My Kitchen : Frog Legs Piquante

Sauce Piquant – Cooking Louisiana. Sauce Piquant is a style of cooking used for rabbit, duck, alligator, chicken and seafood. Just about anything you can dream of has been used to whip up a sauce piquant. A sauce piquant is tomato based using a combination of whole, stewed, sauce and paste, and, uses a small roux.

This is a Louisiana classic.

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 4 pairs large frog legs
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup diced onion
• ¼ cup diced green bell pepper
• ¼ cup diced celery
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, with liquid
• 2 cups stock
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• Hot cooked rice
• Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

Instructions : In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add frog legs, and lightly brown on both sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer frog legs to a platter, and set aside.Add flour to skillet, and cook, stirring constantly, until a tan roux forms, 4 to 5 minutes.Add onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, salt, and cayenne to skillet; cook until wilted, 3 to 4 minutes.Add tomato, stock, hot sauce, thyme, and bay leaf. When mixture begins to simmer, reduce heat to medium. Simmer, uncovered, until sauce reduces by a third, 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.Lay frog legs in sauce, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, basting with sauce. Taste, and adjust seasoning, if needed. Stir in parsley and lemon juice. Remove bay leaf, and serve over rice. Garnish with parsley, if desired.