Sliders and Po' Boys for Mardi Gras

Happy February, y'all. It's the shortest month of the year, the groundhog did not see its shadow, so spring is coming soon. It's wedding month, fasting February, heart month and creative romance month. Special food days include: Hemp day on Feb. 4, Nutella Day on Feb. 5, Yogurt Day on Feb. 6, Bubble Gum Day on Feb. 7 and Pizza and Bagel Day on Feb. 9. We also celebrate Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, on Feb. 25. Now, if you have been following me for a long time, you know this is a special time that I love. This month, we will be featuring recipes from my collection of Mardi Gras food. The food is rich in culture and the flavors are incredible. I really hope you will try some of these recipes. Muffuletta sliders for Mardi Gras Muffuletta sliders are an irresistible combination of Italian olive salad, Genoa salami, ham, Swiss and provolone. Ingredients 2 32 oz. Boscoli Family Italian olive salad (or Olive spread) 1 6 oz. Kalamata olives, pitted, drained, sliced ½ 3.5 oz. bottle capers 2 King's original Hawaiian sweet rolls 12 pack (or other party rolls, 16–24 rolls) 4 oz. sliced Genoa salami 4 oz. sliced ham 8 oz. sliced Swiss cheese 8 oz. sliced Provolone Directions Place the contents of 2 Italian olive salad jars in a bowl. Add sliced Kalamata olives and capers and mix well. With a serrated bread knife or other long knife, cut party rolls in half lengthwise through the center. Put the top halves aside for now. Place the bottom half on a cutting board. Carefully spoon the olive salad mix onto the bottom half of the rolls, trying not to scoop all the oil as you go. Spread the olive mix over all the bread thinly (it should look like one vegetable thick). Cover the surface with Swiss cheese, then ham. Spoon olive mix and cover the surface thinly. (This layer can be omitted if desired.) Cover the surface with provolone, then Genoa salami. Spoon olive mix and cover the surface thinly. Put the top half of the rolls on top. With a very sharp knife, cut the rolls apart. Carefully slide the rolls onto the shiny side of a large piece of foil. Wrap well (the oil will try to ooze out). Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, until the cheeses are melted. Serve with lots of paper napkins! 30 minutes prep time, 15 minutes cook time, 45 minutes total. Shrimp Po' Boys Ingredients 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)1 tablespoon hot sauce (such as Crystal or Tabasco)2 teaspoons Creole seasoning1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary1/4 teaspoon kosher salt1/4 teaspoon black pepper6 tablespoons salted butter, divided1 teaspoon minced garlic1 pound unpeeled raw medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined1 cup amber beer (such as Abita)6 French bread hoagie rolls1/3 cup mayonnaise3 cups shredded green leaf lettuceFried Green Tomatoes (see Recipe) Directions Stir together Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, hot sauce, Creole seasoning, rosemary, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add shrimp and cook 1 minute on each side. Increase heat to high; stir in Worcestershire sauce mixture, and cook, stirring often, just until shrimp turn pink, about 2 minutes. Remove shrimp from skillet with a slotted spoon. Add beer to skillet, and cook until reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Add shrimp back to skillet and toss to coat with sauce. Remove from heat. Preheat broiler with oven rack 6 inches from heat. Cut hoagie rolls in half lengthwise; scoop out a small amount of bread from top half. Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter, and brush on cut sides of rolls. Broil cut sides up, until toasted, about 1 minute. Divide mayonnaise and lettuce evenly among bottom halves of rolls; top each with 2 Fried Green Tomatoes. Top tomatoes evenly with shrimp and sauce; cover with roll tops and serve immediately. Fried Green Tomatoes Ingredients 3 green tomatoes, each cut into 4 slices1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided1/2 cup (about 2 1/8 oz.) all-purpose flour2 large eggs, beaten1 cup buttermilk1/2 cup plain yellow cornmeal1/2 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs3 cups vegetable oil Directions Sprinkle tomatoes with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt. Place flour in a shallow dish. Stir together eggs and buttermilk in a second shallow dish. Stir together cornmeal and breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish. Working with 1 slice at a time, dredge tomato slices in flour; dip in egg mixture, shaking off excess. Dredge slices in breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Place tomatoes in a single layer on a wire rack. Heat oil in a large, heavy or cast-iron skillet over medium-high to 375°F. (When a few breadcrumbs dropped in the oil sizzle, the oil is ready for frying.) Fry tomatoes, in 3 batches, until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes per side. (Be careful not to overcrowd the skillet.) Transfer to wire rack to drain, and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.