My Forty-Ninth - Gumbo - 100 Meals Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer Survivors

My Forty-Ninth -  Gumbo - 100 Meals Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer Survivors

It is Mardi Gras week in New Orleans, and all the ex-patriots around the world are making gumbo, shrimp etouffee, and other seasonal dishes.  This post is less about gumbo itself, but that chunky "bowled" meals make great puree

So I have included the classic Southern magazine SOUTHERN LIVING example of typical Mardi Gras meals.

When my father was transferred from Boston to New Orleans in the early 1980's,  There was quite a culture shock moving from the hub of Yankee land to the Heart of Dixie.  I was in college at the time, and got a summer job at Bennigan's Tavern - a classic 80's fern bar.   As a waiter you had to wear a hat, so I proudly wore my Civil War Union Infantry hat I had purchased at a leather shop in Rockport, MA.

Now, one time there were four large men who came in, who had just spent several months working on an oil rig.  They had plenty of cash to spend.  One of them asked to buy my hat, and I kindly told him it was not for sale.  He kept after me and even told me he would buy it for $150 dollars.  That was a lot of money back then, but "no Sir it still wasn't for sale".  He whipped out his wallet and handed each of his tablemates $50 that he had bet them (which I did not know).  I've worn that hat proudly ever since.

My college friends and I visited my family every Mardi Gras if we could.  My favorite restaurant was the Original French Market Restaurant.  I visited the spring after Katrina, and when I ordered Crayfish, the waiter said, "Excuse me,   you said you have been here before, I just wanted to let you know we can't get any local crawfish, we are getting them from Asia - just thought you should know."  Southern hospitality. . . .

Now I'm now going to pretend as a Yankee I can make anything close to gumbo,  although I do order Cafe Du Monde Beignet Mix 28oz - 4 Unit Pack online to make my waffles and pancakes - does this make me a bad person???

PUREEING

So the biggest issue with pureeing are making sure the pieces are small enough for G-tubes.  If you can still drink it down - these might be a real treat.

SHELLS WARNING

Many recipes require you too cook with "bones included", so be careful to remove all bones, cartilage, crab shells, and shellfish shells before pureeing.

Also be careful of sausage skins.  Some blenders can't grind them up, and only strip the meat from inside the sausage.

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