Tony Mandola takes great pride in serving food indigenous to the Gulf Coast. Many of his recipes are his mother’s and he is “dedicated to the preservation of the art of Mama’s cooking.” He shares two Mandola family holiday favorites:
Stuffed Merliton and Cajun Yuletide Egg Nog with food radio talk show host, Cleverley Stone.
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Mandola Family Stuffed Baked Merliton
Submitted by Tony Mandola
Tony Mandola’s Gulf Coast Kitchen
Submitted by Tony Mandola
Tony Mandola’s Gulf Coast Kitchen
Makes 12 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Tools: Cutting Board, Foil, Food Film,
French Knife, Half Hotel Pan, Measuring Cups,
Measuring Spoons, Rubber Spatula, Sauté Pan,
Short Handle Spoon, Side Towels, Tongs
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Tools: Cutting Board, Foil, Food Film,
French Knife, Half Hotel Pan, Measuring Cups,
Measuring Spoons, Rubber Spatula, Sauté Pan,
Short Handle Spoon, Side Towels, Tongs
Ingredients
6 each chayote squash
1 lb ground Italian sweet/hot (Base) sausage
1 lb chopped crawfish meat (U80)
½ lb chopped medium green bell pepper
½ lb chopped jumbo yellow onion
0.1 lb minced peeled (4/5#) garlic
½ bunch 36 ct. celery
½ bunch green onion
¼ lb unsalted solid butter
1 tbl Cajun seasoning
4 oz Romano cheese, grated
½ lb Panko bread crumbs
½ lb toasted bread crumbs
kosher salt to taste
black ground pepper to taste
1 lb ground Italian sweet/hot (Base) sausage
1 lb chopped crawfish meat (U80)
½ lb chopped medium green bell pepper
½ lb chopped jumbo yellow onion
0.1 lb minced peeled (4/5#) garlic
½ bunch 36 ct. celery
½ bunch green onion
¼ lb unsalted solid butter
1 tbl Cajun seasoning
4 oz Romano cheese, grated
½ lb Panko bread crumbs
½ lb toasted bread crumbs
kosher salt to taste
black ground pepper to taste
Directions
1. Halve the squash and boil in salted water until just tender. Cool.
Discard the seeds and scoop out the meat. Reserve the merliton shells (the skins of the squash).
Mix the bread crumbs together.
Discard the seeds and scoop out the meat. Reserve the merliton shells (the skins of the squash).
Mix the bread crumbs together.
2. Sauté the onions, celery, garlic and pepper until softened.
Add the sausage and crawfish meat and cook through. Add the reserved merliton (squash meat),
cheese and 2 ounces of bread crumbs. Add seasoning to taste.
Add the sausage and crawfish meat and cook through. Add the reserved merliton (squash meat),
cheese and 2 ounces of bread crumbs. Add seasoning to taste.
3. Thoroughly combine ingredients. Stuff squash shells with mixture and top with bread crumb mixture.
Place stuffed merlitons in a hotel pan or baking dish and bake in a 375 degree F oven for approximately 20 minutes.
Brown top under broiler and serve immediately.
Place stuffed merlitons in a hotel pan or baking dish and bake in a 375 degree F oven for approximately 20 minutes.
Brown top under broiler and serve immediately.
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Tony Mandola’s Cajun Yuletide Egg Nog
Makes 3¼ qts
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Portion Size: 1 fl oz
Tools: Blender, Cutting Board, French Knife,
Large Sauce Pan, Measuring Cups, Measuring Spoons,
Medium Mixing Bowl, Side Towels, Sieve, Wooden Spoon
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Portion Size: 1 fl oz
Tools: Blender, Cutting Board, French Knife,
Large Sauce Pan, Measuring Cups, Measuring Spoons,
Medium Mixing Bowl, Side Towels, Sieve, Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
12 each extra large eggs
1¼ cup granulated sugar
2 cup half & half cream
2 cup whipping 40% cream
2 tbl peeled fresh ginger, sliced
1 tbl vanilla bean paste
2 fl oz Herbsaint
2 fl oz gin
ground ginger for garnish
1¼ cup granulated sugar
2 cup half & half cream
2 cup whipping 40% cream
2 tbl peeled fresh ginger, sliced
1 tbl vanilla bean paste
2 fl oz Herbsaint
2 fl oz gin
ground ginger for garnish
Directions
1. Whisk eggs and sugar together. Add vanilla, half & half and fresh ginger; pour into heavy bottom medium sauce pan.
2. Cook over low heat stirring constantly, as for sauce Anglaise, until mixture is thick and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
3. Remove from heat, strain mixture to remove ginger, stir in gin and chill.
Whip cream to a slightly thickened state and add to mixture.
Whip cream to a slightly thickened state and add to mixture.
4. Pour into small glass, drizzle each glass with Herbsaint and sprinkle top with ground ginger.
Note: If egg/half&half mixture is overcooked (appears grainy) blend it until smooth and store until
bubbles dissipate, then add in thickened cream.
bubbles dissipate, then add in thickened cream.
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Web links: www.TonyMandolas.com, www.Cleverley.com
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For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, catch Cleverley’s radio show,
Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM. (PS: She gives out free restaurant gift certificates on every radio show!)