In some people’s opinion, there is nothing more festive than gourmet Christmas frog legs.
The legend goes as follows:
Once upon a time, in an unknown Francophonic province of Canada, during an unusually warm winter, a child unknowingly introduced a new species of frog to the surrounding ponds and rivers.
The child had found a frog upon a small lily pad and never having seen it before didn’t realize that it had effectively traveled over 3,000 miles upon that lily pad from off the coast of Ecuador by way of a gust of wind that came in upon the coattails of an ancient El Ni퀌�o.
The genderless frog, adapting to the colder climate, was able to self-fertilize and the species multiplied at an incredible rate, until in two weeks it had effectively wiped out all of the native Christmas salmon by way of a foreign bacteria the frogs carried. The residents were appalled. Without the Christmas salmon, there would be no feast, and without any feast, there would be no Christmas at all.
Strangely enough, just as desperation was setting in and it seemed like Christmas wouldn’t be coming, on Dec. 24, Christmas Eve, something quite incredible happened.
The frogs’ legs began to come off. The overpopulated frogs began to shed their lower appendages with the greatest of ease as they returned to the water. It was almost like some sort of reverse metamorphosis.
The residents gathered the fallen legs and had their feast. Christmas was saved! Some say that the frogs, realizing they had spoiled Christmas, consciously decided to give up their legs as a sort of penance. Others believe the foreign species of frogs were introduced to a native bacteria or virus that caused the strange mutation.
Although the residents never deciphered the reason for the independent appendages, all agreed that this peculiar event was indeed a miracle.
This legend and recipe comes to me from an estranged uncle. We all try to avoid him around the holiday season.
Christmas frog legs
Allow two large frog legs or six small ones per adult
4 Servings
8 frog legs, cleaned and skinned
1 cup flour seasoned with salt and pepper
12 tablespoons salted butter or margarine
1/2 cup onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup organic chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/4 cups seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
fresh Italian parsley and pimento, for garnish
Melt six tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup chopped onion. Roll the frog legs in the seasoned flour and brown them in the butter. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the stock. Cover skillet and simmer for about 10 minutes or until frog legs are tender. Meanwhile, melt the other 6 tablespoons of butter in another skillet and saut퀌� the garlic and breadcrumbs. Add the lemon juice. Roll the cooked frog legs in the breadcrumb mixture and serve them garnished with the parsley and pimento for that festive touch. Bon app퀌�tit!