Garnet & Golden Florida Gator Chili

Ingredients:

• 3 3/8 lbs. Florida Gator meat in cubes
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 oz chili seasoning
• 1 1/2 lbs. green tomatoes - seeded and chopped
• 1 oz Serrano peppers - seeded and chopped
• 2 oz garlic - mined
• 1 lb. onion - diced small
• 1 oz chilpotles - chopped
• 1-1/2 quarts lobster stock
• 1-1/2 quarts chicken stock
• 3 1/8 lbs. navy beans - canned
• 2 3/8 lbs. great northern beans
• 1 quart water
• 8 oz flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut gator into bite size pieces and sauté in olive oil. Add tomatoes, onions, garlic and Serrano peppers and sauté until the onions are slightly transparent and there is no pink left in the gator.

Add chili seasoning and allow simmering in its own juices for about ten minutes. Add both the lobster and chicken stocks and bring to a boil reducing heat to a simmer.

Add the chilpotle peppers and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the gator is tender.

Add the beans and their juices and allow to thicken slightly.

Mix the flour and water together and make a whitewash, strain through a fine strainer and add the liquid until thickened.

Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Garnish with sour cream and salsa.

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Seminole Style Smoked Florida Gator Sausage

Ingredients:

• 6 1/2 lbs. ground Florida Gator
• 1 lb. apples - sliced and oven dried
• 1/2 lb. bacon
• 1 cup orange juice
• 6 oz chopped garlic
• 12 ft 3/4 inch lamb sausage casing
• 1 lb. ground pork shoulder
• 1/4 cup Perk's Peri Peri sauce
• 4 oz chopped cilantro

4 oz fresh rosemary leaves – chopped

Run all ingredients through food processor. Fill casings with sausage stuffer. Skewer with rosemary sprig. Smoke at 195 degrees for 1 ½ to 2 hours or internal temperature of 180 degrees.

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Florida Gator Hater Soup

Ingredients:

• 5 lbs. Florida Gator bones and scrap meat
• 1 lb. choice Florida Gator tail meat
• 1 lb. canned or precooked black beans
• 1 bunch celery, washed
• 5 large carrots, peeled
• 2 shallots
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 fresh limes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup nonfat milk
• 1 tbsp. white truffle oil

1 lb. frozen puff pastry

 

Boil bones and scrap meat in a large stockpot. Chop the celery and carrots into 1" chunks, and slice the shallots thin. Sauté the shallots briefly until tender in a small knob of butter, then add the carrots and celery and sweat the vegetables down for five minutes. Add to the stock with any pan juices.

Add the precooked black beans, bay leaves and a grind of fresh pepper to the stock, and allow to boil down to about a third of its volume over moderate heat, two to three hours. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Prepare the alligator tail meat as per the basic preparation instructions - remove silverskin and tendons, use the Jacquard or other tenderizer, and pound. Cut into ½" chunks, and toss with the juice of two fresh limes and one crushed clove of garlic.

Allow the alligator meat to marinate while the stock reduces. When the broth is well reduced, strain and clarity to remove all solids. Cut decorative "gator tails" out of puff pastry and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until puffy and brown. Gently poach the marinated gator pieces in one cup of the broth until barely done.

Just before serving, froth the nonfat milk with a cappuccino whisk and gently fold in the white truffle oil. Assemble the soup in decorative cups with the puff pastry tails, and spoon the white truffle foam over each serving. Light garnishes may be floated atop the truffle foam, such as crispy fried shallots.

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Florida Gator Tomahawk Tacos

Ingredients:

For the Florida Gator:

• 1 lb. Florida Gator tenderloin
• 6 key limes
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/3 cup toasted cornmeal
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 cup corn oil

For the corn tortillas:

• 2 ears yellow corn
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 clove crushed garlic
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup water

For the salsa:

• 1/2 cup shredded queso
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 ripe tomato

2 key limes

Roast the corn briefly over an open flame and slice the kernels from the ears. Chop the corn coarsely in a food processor. Mix the cornmeal, flour, crushed garlic, 1/2 cup of water and the corn to make a thick paste. Roll out the tortilla dough into thin 3' rounds on parchment paper or between sheets of plastic wrap, and fry in a hot skillet for about 45 seconds on each side.

Chop the alligator tenderloin into 1/2' cubes. Marinate for an hour in the juice of the key limes and the crushed garlic. Mix the cumin, toasted cornmeal and 1/3 cup of flour. Dredge the gator cubes in the mixture. Bring the oil to 350 degrees and fry quickly in a skillet, turning once.

Roast the tomato briefly over an open flame and chop into tiny cubes. Chop the avocado into cubes of the same size. Mix the fire-roasted corn, tomato and avocado with the juice of 2 key limes to make the salsa.

Serve with sour cream, fresh crisp lettuce and shredded Mexican queso cheese.

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Florida Gator “Jerk”

Ingredients:

Jerk Rub:

• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
• 6 to 8 Scotch Bonnet peppers
• 5 cloves fresh garlic
• 2 large onions
• 3/4 cup scallions
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 Tbsp crushed pimento berries
• 1/4 cup cane vinegar
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp Gravy Master
• 1 tsp seasoning salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp meat tenderizer

1/2 tsp paprika

Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor until fine. Rub this seasoning well into 2 lbs pounded gator tail meat cut into strips about 1 ½ inches wide and 5 inches long, and let it marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Skewer the meat onto 10 inch bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for several hours, and cook on a medium high grill for two minutes on each side. Makes 4 servings.

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Florida Lemon Grass Gator, Bamboo Skewer

Ingredients:
Recipe yields 20 skewers.

Skewers:

• 1 1/2 lb Florida Gator tenderloin cut into 3 inch strips
• 2 tsp finely chopped lemongrass
• 1 tsp chopped fresh garlic
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 3/4 cup sherry wine or brandy
• 3/4 tsp light brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Combine the garlic, lemongrass, green onions, turmeric powder, sherry, brown sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl and mix well. Then add the gator strips to the marinade. Marinate for 2-4 hours. Cook on a charcoal grill for two minutes on each side. Serve with Sweet and Spicy Chili Sauce on a bed of Rainbow Slaw.

Ingredients:

Rainbow Slaw:

• 1 cucumber
• 1 medium sized carrot
• 1 large daikon (Japanese radish root)

1 large red onion

Finely julienne all these vegetables into strips. Toss with the slaw dressing.

Ingredients:

Salad Dressing:

• 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar

3/4 tsp salt

Add all ingredients together, mix well and pour over the vegetables. Marinate for one to two hours and serve crisp and cold.

Ingredients:

Sweet and Spicy Chili Sauce:

• 1 1/2 tsp red crushed peppers
• 1 tsp chopped fresh garlic
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp salt

Add vegetable oil to a medium hot sauté pan. Sweat garlic, red peppers and brown sugar until caramelization (melting and browning) occurs, then add cornstarch well mixed with water to thicken the sauce. Finish by adding the salt. Garnish with roasted crushed peanuts, sautéed green onions, mint and cilantro.

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White Florida Gator Chili

Ingredients:
Recipe yields 20 skewers.

Skewers:

• 1 lb Florida Gator tail cut into 1" cubes
• 1 lb boneless pork cut into 1" cubes
• 1 lb boneless chicken breast cut into 1" cubes
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 4 bell peppers (one each red, green, yellow and orange) chopped
• 1 can (16 oz) white kernel corn, drained
• 1 can (16 oz) white navy beans, drained
• 1 can (16 oz) chick peas, drained
• 1 can (4 oz) diced green (not jalapeno) chilies, drained
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Seasonings:

• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp dried cilantro
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper

Salt to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet at medium heat. Add gator, pork, chicken, garlic, 1/2 of the bell peppers and 1/2 an onion. Sauté for five minutes.
2. In a large 6-quart saucepan combine beans, peas, corn, 1/2 the bell peppers, 1/2 an onion and the seasonings with the chicken broth. Simmer for five minutes.
3. Add meat to saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, stir in chili peppers and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes or until slightly thickened.
4. Serve with toppings of shredded Monterey Jack cheese or sour cream. Garnish with parsley.

Notes: Flavors are enhanced on reheating; this chili actually gets better the next day. You can substitute whole hominy for the chickpeas, or spice up the mix by adding hotter chili peppers.

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Asian Gator Wontons

Ingredients:

Wonton Shells

Makes about 80-90 shells. Prepared wonton shells may also be purchased from your local supermarket.

• 1 lb plain flour
• 2 cups water
• Flour for dusting
• Salt

For the filling:

• 1 lb Florida Gator meat
• 1/2 lb boned chicken thighs
• 1 Tbsp fresh ginger
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 onion (diced)
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1 Tbsp garlic
• 2 Tbsp chopped scallions
• 1 tsp Lemon Grass (available in Asian stores)

1 tsp pepper

To prepare wontons:

Sift flour into bowl, then pour in the water and mix to a firm dough. Knead until smooth on a lightly floured surface, then cover with a damp cloth and set aside for 25 minutes. Lightly dust a work surface with the flour. Knead and roll the dough out until it is parchment thin. Cut into 1 ½ inch squares and set to one side.

Filling:

Heat a sauté pan to a low heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil. Sweat the onion for three minutes, and then add the garlic, ginger and lemon grass. Sweat for another two minutes. Take pan off stove and allow mixture to cool.

Remove bones and skin from chicken thighs if needed. Place chicken meat in a food processor and blend until smooth. Remove and set aside in a bowl. Process alligator meat until smooth and add it to the chicken. Mix in the cream cheese and the rest of the ingredients including the sautéed union and garlic mixture. Blend all ingredients thoroughly. Place one teaspoon of the mixture in each wonton, then pull the four corners up to the peak and give them a squeeze to seal them. Deep-fry them in hot oil for five minutes at 325 degrees.

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Fresh Fancy Fried Florida Gator

Ingredients:

3 pounds fresh Florida Gator tail, cubed
4 cups canola oil

For the egg wash:

• 4 beaten eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• Louisiana hot sauce to taste

For the dry mix:

• 3 cups Drakes Crispy Fry mix
• 2 cups Vigo Italian style bread crumbs
• 3 tbsp dry parsley
• 4 tblsp Everglades season mix
• 4 tblsp Garlic Powder
• 2 tblsp dry thyme
• 1 tblsp dry dill
• Cayenne and black pepper to taste
• Cajun spice

Start with 3 pounds of fresh gator tail cut into 2 inch cubes. Wash each piece and drop into a mixture of flour and Cajun spice. Drop the meat directly from the flour into the egg wash. From there cover completely in the dry mix. When no meat can be seen through the dry mix, you are ready to fry those babies up! Deep fry until they float in pure canola oil. Drain on paper towel and sprinkle with Cajun spice just out of the oil.

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Florida Gator Game Day Gumbo

Ingredients:

2 lbs finely chopped Florida Gator meat.
2 cans Campbell's Chicken and Rice Soup
4 washed and peeled carrots
3 cans of Cajun style Veg-All
2 tablespoons rosemary and garlic

Slice the fresh carrots. Combine all ingredients in a large pot, and simmer over medium low heat for 30 minutes. Baste with melted butter. If Cajun style Veg-All is not available, substitute 3 cups of canned or fresh vegetables plus Cajun seasoning to taste.

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Seminole Stir-Fried Florida Gator And Almonds

2 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup diagonally sliced celery
3/4 cup thinly sliced onions
3/4 cup red bell pepper strips, cut in 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons Peanut Oil, divided
1 1/2 pounds lean Florida Gator meat, cut in 1-inch cubes
3/4 cup Sliced Almonds
Hot cooked rice

1. Mix broth, soy sauce, cornstarch and ginger in small bowl; set aside.

2. Cook and stir celery, onions and peppers in 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until tender-crisp; remove from skillet.

3. Add remaining oil to skillet; cook and stir gator until no longer pink. Stir in broth mixture; cook and stir until mixture thickens and begins to boil.

4. Stir in vegetables and almonds. Serve over rice.

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Florida Gator Chopped Chowder (southern style)

2.5 pounds ground Florida Gator leg meat
8.5 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
1.5 gallon water
1.5 pounds onions, chopped
3 - 12 oz. cans tomatoes
4 oz. salt pork, cubed
2 Tbs. bacon grease
2 large cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried sweet basil
1/4 tsp. each oregano and thyme
1/2 tsp. black pepper and salt

Place the potatoes in a large Dutch oven.  Add the water and the salt - bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer until potatoes are soft.  In a skillet, brown the salt pork in the bacon grease.  Drain, add the onions and sauté until tender.  Puree the tomatoes in a blender until smooth.  Add the tomatoes and garlic to the onions.  Bring to a boil and simmer until thickened.  Add this mixture to the potatoes.  Next add the ground alligator meat and the spices.  Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to simmering.  Cook for 45 minutes.

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Bobby’s Blackened Florida Gator Steaks

4 Florida Gator steaks (tail meat)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried chives
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Brush the steaks with 2 tablespoons of the butter.  In a small bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Dip both sides of the steaks into the seasoning mix.  Place a dry, heavy cast iron skillet over high heat for 5 to 7 minutes.  Place the steaks in the pan and sear for 2 minutes, turn, and brush with the remaining tablespoon of butter, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

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Florida Gator Sauce Piquant

4 pounds Florida Gator bones
2 quarts water
3 pounds Florida Gator meat
1 Tbs. salt
1 Tbs. ground red pepper
1 Tbs. ground black pepper
2 Tbs. ground white pepper
1/2 Cup flour
3/4 Cup oil
3 Cups medium roux (see directions below)
3 medium onions, chopped coarsely
2 medium bell peppers, chopped coarsely
8-10 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
6-8 shots Tabasco Sauce
2 Cups chopped green onions
2 Cups chopped parsley

Place the alligator bones and the water in a large stockpot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat and let boil slowly for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Remove the bones and skim and reserve the stock.

Cut the alligator meat into pieces about 1 by 2 inches.  In a small bowl, mix together the salt and peppers.  Season the alligator meat with about a third of this mixture and dredge it lightly in the flour.  Place the oil in a Dutch oven or other large heavy pot and place over high heat.  Add the alligator meat and brown well on all sides.  Remove the meat and add the onions and bell peppers.  Sauté briefly, about 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and allow cooking for 30 minutes, stirring often.  Stir in the alligator stock, the rest of the salt and pepper mixture, and the Tabasco sauce.  Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Add the alligator meat and let simmer for 30 more minutes, until the meat is very tender.  Stir in the green onions and the parsley, remove from the heat and serve in gumbo bowls over rice.

For the Roux:

1.5 Cups flour
1.5 Cups clarified butter

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter.  Rapidly whisk the flour into the butter.  Allow cooking on a low to medium flame, stirring regularly, until the mixture achieves the color of peanut butter.  Allow cooling.

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Fried Florida Gator (Hater Favorites)

#1 Recipe

Florida Gator (white meat)
Flour
Cracker meal
Eggs, beaten
Buttermilk
Salt
Black pepper
Cayenne pepper

Cut alligator into small fillets.  Pound to tenderize to at least double their size.  Season with salt and pepper.  Mix together the egg and buttermilk in equal proportions. Season the cracker meal with salt, black pepper, and cayenne.   Dip the fillets into the flour, then the egg, and then into the seasoned cracker meal.  Fry in a deep fryer at 350 degrees until browned, about ten minutes.

#2 Recipe

1 pound Florida Gator tail meat
Flour
Salt and black pepper

Trim the meat and cut into finger-sized pieces.  Soak the pieces in ice water for one hour.  Season the flour with the salt and pepper and fluff the meat in it.  Deep fry at 350 degrees until golden brown.

#3 Recipe

1 pound Florida Gator meat
1 Cup cooking sherry
1 Tbs. lemon pepper
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1/4 Cup lemon juice
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
Flour to dredge

Cut the alligator into one-by-two inch pieces.  Marinate the meat in the first five ingredients for 2 hours.  Drain and dredge with flour.  Fry the pieces for fifteen minutes in a 350 degree deep fat fryer.  Drain and serve hot.

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Sautéed Florida Gator Medallions in Gold Sauce

1 pound Florida Gator meat

4 extra large eggs, beaten

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

½ cup drawn butter

Trim fat from alligator meat. Cut meat into small medallion- like pieces and tenderize with a meat mallet until very thin. Dredge the medallions in seasoned flour making sure the meat is completely coated. Dip each piece into beaten eggs. In a hot sauté pan, quickly sauté with butter until golden brown on both sides. Drain and serve with Dijon Mustard Sauce. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley.

Dijon Mustard “Gold” Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

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“Warchant” Crocked Florida Gator

10-14 Florida Gator ribs

1 tablespoon salt

6 ounces barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon pepper

1 tablespoon garlic powder

Season ribs. Put ribs in crock-pot. Pour barbecue sauce over ribs. Cover and cook until tender

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Seminole Smothered Florida Gator

1 onion, diced

¼ cup cooking oil

1 bell pepper, diced

½ cup celery, chopped fine

2 pounds Florida Gator meat

1 bay leaf

¼ teaspoon basil

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

¼ cup parsley, chopped fine

¼ cup shallots, diced

Sauté onions in oil until golden brown. Add bell pepper and celery; sauté until tender. Add meat and seasonings; simmer for 40 minutes. Add parsley and shallots about 5 minutes before serving.

Sweet Gator Meat Tar-Tar

Ingredients:
One Whole Female Gator
1 liter of tequila
12 beers
salt and lime to taste

Find one female Gator, preferably pulled from the Purple Porpoise
(Gainesville), or Bullwinkles (Tallahassee), share tequila (salt and lime
applied here) with her, chase tequila with beer, undress, and place
on bed, floor or pickup truck.