Alligator Sauce Piquante
 
Makes about 10 servings
Ingredients
  • ⅔ cup plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 1 pound andouille sausage, cut into ¾-inch pieces
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 small yellow onions, diced
  • 1 large green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 large jalapeño, seeded and diced
  • 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups chicken or beef stock, divided
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • Juice of 3 lemons, divided
  • Kosher salt, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning, and hot sauce, to taste
  • 2 pounds fresh or frozen alligator meat, thawed if frozen, patted dry, and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup sliced green onion (white parts)
  • Hot cooked white rice, to serve
  • 10 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and halved
  • Garnish: chopped green onion (white parts only), and chopped parsley
Instructions
  1. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add andouille; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove andouille using a slotted spoon, and let drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in pot.
  2. Add remaining ⅔ cup oil to drippings in pot, and heat over medium heat. Add flour, and cook, whisking constantly, until a brown roux forms, 10 to 12 minutes.
  3. Carefully add yellow onion, bell pepper, and celery to roux. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Add jalapeño, tomatoes, tomato paste, and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Slowly stir in 2 cups stock. Add bay leaves and juice of 2 lemons, and season with salt, black pepper, cayenne, Cajun seasoning, and hot sauce. Bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
  4. Gently stir andouille and alligator into sauce, and bring to a low boil. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until alligator is tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Add remaining 1 cup stock if sauce becomes too thick. Discard bay leaves. Stir white parts of green onion and juice of remaining 1 lemon into mixture. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Serve over rice with eggs. Garnish with white parts of green onion and parsley, if desired.
Recipe by Louisiana Cookin' at https://louisianacookin.com/alligator-sauce-piquante/