 shallots, finely chopped
1 to 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chicken broth
1 to 2 pints oysters, drained, liquid reserved
Gumbo file (optional)

In a large pot, gently boil Andouille
in 1 gallon water for 30 minutes.
Add smoked sausage
and continue to boil for 15 minutes.
Remove and cool, reserving stock.

In a large, heavy pot,
make a roux with flour and oil.
When roux is dark brown, add chicken pieces.
Over medium heat, brown chicken
on both sides for about 15 minutes.

In center of pot,
push chicken aside and add onions.
Cook over low heat until onions are clear,
stirring occasionally.
While onions are cooking, heat 1 quart of water.

When onions are clear, gradually add water,
reserved stock and chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
Stir to mix thoroughly and reduce heat to simmer.
Cover and cook 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut cooled Andouille and sausage into
bite-sized pieces. At the end of the 45-minute
cooking time, add sausages, shallots and parsley.
Cook an additional 15 minutes.

Oyster liquid can be added to taste.
Oysters should be dropped in just before serving,
cooking just until curled.
If gumbo is to be frozen,
add oysters when thawed and reheated.

Serve over steamed rice.
Sprinkle with file, if desired.
Will serve about 16.

SEAFOOD / ENTREES

CRAWFISH STEW

Serves: 30

Cooking oil
10 pounds crawfish tails
20 medium onions, chopped
5 bell peppers, chopped
10 Tablespoons flour
Water
1 bunch shallots, chopped
1 cup chopped parsley
Salt, red pepper, Tabasco sauce to taste
Steaming rice

In a 15-20 pound roaster or Dutch oven, heat 1/8 inch of oil. (Use more if crawfish tails do not have much fat on them.) Fry crawfish, a layer at a time, until they are crusty, not brown. Remove from oil and set aside. Saute' onions and bell peppers in oil until clear. Return tails to pot and stir in flour until smooth, adding more oil if needed for smoothness. Gradually add water to achieve consistency desired. Stir in shallots, parsley, and seasonings, and bring to a boil. Continue boiling rapidly for 10 minutes. Turn off, cool and refrigerate. To serve, reheat slowly and spoon over mounds of steaming rice.

Not the usual way to make Crawfish Stew - no roux - but guaranteed tasty! Recipe is easily reduced to serve fewer folks.



CRAWFISH PIE

Serves: 6

1 pound crawfish tails, peeled
1/4 cup butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1 (10 1/2-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
12 patty shells, baked and warm
White wine (if needed)

Saute' crawfish in butter for 5 minutes in medium saucepan. Remove tails to a separate bowl and set aside. In remaining butter saute' onion, green pepper, celery, garlic and mushrooms until soft. While this is cooking, season crawfish tails with the next 5 ingredients. Add seasoned tails and mushroom soup to saucepan and cook 15 minutes over medium heat. If mixture is too thick, it can be thinned with a little white wine. Spoon into each pastry shell until overflowing, and serve.

Leftover crawfish tails never looked so good! Your family will feel special when you make this, so don't let on how easy it is!

CRAWFISH ETOUFFEE
(The Real Thing)

Serves: 6-8

1/2 cup butter
1 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 pounds crawfish tails
1 cup crawfish fat, if available or 1 cup butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional)
Lemon slices (optional)

Melt butter in large skillet or Dutch oven and saute green onions until tender; about 10 to 15 minutes. Add parsley, crawfish tails, crawfish fat (or butter), and salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat 15 to 20 minutes. If a thicker gravy is desired, dissolve cornstarch in a small amount of water and add to sauce. Serve over steamed rice and garnish with lemon slices, if desired.

Etouffee ("ay-too-fay")...a rich gravy served over fluffy white Louisiana rice cooked to perfection...a food connoisseur's delight!



CRAWFISH FETTUCCINE

Serves: 4

1/2 cup butter
1 pound crawfish tails
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper
6 ounces fettucini noodles, cooked and drained
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan. Stir in crawfish, soy sauce, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Saute' until onions and garlic are wilted. Toss fettucini with 2 Tablespoons butter and Parmesan cheese until nicely coated. To serve, mound warm noodles on plate and spoon crawfish mixture over it.

Quick, easy and different.

CREAMY CRAWFISH TAILS
WITH WILD RICE

Serves: 8-10

1 1/2 cups wild rice
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green onion with tops
4 cups water
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1 1/2 pounds cooked crawfish tails
1 (10 1/2-ounce) can cream of shrimp soup
1/2 cup sherry
1/4 cup butter

Salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce to taste
Wash rice and soak, if recommended on package. Melt butter in large saucepan. Add carrots, celery and green onion, and saute' 3 or 4 minutes. Add water, bouillon cubes, salt, and drained rice. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, until rice is tender and water is absorbed (about 40 minutes). (Add more water if needed to cook rice.) Add crawfish tails and stir until blended.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix soup, sherry, butter, and seasonings in a double boiler. Heat thoroughly. If sauce gets too thick, add more sherry. Mix 2/3 of sauce with rice mixture and pour into a butter 2-2 1/2-quart casserole. Bake 30 minutes. Serve remaining sauce separately. Serves 8-10. (Lobster tails may be substituted for the crawfish. Follow package instructions on frozen lobster tails for cooking.)

Tomatoes stuffed with equal parts seasoned dry bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese, dotted with butter, may be slipped into the oven along with this dish, for an excellent meal.



LOUISIANA STUFFED CRABS

Serves: 8

1/2 cup margarine
1 onion, finely chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1 pound crab meat
3 Tablespoons minced green onion, bulbs only
2 Tablespoons minced parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 egg beaten with
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
Buttered bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Melt margarine in skillet over low fire. Add onions, celery, and bell pepper and cook slowly until tender. Add crab meat, green onions, and parsley, and simmer about 10 minutes. Add salt, pepper, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and egg-milk mixture. Set aside to cool slightly. Add approximately 3/4 cup bread crumbs to obtain stuffing consistency. Stuff crab shells and top with buttered bread crumbs. Bake 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

You can't go wrong with crab, but some dishes really stand out.



OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER

Makes: 8 dozen

2 (10-ounce) boxes frozen spinach, cooked, drained, cooled
1 bunch green onions, cut into sections
1 bunch parsley, washed and drained, snipped into sections
1 head lettuce, washed, drained, broken into bite-sized pieces
1 cup margarine, melted
1 (2-ounce) can anchovies
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauces
4 ounces Absinthe or 1 teaspoon anise
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Tabasco
Salt
1/4 cup bread crumbs
8 dozen oysters on the half shell
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place first 4 ingredients, well-drained in blender or food processor and chop finely. Add margarine, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, Absinthe, lemon juice and seasonings, and puree until all ingredients are smoothly blended into a sauce. Arrange oysters on a cookie sheet or other baking pan, place 1 Tablespoon of sauce on each, and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake 20-30 minutes until brown, and serve hot.

A better-than-usual Rockefeller sauce!

CAJUN SHRIMP CREOLE

Serves: 4-6

1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup flour
2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pod garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 cup warm water
2 teaspoons salt (or less, to taste)
Tabasco to taste
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
Make a light brown roux using flour and oil. Add shrimp and cook 3 minutes over low heat. Add garlic, onion, green pepper and parsley and saute 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium and gradually add water while stirring. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer and cook for 1 hour. Stir occasionally. Serve over steaming rice. Serves 6.

A dish like this can be jazzed up to suit your taste: substitute a can of tomatoes with green chilies for one can of tomato sauce, for a peppery flavor; or increase any of the seasonings according to your taste. At any rate, you can't go wrong, and you'll thoroughly enjoy this longstanding Louisiana favorite!



BAYOU SHRIMP FETTUCCINE

Serves: 4-6

1/2 -1 pound small shrimp, cooked in seasoned water, drained
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon milled black pepper
1 pound noodles, cooked in salted water, drained
1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
Salt, to taste
Split shrimp lengthwise and place in a chafing dish with melted butter and pepper, and saute' for 3 minutes. Add fettuccine and toss with shrimp and butter. Add cream and toss gently to blend. Serve immediately in warm soup bowls.



LOUISIANA BAYOU FISH FRY

Serves: 4

2 pounds fish fillets
Salt
Pepper
Season-all
1/2 cup yellow mustard
Oil
2 cups Fish Fry
Cornmeal (optional)

Season fish with salt, pepper, and season-all. Spread with mustard and set aside. In a fryer, heat enough oil to deep fry. Place Fish Fry or a mixture of half Fish Fry and half cornmeal in a small paper bag. Place a few fillets in the bag and shake to coat well. Remove from bag and place in hot oil. Fry until golden brown and crispy.

Catfish, trout, sac-a-lait, and bass are all good cooked this way!



DOWNHOME STUFFED TROUT

16 speckled trout fillets
1/4 cup melted butter
Stuffing

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 pound crab meat, picked to remove all shells
1/4 pound shrimp, peeled
3/4 cup bread crumbs
Salt and red pepper to taste
Sauce

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 pound shrimp
1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup white wine
To prepare stuffing, saute' onions and celery in butter. Add crab meat and shrimp and simmer, uncovered, until shrimp is cooked, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add bread crumbs to thicken mixture. Add salt and red pepper to taste.

Butter two 9 x 13-inch baking dishes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place 4 trout fillets in each and top with a scoop of stuffing, followed by another trout fillet. Drizzle melted butter on top. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until fish is done.

While fish is baking, prepare sauce by melting butter and sauteing celery, green onions, onions and garlic. Add shrimp and simmer until pink. Add mushrooms and white wine. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Arrange trout on serving platter and pour sauce over fish. Some of the sauce may be reserved and served in a gravy boat.

Exceptional dish - great for company. The kind of cooking Lafourche folks do best!



SPICY SEAFOOD-STUFFED BELL PEPPER

Serves: 24

12 bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise and cleaned
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 onions, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
3 cloves whole garlic
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3 pounds white crab meat
3 pounds peeled shrimp, boiled
1 small bunch parsley, chopped
1 (8-ounce) package Mozzarella cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce to taste
10 slices white bread, soaked in water and squeezed dry
Buttered bread crumbs
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put bell pepper halves in boiling water and boil for 5 minutes, then rinse in cold water. Saute celery, onions, green onions and garlic in cooking oil until tender. Remove cloves of garlic. Add butter or margarine, crab meat and shrimp. When heated through, add chopped parsley, then Mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and Tabasco, stirring until cheese is melted. Add bread and mix well. Stuff pepper halves and top with buttered bread crumbs. Place in 2 large oblong casserole dishes. Pour a small amount of water and olive oil around peppers and bake for 1 hour.

To freeze, omit bread crumbs and freeze before baking. Add bread crumbs just before baking.



JAMBALAYA

Serves: 8

1/4 cup oil
1 (3-3 1/2 pound) fryer, cut up
1 pound pork sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 teaspoon Tony's Creole Seasoning
2 teaspoons salt
2 large onions, chopped
2 large ribs of celery, chopped
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
2 Tablespoons chopped green onion tops
4 cups cooked rice
1 (6-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional)
Heat oil in a large, thick pot on medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces, brown on all sides and cook until tender (20-25 minutes). Add sausage, Tony's seasoning, and salt. Cover, lower heat, and cook until chicken is well-done, about 30 minutes.

Remove chicken and sausage and drain all except 1/3 of the drippings from the pot. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic, and saute until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and salt and return chicken (deboned, if preferred), and sausage to the pot. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes. Add the parsley and green onion tops, cooking an additional 5 minutes, covered. Fold in cooked rice (and optional water chestnuts) and simmer about 10 minutes. Makes 8 absolutely delicious servings!



LOUISIANA RED BEANS AND RICE

Serves: 6-8

1 pound red beans, washed, drained, and soaked in water overnight, drained 3 cups water
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 large bay leaf, crushed
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup cooking oil
Salt and pepper
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
Steaming rice
Place beans in cold water in a 4-quart pot. Add garlic, celery, bay leaf, onion, and oil and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 2 hours. Add water as needed, stirring occasionally. Add salt, pepper, sausage, and parsley and continue cooking over low heat for about 1 hour. Serve over a mound of steaming rice and enjoy! For 6-8 people.

Smooth, flavorful, hearty and wonderful.



MAMA'S CANDIED YAMS AND APPLES

8 medium-sized Louisiana yams
or
2 (29-ounce) cans yams
1 (20-ounce) can sliced apples, drained
4 Tablespoons butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
Cinnamon
1-2 cups miniature marshmallows
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wash and boil yams in skins until tender. Cool, peel and slice lengthwise.

In a 2-quart casserole, arrange half the yams; spread with 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, and half the butter. Add apples, arranging as a layer. Repeat sugar, cinnamon and butter layer. Top with remaining half of yams, 1/4 cup of sugar, and cinnamon sprinkled over all. Bake 1 hour. Arrange marshmallows on top and place under broiler until golden, about 5 minutes.

DESSERT

CHOCOLATE DOBERGE CAKE

2 cups cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
10 Tablespoons margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs, separated, whites beaten until stiff
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
Filling

2 1/2 cups evaporated milk
2 (1-ounce) squares semi-sweet chocolate
1 1/4 cups sugar
5 Tablespoons flour
4 egg yolks
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Frosting

1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
4 Tablespoons margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 nine-inch round cake pans. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, soda, and salt 3 times. Cream the margarine and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and add egg yolks, one at a time. Gradually alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk, then add chocolate and mix well by beating about 3 minutes. Fold in the 3 beaten egg whites, vanilla, and almond extracts. Bake for 45 minutes or until done. After the cake cools, split each layer in half to make 4 thin layers.

To make the filling, put milk and chocolate in a saucepan and heat until chocolate is melted. In a bowl, combine sugar and flour. Make a paste by adding hot milk chocolate by Tablespoons to the sugar and flour, then return to saucepan. Stir over medium heat until thick. Add 4 egg yolks all at once and stir rapidly to completely blend. Cook 2 or 3 minutes more. Remove from heat, and add butter, vanilla, and almond extract. Cool and spread on cake, layering as you go. Do not spread on top layer.

For frosting, combine sugar and milk in a heavy saucepan, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 6 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and blend in chocolate. Add margarine and vanilla and return to medium-low heat, cooking 1 or 2 minutes. Place in refrigerator to cool. Beat well, then spread on top and the sides of the cake.

Rich and sinful, a "must" for chocolate lovers! A special dessert of Louisiana that's worth every minute of time and effort.

Go back to the Mardi Gras page, or back to Creole-Cajun Cooking.