Mar 24, 2014

Senses in the Kitchen {Buttery Garlic Frog Legs over Crawfish Boil Mashed Potatoes}

Let's play word association.
I'll start.  Food.

Maybe you'll say hungry.  Eat.
Maybe you'll blurt out the name of your favorite food.
Chocolate.  Cheese.  Pasta.  Strawberries

Buttery Garlic Frog Legs over Crawfish Boil Mashed Potatoes | Ms. enPlace


I'm betting you won't say "frog legs."

Maybe it's because I made this the weekend before St. Patrick's Day, 
but these looked like little dancing (half) leprechauns to me.
I swear I didn't get into the Irish Whiskey.


Yes, we eat frog legs.  No, they don't taste like chicken.  They have a texture similar to chicken, but taste more like seafood.

Anyway, back to word associations.  If you were to pick a sense that goes with the word food, I'm guessing you'd pick taste.

Buttery Garlic Frog Legs over Crawfish Boil Mashed Potatoes | Ms. enPlace


Of course, when it comes to food, we also use our sense of smell.
Our sense of sight.
And our sense of touch when we prepare it.
Buttery Garlic Frog Legs over Crawfish Boil Mashed Potatoes | Ms. enPlace


I recently learned how important the sense of hearing is when it comes to food.  I've taken to popping in some earbuds and listening to music while I cook.

(I've even been caught "shakin' it" in the kitchen.)

I never realized how much I rely on hearing my food cook to tell me when to do certain things.  Often, I turn my back to the stove to wash dishes or start getting plates and glasses ready.  I can hear when the food starts to sizzle too much and needs to be flipped or starts to bubble too much and needs to be turned down.

So while I've been shakin' it in the kitchen lately, I've had a few pots bubble over and a few things stick to the bottom of pans.

I was careful with these frog legs, though.  They aren't cheap (unless you hunt them yourself) and they are one of my son's favorite things to eat.
Buttery Garlic Frog Legs over Crawfish Boil Mashed Potatoes | Ms. enPlace

Frog legs are most commonly eaten deep fried around here.  I didn't feel for that, so I lightly dredged them in flour and gave them a quick pan fry.  A quick and easy buttery garlic and lemon sauce went over the top.  Just for kicks...and because I'm anxiously waiting for the price of crawfish to come down...I decided to serve the frog legs over Crawfish Boil Mashed Potatoes with a green salad on the side.

The Yuck Stops Here

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Buttery Garlic Frog Legs

8 pairs frog legs
1 cup milk
1 TBSP hot sauce
3/4 cup flour
salt and black pepper, to taste
1 stick butter, divided
2 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP finely minced garlic
juice of half a lemon
1 TBSP chopped chives or green onion

Cut the frog legs apart.  Mix milk with hot sauce in a bowl.  Add frog legs and soak in refrigerator for 30-40 minutes.

Heat oven to 250 F.

Mix the flour, salt, and pepper together in a shallow dish.  Add half of the butter and all of the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium.  Once the butter is foamy, remove frog legs from the milk, letting excess drip off.  Dredge in flour.  Shake off excess and place in hot pan.  Cook until golden brown, turn, and cook on second side until deep golden brown.  Place frog legs on a baking pan and keep warm in the oven.

Melt remaining butter in the skillet.  Add garlic and saute for about a minute.  Squeeze in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.  Serve over frog legs immediately.  Garnish with chives or green onions.

Serves 3-4


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Crawfish Boil Mashed Potatoes

2 1/2 lbs small red potatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup concentrated Crawfish, Crab, and Shrimp Boil
1/2 TBSP crushed red pepper
1/2 TBSP salt
1/2-3/4 cup milk
2 TBSP butter
salt and pepper, to taste (if needed)

Add potatoes to a large pot.  Pour in concentrated Crawfish, Crab, and Shrimp Boil.  Add red pepper and salt.  Add water to cover potatoes by about 1".  Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook until a sharp knife will pierce through the potatoes.  Drain, reserving 1/2 cup liquid.

Return potatoes to the pot and add the reserved liquid.  Add 1/2 cup milk and the butter.  Mash together with a potato masher, adding more milk if needed.  Season with salt and pepper if needed.

Serves 4-6

 Need more SEAFOOD?
Gator Bites w/ Cheesy Creole Mustard Beer Sauce
Crawfish Calabacitas
Pecan Crusted Trout w/ Lemon Butter Crab
From the past...
Pink Fruit Salad
Creole Oven Fries
Gumbo Z'herbes
Linking with:
Yesterfood
Feeding BigThe 21st Century Housewife Hearth and Soul Blog Hop
Full Time MamaMiz Helen’s Country Cottage
Jam Hands
My Turn for us

15 comments:

  1. I can't get past eating Frog, never mind legs, but I hear they are very good :)

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  2. I haven't had frog legs in years. There was a place in Minden, LA that served them fried and only on one night a week. Come to thing of it I may have only had them once or twice. Can't wait to share this with my Dad. They look really good. I bet the lemon butter sauce is delicious. What I am excited about is you made crawfish boil potatoes. I have been wanting to try that myself but had no idea how much seasoning to start with. I will be trying the potatoes first for sure.

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  3. Love frog legs! There are a couple of places up here that keep them on their menu and we can pick them up in the grocery store all the time (frozen) right next to the rabbit and chitterlings. ;)

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  4. Frog legs are so yummy! We use to get them all the time at our favourite Chinese Buffet when we lived in TN. Haven't had them in about 5 yrs though.

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  5. I used to go frogging in high school! :) They look delicious and I love those potatoes, what a great idea!

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  6. Michelle - I've eaten my share of unusual or "weird" things, but never frog legs. I probably would try them if they were available, but I'd make them dance from the milk, to the flour, and then into the pan (for my own amusement - Hello My Baby, Hello My Darlin, Hello My Rag Time Gaaaaaaal). But that's just me.

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  7. When I was little I loved frogs legs, and I wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot pole now, even though yours do look tempting! I never see them in restaurants any more~ my hubs would die over those crawfish mashed potatoes!
    Jenna

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  8. I love frog legs, but there's nowhere to buy them here. Occasionally one of the Chinese restaurants will have them on the buffet.

    You're right that they don't taste like chicken. They taste distinctly "amphibian" to me. Not quite fish, not quite land mammal. Frog legs taste like frog legs, and frog legs are yummy.

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  9. "little dancing (half) leprechauns" - bahahaha!! :D

    My family (except for my husband), likes frog legs! I've never been gigging - I don't think I would handle that well! And now that you mention it, we really do really on all our senses when we cook - I never really thought about that! The frog legs sound delicious, Michelle!

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  10. Delicious buttery garlic frog. I have heard people eating while taking booze in my home town. Never tried though. Thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop.

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  11. Thanks for linking up at The Four Seasons Blog Hop! Sandra from Scrumptilicious 4 You! We would love to have you come back next week!

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  12. I have not had Frog Legs in forever. My dad used to bring them in when he fished alot and my boys were always bringing them in for me to fix. They are really good and your recipe looks awesome, wish I could enjoy them with you! Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and hope to see you again real soon!
    Miz Helen

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  13. I have never had frog legs, but I now know how to make them. Thanks for linking up to The Yuck Stops Here! Hope to see you next week. Have a great weekend!

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  14. I do like frog legs, but I'd rather someone else cook them! I haven't seen them on a menu in a long time. I ran across this post today and thought of you and our love of the gulf, just sharing. Have a great weekend!
    http://www.seafoodblogproject.org/focus-on-the-gulf-states/

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  15. Hubby & I love frog legs! I am so thrilled to let you and your followers know that this recipe has been featured on The Yuck Stops Here link party! Stop by to pick up your "I've Been Featured" button. Congratulations! HUGS

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Thanks for stopping by! I appreciate your comments.