Frilly's Seafood Bayou Kitchen, Denton, Texas

THE OTHER WHITE MEATS

By Ellen "EJ" Sackett

Forgive me. I might be the only person in North Texas who didn’t watch the Super Bowl. I know, I heard. That wasn’t the game to miss. It wasn’t just good, it was great.

DRC/Ellen Sackett

Frilly’s Seafood Bayou Kitchen boasts frog legs and alligator on the menu.

To be honest, I’m only so-so interested in professional football, unless it’s the Dallas Cowboys. I figure Jerry Jones could use one more person telling him how to run his team, and Tony Romo wants to feel the love, especially since Jessica is out of the picture. Otherwise, I root for the team with the finest uniforms. 

Since the Cowboys didn’t make it to the Super Bowl, I prayed for New Orleans. I needed the Saints to win. Moreover, I needed a good excuse to write about frog legs and alligators. Some of you are probably thinking I should’ve cheered for the Colts.
Seriously, though, have you tried them? Frog legs and alligator are popular dishes in N’awlins, and when you see one on the menu, you usually find the other. You can find them at both Frilly’s locations in Denton, which specialize in Cajun cuisine. (FYI: The two restaurants prepare their food differently as they are owned by different proprietors.)

Usually when I think Cajun, my mouth waters for dishes with andouille sausage, bowls of red jambalaya and shrimp gumbo, and plates piled high with blackened catfish or crawfish etouffee, with dirty rice and jalapeno corn bread. You can get all those good eats at both Frilly’s, too. I was on a mission for frog legs and alligator, however — which, despite their popularity in the South, haven’t quite made it to America’s Top 10 of favorite foods. 

I ordered mine fried from Frilly’s Seafood Bayou Kitchen, with a side of red beans and rice. They came with seafood cocktail sauce and tartar sauce for dipping. I started with the alligator, which, covered in batter, looked a lot like popcorn shrimp. It even had a bit of a chewy, shrimp-like texture but more closely resembled cooked turkey breast. 

The frog legs were surprisingly meaty, despite their tiny drumstick size. I expected them to taste like chicken, but they definitely didn’t. Instead they tasted like — well — frog legs. They were very fresh and somewhat gamey, more flavorful than the alligator. 

I can’t say I’m a big fan, but I’m happy for the Saints. By all accounts, they played well and deserved to beat the Colts. But even if they had lost, there’s no way I would’ve tried horse meat.
 
$-$$

Frilly’s Seafood Bayou Kitchen
1925 Denison St. 940-243-2126.
 
Frilly’s South Cajun Kitchen
2303 S. Interstate 35E.
940-898-1404.

Originally published in the Denton Record Chronicle, February 11, 2010.

GTB RECIPES

A DIP BY ANY OTHER NAME

By Ellen "EJ" Sackett

Call it Fiesta Dip, Italian Salsa or Texas Caviar—my latest, greatest recipe goes by several names. You can always have the basic ingredients stowed in your pantry, then add fresh ingredients in addition to the basic recipe to your liking. You can dish it up several ways too. Serve it with yellow, red and blue corn chips as a colorful dip. Toss it into pre-packaged lettuce with some roasted chicken from the supermarket or add it on top of a baked potato for a quick, healthy dinner. Double the recipe for a batch that will feed a crowd or to have nibble food to have on hand, as it keeps well in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container. It's often the hit of the party, so be prepared to share the recipe—in fact, feel free to send your friends to this link. Thank you, Carol, for giving this recipe to me.

Here's my version of Fiesta Dip:

Basic Recipe

Combine in a large bowl:

1 28 oz. can Ro-Tel Tomatoes (Original ~ Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilis), drained
1 15 oz. can black-eyed peas, drained
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained
1 11 oz. can shoe peg corn, drained

¼ to ½ bottle of an oil-based (not creamy) Zesty Italian dressing ~ just enough to coat the ingredients ~ NOTE: Do NOT add the dressing until after all ingredients, including any additional ingredients, have been added. It should be your last step.

Suggestion: Keep the liquids to a minimum. Spoon out any extra that seeps through to the bottom of the bowl. You can even rinse the beans, black-eyed peas and corn, then dry them with paper towels.

Additional Ingredients (The more you add, the better)
½ c. onion (any variety)
½ to 1 cup fresh cilantro
(or more, if you're like me and really love the flavor of cilantro!)
2 medium hot-house tomatoes, cut into small chunks
1 small to medium green pepper and/or red pepper
2 stalks celery
(If you'd like it hotter, you can add jalapeños, crushed red pepper or sprinkle on Tony Sachere's Cajun seasoning)

What's your version? Feel free to contribute your variations on this theme. I'd love to try your ideas in my next batch. Even if you don't have a gmail account, no worries. Just sign on as "Anonymous". You can add your name at the end of your comment.