Alligator Etouffee and Alligator Crepes. Fricasse of Rabbit. Fried Catfish Covered With Swamp Sauce. Don’t knock ‘em till you try ‘em (if you ever get the chance). Those foods — and lots more — were set before me when I spent an enjoyable afternoon judging this year’s Soulard Mardi Gras Cajun Cookoff.

Truth be told, I’m not an alligator fan. It tends to be tough, for one thing. But I tasted everything with an open mind, and the dish I loved most took me — and the other three judges — by surprise.

It was Mardi “Fois” Gras Beignet, the creation of Tracy Stewart and Alberto Polacios, students at L’Ecole Culinaire. Somehow they came up with the idea of encasing slices of ripe banana and fois gras in beignet batter, deep-frying the resulting bundle, then serving it with a caramel sauce consisting of chicken stock, Schafly’s Coffee Stout, sugar, heavy cream and a splash of soy sauce.

This may sound weird at best, horrible at worst. But it was FABULOUS. The rich fois gras, the sweet banana, the bittersweet caramel sauce worked perfectly together. Really.

Stewart and Polacios’s entry also included Tomato Etouffee with rock shrimp, which was well done but not as breathtaking as the beignets. They won second place for their efforts, impressive in that most of their competitors were working chefs. (One other team of students competed.)

Mark and Patty Johnson of Hot Plate Dinner Parties took first place with their ambitious, all-around delicious New Orleans Seafood Fusion Tasting Plate: Cajun-Bronzed Scallop with Wilted Zucchini Leek Slaw, Fire-Roasted Jalapeno Pesto and Cayenne Pepper Oil; Oyster Po’ Boy with Spring Greens, Andouille Vinaigrette, Puff Pastry and Smoked Tomato Remoulade; and Jumbo Chipotle Shrimp with Smoked Cheddar and Chive Grits Cake and Creole Romesco Sauce.

Josh Galliano of An American Place rounded out the top three with his trio of veal: Smothered Tenderloin, Grilled Liver with Creole Mustard, and Grillades and Grits.

Many of the recipes are too complex for anyone to attempt at home without the help of a few line cooks and maybe a sous chef. These grits cakes from the winning entry seem doable, however. For best results, seek out stone-ground grits (you may have to order them online). The difference in taste from supermarket grits will more than repay your effort.

Let the good times roll!

SMOKED CHEDDAR AND CHIVE GRITS CAKES

1 cup cornmeal grits
1/2 cup whole milk or half-and-half
1 cup shredded smoked Cheddar or smoked Gouda
1/4 cup chopped chives
Salt
Ground black pepper
1/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 tablespoons butter

Cook grits with water according to package directions. Just before grits are done, add milk and continue cooking. Grits should be fairly creamy. When done, stir in cheese. Remove from heat.
Stir in chives and salt and pepper to taste, then pour into a greased pie pan or other pan. The grits should be in a layer from 1/2 to 1 inch thick.

Let grits set (about 30 to 60 minutes), then use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut out “cakes.” Dip both sides in flour, dusting lightly.

Heat oil and butter in a saute pan over medium heat. When butter is bubbling, add grits cakes. Cook until golden brown on both sides. Serve immediately or keep in warm oven until ready to serve.