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A Taste Of Brett Lorenzo Favaruh [Exploiting Favre Mania For Our Own Selfish Reasons]
Posted Aug 6, 2008 by Jeff Houck
Updated Aug 07, 2008 at 06:45 AM

So it looks like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may be on the verge of doing a deal to acquire the Green Bay Packers formerly retired gunslingin’ prematurely grey Prilosec and Wrangler jeans endorsing Hall-of-Fame-bound quarterback Brett Favre. Or maybe not. But definitely one of the two.

As a lifelong Bucs fan (I wore nose tackle Dave Pear‘s No. 76 jersey as a kid until it almost fell off my shoulders), I’ve has enjoyed the success the Bucs have had against the Packers in recent years, I have to say that I am filled with conflict about bringing the man into the unfrozen nontundra of Raymond James Stadium.

Still, I feel a need to connect with him if he does come here. But which target to you aim at? The man born along the Gulf coast in Kiln, Miss., or the professional athlete who has spent much of his career in Wisconsin cheese, beer and bratwurst country?

For help in finding a culinary bond with Favre, I consulted David Picou, (right) executive chef at Raymond James Stadium for Levy Restaurants. Picou grew up in the Louisiana bayou country but has worked as a chef for Levy at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

“I’m pretty sure he’s a fan of all things Cajun and Creole; Gumbo, etoufee, jambalaya etc.,” Picou said by e-mail today. “The Wisconsin flair would definitely involve venison and he did have a steakhouse in Green Bay.”

I figured the gumbo was closer to his roots, so I asked Picou for a recipe fans could make to bridge the gap between the Favre they knew as an opponent and the Favre they might could possibly maybe tentatively know as a quarterback.

“Here’s a recipe I gave to my brother,” Picou said. “It’s pretty simple and it tastes great. This one doesn’t have okra ‘cause it’s a little hard to come by in Chicago, but it can be added.”

Picou says he makes his own Creole seasoning.

“Any store-bought type will work as long as it’s not too salty,” he says. “I always add a little lemon juice at the end for a little extra acidity. If you add gumbo file’ make sure to add to the bowl at the table not to the pot on the stove.”

CHICKEN ANDOUILLE GUMBO
2 cups flour
2 cups vegetable oil
2 pounds andouille sausage
5 tbsp creole seasoning
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1/4 cup minced garlic
2 cups white wine
3 quarts chicken stock
4 tablespoons Louisiana hot sauce
6 bay leaves
2 pounds chopped chicken thigh meat
2 pounds broken shrimp
salt and pepper to taste.

Make a dark roux with flour and oil (should be dark chocolate color). Add sausage and cook for 10 minutes stirring constantly, then add creole seasoning. Add vegetables and sweat for 10 minutes.

Add wine slowly and stir then add hot sauce.

Add chicken stock slowly and stir for sauce consistency add bay leaves. Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes, add chicken and simmer for 45 minutes. Check salt and pepper, add hot sauce if needed.

~~Add shrimp and remove from heat~~