Heat’s on local chefs

Chef Adam Hegsted is nervous.

As reining king of the annual Cajun cook-off, all eyes are on him at this year’s competition. And the 2006 event is shaping up to be bigger than Fat Tuesday herself.

Hegsted outcooked eight fellow chefs for the title and bragging rights at last year’s mARTi gras party, a fund-raiser for the Art on the Edge program. This year, there will be 16 chefs at four different venues during the Feb. 25 cook-off. One look at the menu and you know the battle for the top dish is going to be hotter than the shrimp étouffée.

Consider this: Pan-fried Louisiana Alligator Tenderloin with Hoppin’ Jon’s Extra Dirty Rice and Greens, which the chef describes as, “thin slices of tender alligator lightly battered and pan fried, with two classic rice dishes combined into one powerful flavor sensation. Among about 1,000 other ingredients, the rice is flavored with andouille sausage, chicken livers, black eyed peas and a small amount of magic.”

Or this: Old Timey Crawfish Boil, which the chef promises will include fresh Louisiana crawfish, red potatoes, sweet corn, andouille sausage and voodoo spices. “If you have never been to the Deep South, hold on, you are about to be transported with one bite. I’m not kidding. And don’t forget to suck da heads off dem der crawfish. I’m still not kidding.”

And even this: Three Sum Gumbo, a dish of oysters, crawfish and shrimp in a “sure-to-beat-Adam” gumbo base.

Although Hegsted admits to being slightly unnerved, he isn’t flinching. The trash-talking is all in good fun because it’s for a great cause, he says. The annual mARTi gras party and Cajun cook-off raises money for Art on the Edge, which offers free art classes to at-risk youth in Post Falls, Coeur d’Alene and Hayden Lake.

Like last year’s winning dish, Blackened Ahi Tuna with Pecan Dirty Rice, served with Grilled Avocado Salsa and Mango Coulis (recipe follows), Hegsted has been looking for a twist to some favorites from the Deep South.

“I like to do things that are a little bit untraditional but still has its roots in Cajun cooking,” he says. “We look at the roots of Cajun … and Creole cooking and kind of put some flavors together than we like and then just build from there,” he says.

Chef Gabriel Cruz is looking forward to shaking off the winter funk at the party and cook-off, “get the old demons out before Lent, as the tradition goes,” he says.

“It’s a lot of fun for the chefs too because it’s not often that chefs from around an area like this… get together and just have a good time,” he says

Cruz served up the second-place dish at last year’s competition, his Spunky Crawfish Chowder from the Cafe Trinity in Sandpoint (recipe follows). “It’s something that warms your tummy on a cold winter day like this … It can fire up your taste buds during the summer, too. It’s just a great all-around dish.”

Before the cook-off became part of the celebration, Chef Kris McIlvenna of Greenbriar Catering and Events made most of the food for the annual fund-raiser, complete with a King’s Cake, decorated in the traditional Mardi Gras colors: gold for power, green for faith and purple for justice. She’s a board member for Art on the Edge. She shared two recipes for favorites Shrimp Creole and Chicken and Andouille Gumbo (recipes follow).

Art on the Edge began in the homeless shelters at St. Vincent de Paul in 1994. It was designed to help boost the self esteem of children living there while teaching them problem solving skills through art, according to volunteers. It was later expanded to Coeur d’Alene and the surrounding communities. More than 700 children have taken a class from Art on the Edge since it started. The program also offers a week long summer camp with a local guest artist.

For the first time this year, mARTi gras will be held at four different downtown Coeur d’Alene restaurants: Brix, Cricket’s Steakhouse and Oyster Bar, the Ironhorse and Coeur d’Alene Cellars’ Barrel Room No. 6. Party goers will be able to taste all the dishes chefs are whipping up for the cook-off, including appetizers, entrees and desserts and vote for their favorite as they move from restaurant to restaurant.

There will also be all the accoutrements of a traditional Mardi Gras party, including beads, king cake and live music. Revelers are encouraged to dress up or wear masks and there will be no-host bars, performances by belly dancers, dancing to live music and prizes, including king and queen or mARTi gras, best costume and most spirited reveler. Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door.

McIlvenna says she’s hopes the party will continue to grow. She dreams that someday the streets will be full of people and restaurants up and down the street will be open for a city-wide Mardi Gras celebration. “I think it is going to be hugely successful,” she says.

Here’s a list of the chefs who have volunteered to make a dish for the Cajun cook-off competition: America’s Cheesecake Cafe, Pastry Chef Debbi Simel; Angelo’s Ristorante, Chef/Owner Angelo Brunson; Bella Rose Cafe, Pastry Chef Cynthea Drake; Bonsai Bistro and the soon-to-be-opened Beachhouse Rib and Crab Shack, Chef Troy Louis Chandler; Brix, Hegsted and Sous Chef, Erik Johnson; Café Carambola Cocina Latina, Chef Columba Aguilar; Cafe DOMA, Pastry Chef Emily Crawford; Cafe Trinity, Chef Gabriel Cruz; Candle in the Woods, Chef David Adlard; Coeur d’Alene Casino, Executive Chef Art Wirz and Sous Chef Michael Carl; Cricket’s Steakhouse and Oyster Bar, Chef Frank Ciccone; Dockside, Chef Tony Usher; Greenbriar Catering and Events, Chef McIlvenna; Moon Time, Chef Christian Schultz; North Idaho College Culinary Program, Chef Rick Schultz and the Wine Cellar, Chef Cheryl Callins.

Blackened Ahi Tuna with Pecan Dirty Rice

From Chef Adam Hegsted, Brix Restaurant and Lounge in Coeur d’Alene

4 ahi tuna steaks

Blackening seasoning (recipe follows)

Melted butter, kept warm

Let ahi sit out for 1/2 hour at room temperature to warm center. Coat ahi in warm melted butter, dredge in blackening seasoning. Heat a non-stick or seasoned cast iron pan until smoking hot. Drop dredged ahi into dry pan, pour 2 tablespoons melted butter over ahi. Sear one side until blackened. Turn over and repeat. Cook to medium rare.

To serve: Drizzle mango coulis (recipe follows) on plate in a design, put 1/2 cup Dirty Rice (recipe follows) on top. Slice ahi about 1/4-inch thick and fan over rice. Top with Grilled Avocado Salsa (recipe follows).

Yield: 4 servings.

Approximate nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate due to recipe variables.

Blackening Seasoning

This is Hegsted’s version of blackening seasoning. “It has cinnamon and a touch of sugar to bring out the smoky sweetness that I love,” he says.

1/2 cup sweet paprika

1/4 cup onion powder

1/4 cup garlic powder

1/4 cup cayenne

2 tablespoons oregano

2 tablespoons dried thyme

1/4 cup salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine all seasonings. Store extra seasoning in an airtight container.

Yield: About 13/4 cups seasoning.

Dirty Rice

1 pound chicken livers, diced

1/2 pound ground beef

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 cup diced onion

2 green onions, chopped

1 green pepper, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup celery, diced

1 cup parboiled rice

2 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Brown chicken livers and beef in oil.

Add onions, peppers, garlic and celery, sweat until translucent. Add rice and sweat until translucent. Add stock, tomato paste, salt and pepper.

Let cook over medium heat until rice is tender and liquid is gone.

Yield: About 3 cups rice.

Approximate nutrition per 1/2 cup serving: 282 calories, 8 grams fat (2.8 grams saturated), 19 grams protein, 30 grams carbohydrate, 223 milligrams cholesterol, 1.7 grams dietary fiber, 278 milligrams sodium.

Grilled Avocado Salsa

3 avocados, halved

1/2 red onion, diced

1 tomato, diced

1/2 jalapeno, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Salt and pepper, to taste

Grill avocado on all sides using pan spray. Chop avocado and combine with the rest of the ingredients.

Yield: About 11/2 cups salsa

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 6: 192 calories, 17 grams fat (2.6 grams saturated, 77 percent fat calories), 2.4 grams protein, 9.8 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 5 grams dietary fiber, 61 milligrams sodium.

Mango Coulis

1 mango, peeled and cored

1/2 teaspoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Pinch cayenne

Put ingredients into a blender. Puree and thin with water to desired consistency.

Yield: Varies.

Crawfish Chowder

From Chef Gabriel Cruz, Cafe Trinity, Sandpoint.

1/4 cup peanut oil

1 cup bacon, chopped

2 large yellow onions, diced, divided

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced, divided

1 yellow bell pepper, diced, divided

4 stalks celery, diced, divided

1 jalapeno, with seeds, chopped

2 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1 cup brandy

2 cups white wine

2 cups corn kernels, divided

2 quarts shellfish stock

1 pint cream

4 ounces crawfish

In a large stock pot, heat oil. Add bacon and render until 3/4 cooked. Reserve about 2 tablespoons each onion and bell pepper for later use. Add onions, peppers, celery, jalapeno and garlic. Caramelize vegetables.

Deglaze the pan with brandy. Add white wine and reduce au sec (until the pan is almost dry).

Reserve about 2 tablespoons corn for later use. Add corn and shellfish stock to the pan and simmer 20 minutes. Add cream and simmer 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Separate solids from liquid, puree the solids and blend the chowder back together till smooth.

In a separate sauté pan, sauté reserved onion, bell pepper and corn with the crawfish. Set aside. Ladle chowder into serving dish and top with sautéed veggies and crawfish.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 6: 534 calories, 28 grams fat (11 grams saturated, 46 percent fat calories), 11.5 grams protein, 24 grams carbohydrate, 73 milligrams cholesterol, 3.5 grams dietary fiber, 299 milligrams sodium.

Jambalaya

Recipe courtesy of North Idaho College’s Culinary Arts Program and Chef Rick Schultz from last year’s Cajun cook-off.

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

1 tablespoon crushed red chili flakes

4 bay leaves

1/2 cup canola oil

8 ounces tomato puree

1 (32-ounce) can tomatoes, diced in puree

1 (32-ounce) can tomatoes, diced

1 pound andouille or other hot, smoked sausage

1 quart chicken stock

4 cups green peppers, diced

4 cups yellow onions, diced

Cooked rice

1 pound chicken, boned and cubed

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup scallions, diced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sauté the garlic, chilies, and bay leaves in the oil. Once the garlic is fragrant, add all the tomato products and simmer, stirring for about 45 minutes. Slice and roast the sausage for about 20 minutes. Drain the fat off.

Add sausage, chicken stock, green peppers, and onions to the tomato mixture and simmer another 1 to 11/2 hours, add salt and pepper. The jambalaya is finished when it has thickened and turned brick color, without any more oil coming to the surface. At this point, cook a big pot of rice to mix with the sauce (equal amounts of rice to the sauce) and add any meats you want to the jambalaya sauce (chicken pieces, shrimp, alligator, veal etc.) Poach the meat in the sauce to cook it. Add scallions at the last minute for color.

Yield: 20 servings.

Approximate nutrition per serving: 322 calories, 15 grams fat (3.5 grams saturated, 41 percent fat calories), 14 grams protein, 32 grams carbohydrate, 29 milligrams cholesterol, 2.6 grams dietary fiber, 566 milligrams sodium.

Shrimp Creole

From Chef Kris McIlvenna, Greenbriar Catering in Coeur d’Alene.

1 can (15 ounces) tomato puree

1/2 cup water

3 tablespoons white vinegar

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate

3 tablespoons sugar

12 ounces cooked shrimp

In saucepan, combine ingredients except the sugar and shrimp. Slowly bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar. Add cooked shrimp to sauce and serve over rice.

Yield: 4 servings.

Approximate nutrition per serving: 299 calories, 2 grams fat (less than 1 gram saturated, 7 percent fat calories), 23 grams protein, 48 grams carbohydrate, 167 milligrams cholesterol, 2.6 grams dietary fiber, 500 milligrams sodium.

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

From Chef Kris McIlvenna, Greenbriar Catering in Coeur d’Alene.

1 cup onions, diced

1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup celery, diced

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup flour

4 tablespoons Creole seasoning (recipe follows)

11/2 cups andouille sausage, cubed

1 cup fresh okra, cut into 1/2-inch rounds

3 tablespoons garlic, chopped

6 cups cold chicken stock

3 fresh bay leaves

11/2 cups bite-size pieces of chicken, raw

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Hot sauce, to taste

Kosher salt, to taste, if necessary

2 tablespoons Italian parsley, finely chopped

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Mix your onion, celery, and bell pepper together. Heat the oil in a cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to make a roux. Add the andouille sausage, 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning, and 3/4 of the onion, celery and bell pepper mixture.

Cook, stirring often, for about ten minutes or until the vegetables soften. Add the okra, cook for about 2 minutes. Add the cold stock, remaining seasoning, and garlic. Bring to a boil. Bring this down to a simmer and let it go for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. About 10-15 minutes before you’re ready to serve, add the chicken, Worcestershire, hot sauce, parsley, and 1/2 of the green onions. When the chicken is cooked through, stir in the reserved vegetables, garnish with remaining green onions and serve with rice.

Yield: 8-10 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 373 calories, 26 grams fat (6.4 grams saturated, 65 percent fat calories), 19 grams protein, 13 grams carbohydrate, 61 milligrams cholesterol, 1.3 grams dietary fiber, 614 milligrams sodium.

Creole Seasoning

From Kris McIlvenna of Greenbriar Catering and Events.

2 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons dried oregano leaves

2 tablespoons dried sweet basil

1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon white pepper

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon celery seed

5 tablespoons sweet paprika

Mix spices together. Store extra seasoning in an airtight container.

Yield: About 1 cup seasoning.