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Frogs' Legs Sauce Piquante
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| What You Need: |
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2 dozen large individual frogs' legs (about 4 pounds), thoroughly defrosted if frozen
1 teaspoon ground hot red pepper (cayenne)
1½ teaspoons salt
½ cup vegetable oil
4 tablespoons brown raux
½ cup finely chopped onions
2 tablespoons finely chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
A 1-pound can tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped, with all the liquid reserved
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, preferably the flat-leaf Italian variety
1 lemon, thinly sliced
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Pat the frogs' legs completely dry with paper towels and season them evenly on all sides with the red pepper and 1teaspoon of the salt.
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2. In a heavy 12-inch skillet (preferably one with a nonstick cooking surface) heat ¼ cup of the vegetable oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it.
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3. Add 12 of the frogs' legs and fry them for 4 or 5 minutes, turning them once or twice with tongs or a large metal spatula and regulating the heat so that they color richly and evenly without burning.
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4. As they are cooked, transfer the frogs' legs to a platter. Pour the remaining ¼ cup of vegetable oil into the skillet and, when it is hot, fry the other dozen frogs' legs in the same fashion.
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5. Stirring constantly, add the brown raux to the fat remaining in the skillet. Drop in the onions, green pepper and celery and, stirring frequently, cook over moderate heat for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.
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6. Stir in the tomatoes and their liquid, add the garlic and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and boil briskly, uncovered, for about 5 minutes longer.
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7. When the vegetable-sauce mixture is thick enough to hold its shape almost solidly in the spoon, return the frogs' legs and the liquid that has accumulated around them to the skillet.
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8. Stirring and basting the frogs' legs with the sauce, cook for a minute or so longer to heat the legs through. Then mix in the scallions and parsley and taste for seasoning. (Piquante means "pungent," and the sauce should be distinctly peppery.)
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9. With tongs or a slotted spoon, arrange the frogs' legs attractively on a large heated platter. Pour the sauce piquante over the frogs' legs, garnish the platter with the lemon slices, and serve at once.
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NOTE:
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Louisiana cooks also use sauce piquante with turtle meat, shrimp, crawfish, fish and wild or domestic birds of every kind.
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