Mangos, Chili and Z

Feeding A Crowd; Cajun Meatloaf Sliders for the Super Bowl

Whether you’re traveling or hosting a party at home, here are some more food ideas for the upcoming event. Throw in your rowdy friends, lots of cold beer, a good football game, funny commercials and a halftime extravaganza show and you’ve got a good Super Bowl Party. 

Speaking of halftime extravaganzas, remember when Diana Ross entered the stadium dangling from the bottom rung of a helicopter ladder? I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. 

On a more positive note..remember when Paul McCartney performed the year following the Janet Jackson fiasco with the memorable “Hey Jude” sing along? Remember when Prince performed Purple Rain in the rain and the guitar shadow was noticably on the phallic side? The Rolling Stones performed for the first time in television delay mode because the network feared “you never know what they might pull“.  ??? 

What’s your favorite halftime extravaganza memorable moment?

Super Bowl is always a great excuse for a food event. Too bad the Saints aren’t in this year, but we can still serve up some Cajun just in case the Black Eyed Peas offer up a halftime moment.

Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Cajun Meatloaf recipe. I’ve been making it and savoring it for years. It’s a wonderful combination of bold spices that come together in a tasty treat for the palate. For a real thrill, you might even try Chef Paul’s Cajun sauce that he recommends you serve over the meatloaf. I’ve prepared the sauce once and I must say it was memorable…in a fire extinguisher sort of way.  But for now, let’s take a look at my cold meatloaf sandwich version.

Last fall, when asked to provide food for a Realtor open house, I put on my thinking cap and since that cap is always preloaded with a slider recipe, decided to make some changes and create a Paul Prudhomme meatloaf slider. 

Following the recipe, I simply baked the meatloaf mixture pressed flat in 9 x 11 casserole pan instead of the meatloaf shape. As you can see, the loaf was about two inches thick. After baking, I let cool to room temperature and went to work to build my little sliders. Cutting the meat into squares that would fit on my favorite Sara Lee Original Rolls, I simply slathered some mayo on the bottom half of the bun and some Cajun mustard on the top. 

The sandwich dressed with a slice of  sweet and spicy flavored Dave’s Famous Signature Spicy Pickle Chips  disappeared quicker than the shot of Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction. Oh c’mon admit it, how many times did you have to rewind to actually see something?

Served with a big bowl of beautiful Louisiana Sunburst Salad…

My standby Best Pasta Salad Ever…

A big relish tray complete with pickled asparagus…

Finish with a tray of my mom’s Orange Slice Bars    …

Recipes are below or linked.

A Cajun Theme, minus the Saints…It’s What’s For Superbowl.

Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Cajun Meat Loaf, Louisiana Kitchen Cookbook:

Seasoning Mix:

2 Whole bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

4 tablespoons Unsalted butter
3/4 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell peppers
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup catsup
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup very fine dry bread crumbs

Very Hot Cajun Sauce for Beef (see below)

Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Melt the butter in a one quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, bell peppers, green onions, garlic, tabasco, Worcestershire and seasoning mix. Saute until mixture starts sticking excessively, about six minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the pan bottom well. Stir in the milk and catsup. Continue cooking for about two minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool to room temperature.

Place the ground beef and pork in an ungreased 13×9-inch baking pan. Add the eggs, the cooked vegetable mixture and the bread crumbs, remove the bay leaves. Mix by hand until thoroughly combined. In the center of the pan, shape the mixture into a loaf that is about 1-1/2 inches high, 6 inches wide and 12 inches long. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 25 minutes, then raise heat to 400°F and continue cooking until done, about 35 minutes longer.

Serve immediately as is or with Very Hot Cajun Sauce for Beef.

Very Hot Cajun Sauce For Beef

This sauce is excellent with Cajun Meat Loaf, roast beef, sandwiches hamburgers, post roast and Cajun Shepard’s Pie.

3/4 cup chopped onions

• 1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
• 1/4 chop chopped celery
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 bay leaves 1/4 cup minced jalapeno peppers
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 cups Basic Beef Stock

NOTE: Fresh Jalapenos are preferred; if you have to use pickled ones, rinse
as much vinegar from them as possible.

Combine the onions, bell peppers and celery in a small bowl and set aside while you start the roux. Unlike the roux in most other recipes in this book, the roux we use here is light brown. Therefore, instead of heating the oil to the smoking stage, we heat it to only 250°F; this prevents the roux from getting too brown.

In a heavy two-quart saucepan heat the oil over medium-low heat to about 250°F. With a metal whisk, whisk in the flour a little at a time until smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly until roux is light brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Be careful not to let the roux scorch or splash on your skin. Remove from heat and with a spoon immediately stir in the vegetable mixture and the red, white and black peppers; return pan to high heat and cook about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the bay leave, jalapeno peppers and garlic, stirring well. Continue cooking about 2
minutes, stirring constantly. (We’re cooking the seasonings and vegetables in the light roux and the mixture should, therefore, be pasty). Remove from heat.

In a separate two-quart saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Add the roux mixture by spoonfuls to the boiling stock, stirring until dissolved between each addition. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce reduces to 3 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Skim any oil from the top and serve immediately.