I have a dilemma. I'm a Cajun and I have eaten an extensive range of foods, there is little that I have not eaten. However, I have never eaten Nutria, or Ragondin in French. There has been a huge push lately by the USGS and the LDWF in getting the general public accustomed to eating this animal. This is because the animal is incredibly destructive to Louisiana's marshes, just Google it you'll see what I'm talking about. Anyway there is an awesome French chef in Baton Rouge, Phillippe Parola, who owns a gourmet restaurent Phillippe's Place and he has been asked by these two organizations to create Nutria dishes.
My question is: Should I try Nutria out at his place or should I try cooking his recipes myself? I'm a pretty decent cook too. Here are three recipes and a picture of a nutria if you don't know what I'm talking about.
http://pictars.com/users/polarpyro/Nutria.jpg
-Nutria Hind Saddle with Mustard Sauce
2 hind saddles of nutria
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup chopped carrots
3 teaspoon Tony Chachere's seasoning
1/2 teaspoon crushed rosemary
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
-Ragondin a l'Orange
2 hind saddle portions nutria meat
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups white wine
1 tablespoon Soya sauce
orange zest, minced
salt and pepper to taste
Mire Poix:
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped carrots
1/3 cup chopped onion
Bouquet Garni:
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 bunch parsley
bay leaves
Place oil, mire poix and bouquet garni in a pan; set aside. Rub each hind saddle with brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Place saddles on top of other ingredients in pan. Place, uncovered, in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and deglaze with white wine, Soya sauce and orange juice. Cover pan with plastic wrap, then cover again with aluminum foil. Place back into oven for 45 minutes to one hour until meat is tender. Break meat off bones. Place on plate then garnish with vegetables, sauce from pan drippings and orange zest. Makes 4 servings.
-Nutria Fettuccini
Mire Poix:
1 chopped onion
1 chopped carrot
1 chopped celery stick
2 cloves garlic
Bouquet Garni:
1 whole clove
1/2 bunch parsley
4 black peppercorns
Pasta:
2 lbs. cooked fettuccini
3 mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic
fresh spinach to taste
1 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
parmesan cheese to taste
1 red bell pepper, minced
Nutria:
1 hind saddle nutria
2 quarts cold water
1 cup red wine
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
Bring water, seasonings, mire poix and bouquet garni to a boil. Add nutria meat and simmer for 1 hour or until tender. Remove meat and break meat off bones. Discard any gristle or silver skin.
With olive oil sauté garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers and spinach for 3 to 4 minutes. Then add nutria meat and sauté for 3 minutes until hot. Add fettuccini, sauté and serve, topped with parmesan. Makes 4 servings.
My question is: Should I try Nutria out at his place or should I try cooking his recipes myself? I'm a pretty decent cook too. Here are three recipes and a picture of a nutria if you don't know what I'm talking about.
http://pictars.com/users/polarpyro/Nutria.jpg
-Nutria Hind Saddle with Mustard Sauce
2 hind saddles of nutria
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup chopped carrots
3 teaspoon Tony Chachere's seasoning
1/2 teaspoon crushed rosemary
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
-Ragondin a l'Orange
2 hind saddle portions nutria meat
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups white wine
1 tablespoon Soya sauce
orange zest, minced
salt and pepper to taste
Mire Poix:
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped carrots
1/3 cup chopped onion
Bouquet Garni:
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 bunch parsley
bay leaves
Place oil, mire poix and bouquet garni in a pan; set aside. Rub each hind saddle with brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Place saddles on top of other ingredients in pan. Place, uncovered, in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and deglaze with white wine, Soya sauce and orange juice. Cover pan with plastic wrap, then cover again with aluminum foil. Place back into oven for 45 minutes to one hour until meat is tender. Break meat off bones. Place on plate then garnish with vegetables, sauce from pan drippings and orange zest. Makes 4 servings.
-Nutria Fettuccini
Mire Poix:
1 chopped onion
1 chopped carrot
1 chopped celery stick
2 cloves garlic
Bouquet Garni:
1 whole clove
1/2 bunch parsley
4 black peppercorns
Pasta:
2 lbs. cooked fettuccini
3 mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic
fresh spinach to taste
1 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
parmesan cheese to taste
1 red bell pepper, minced
Nutria:
1 hind saddle nutria
2 quarts cold water
1 cup red wine
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
Bring water, seasonings, mire poix and bouquet garni to a boil. Add nutria meat and simmer for 1 hour or until tender. Remove meat and break meat off bones. Discard any gristle or silver skin.
With olive oil sauté garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers and spinach for 3 to 4 minutes. Then add nutria meat and sauté for 3 minutes until hot. Add fettuccini, sauté and serve, topped with parmesan. Makes 4 servings.
