Alligator Sauce Piquante
 

Gator

  

Alligator meat is a delicacy here in Louisiana. Years ago, alligator was plentiful but demand for alligator hide nearly drove them into extinction. Nutria (a relative of the beaver seen in the photo on the right) lacking their natural enemy, have grown in numbers and eat so much vegetation that coastal erosion has become a problem. Cajuns, always frugal with what nature provides, found that alligator meat was tasty --- especially the tail for grilling. Conservation and even alligator farming has brought this tasty meat back to our tables.

A sauce piquante (pronounced sos pee-kont) is a highly seasoned stew. Piquante means "to prick" and that's what the spices and flavors in this do.

Nutria

Nutria

Ingredient List

4 pounds alligator meat

1 tablespoon paprika

1 stick of butter

1/4 cup chopped parsley

3 medium onions, chopped

1 1/2 bunches onion tops

1 green bell pepper

2 cups water

4 cloves garlic, minced

cayenne pepper

4 tablespoons finely sifted white flour

salt and black pepper

3 cans of cooked whole tomatoes (Rotel tomatoes)

1 8 ounce can of tomato sauce

4 bay leaves

1 stick of butter

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound andouille (fat, smoked sausage)

Boil alligator meat for 5 minutes to remove fat. Rinse meat in clean water. Brown meat in black iron pot. Remove meat and clean pot. Place flour and oil in black pot. Cook stirring constantly until as dark as chocolate. Add onions and bell pepper. Cook until dark brown and soft. Add tomato paste and cooked tomatoes and simmer for 30 minutes. Add garlic, meat, seasonings, and andouille and simmer 25 minutes. Add butter and cook for another 40 minutes. Serve over rice.

Any meat can be substituted in a sauce piquante.