ALLIGATOR RECIPES This is a sample recipe page from Recipe Girl. View ALL RECIPES Spice Up Your Recipes With Uncle Steve's:  Dried Chiles     Chile Powders     Grow Your Own Hot Spice With Uncle Steve's: Hot Chile Pepper Seeds Long before the fashion industry took a fancy to alligator skins, gator meat was very popular in regions with large crocodilian populations. The hunting of alligators for their skins so depleted the population that broad marketing of the meat was not possible. Now, with a growing network of farms and ranches raising alligators, the populations have been replenished and this delicious meat is available worldwide. It is estimated that the state of Florida is home to over 1,000,000 alligators, not counting those raised on the commercial alligator farms. Most of the commercial gator does not actually get captured in the wild anymore. Like with cattle, alligator ranches and farms have been set up to breed the finest and most delicious gator available. The meat of the alligator is considered a gourmet delicacy, low in fat and calories and high in protein. A 1/4 pound alligator serving has 29% protein USRDA and 3% fat USRDA. The same portion has 143 calories and 65 mg cholesterol, both less than chicken. Alligator is also an excellent source of niacin, the B12 vitamins, and potassium and phosphorous minerals. Not just the tail, but all of the meat of the alligator is edible, and is sold all throughout Florida. Alligator meat averages $5.00 to $7.00 a pound wholesale. Compiled by: Joe Comiskey

============================== Acadian Alligator Sauce Piquant Recipe By: Terry Thompson Amount Measure Ingredient Preparation Method 2 1/2 pounds Mixed tail and body alligator meat cut in cubes Salt to taste Freshly-ground black pepper 2 medium Onions chopped 4 medium Garlic cloves minced 1 large Green bell pepper chopped 2 large Celery stalks chopped 3 medium Tomatoes peeled, chopped 2 tablespoons Tomato paste 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon Freshly-ground black pepper 1 1/2 teaspoons Chile powder 1 tablespoon Fresh leaf oregano (or 1 tsp dried leaf oregano) 1 tablespoon Fresh leaf basil (or 1 tsp dried leaf basil) 1 tablespoon Fresh leaf thyme (or 1 tsp dried leaf thyme) 1/2 teaspoon Red (cayenne) pepper Salt to taste 1/2 cup Burgundy wine 2 cups Brown veal and pork stock (or 2 cups canned beef broth) 6 Green onions chopped 1/4 cup Minced parsley, preferably flat-leaf Hot cooked white rice === CAJUN ROUX === 1 cup Lard 1 cup All-purpose flour Season alligator meat with salt and black pepper. and set aside. In a heavy Dutch oven melt lard over medium heat. When lard is hot, add flour all atonce; stir or whisk to combine flour and lard. If necessary, use back of wooden spoon tosmooth out any lumps of flour. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring or whiskingconstantly, until roux is desired color and has a nut like smell. Cook about 55 minutesfor the dark mahogany-colored roux. The process should not be rushed. If small black ordark brown flecks apperar in roux, it has been burned and must be discarded. A burnedroux will impart a bitter and scorched taste to any dish in which it is used. To stopthe cooking process, either add the vegtables called for in the recipe or immediatelypour finished roux into a metal bowl. Stir or whisk 10 minutes in bowl. To make ahead,cover and refrigerate 2 days. Or freeze up to 6 months. Add seasoned meat to the roux; cook quickly, stirring until lightly browned. Addonions, garlic, bell pepper, celery, and tomatoes. Stir until vegtables are slightlywilted and transparent, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, blackpepper, chili powder, oregano, basil, thyme, cayenne and salt; cook 5 minutes, stirringto prevent sticking. Stir in wine and stock or broth. Reduce heat. Cover and simmeruntil meat is tender and liquid is thick and rich, 1 1/2 hours. Stir in green onions andparsley; remove from heat. Serve over rice. This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings. Comments: Roux freezes well, and no respestable Cajun household would be without agood supply. When you prepare roux, make a little extra; freeze it in one cup containers. Variations: Subsitute vegtable oil for lard, if desired. However, the taste of thefinished dish will not be as good as the one prepared with a lard based roux. Substituteanother fat, such as rendered duck fat or a combination of duck fat and lard. ============================== Alligator Grand Chenier Recipe By: Carencro Mardi Gras Festival Amount Measure Ingredient Preparation Method 4 Alligator filets === STUFFING === 1/4 cup Margarine 1/2 cup Diced onions 1/4 cup Diced bell pepper 1/4 cup Diced celery 1 teaspoon Salt 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon Freshly-ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder 1 cup Water 2 Chicken bouillon cubes 2 teaspoons Chopped fresh parsley 1/4 cup Chopped scallions 1 1/2 cups Bread crumbs from day old bread 1 Egg 1 pound Dark crabmeat Carefully pound alligator filets into hand-size rectangles, without tearing meat. Lightly season with salt and cayenne pepper. Set aside. In a large skillet, melt margarine and saute onion, bell pepper and celery untiltender. Add salt, pepper and garlic to mixture and stir. Dissolve bouillon cubes in water, add to mixture and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining ingredients, carefully folding in the crab meat last. Spoon stuffing onto alligator filets and fold over "omelet-style." Secure edges with tooth picks if desired. Grill in a pre-heated 350 degree lightly-greased skillet. Serve plain or with your favorite seafood sauce.