Gumbo is proof that heaven can be found in a bowl.
Mr. Lear and I enjoy it so much that we serve it frequently and even on special occasions, something that stumps our friends since it's so untraditional given our ethnic, east coast heritage. I ate my first dish of it in May 1974 on a trip to New Orleans. I was a senior in high school attending the National Catholic Forensic League Finals. It was my first trip without my parents, or other family members.
Imagine my surprise when I found out that every other American household did not serve the same indistinguishable dry meat, potatoes and canned vegetables followed by jello each evening for supper. Food in New Orleans had taste. I couldn't stop eating it. I wanted to try everything. While other kids were watching the lady on the swing and heading for Pat O'Brien's, I drooled over menus and read names of dishes I never knew existed before. Don't get me wrong, I partied too, but it was the food that tugged at my senses the most.
That short trip of five, or so, days ended all too quickly. Luckily not before a visit to Al Hirt's Club in the French Quarter, Sunday mass at St. Louis Cathedral overlooking Jackson Square followed by Sunday brunch at Commander's Palace, and oh yes, somewhere in there I squeezed in a few rounds of Poetry and Prose Interpretation at the University of New Orleans known then as LSU-New Orleans. The food stayed behind, but the memories followed me home to New Jersey.
Unfortunately, my descriptions of the dishes when I returned didn't win anyone over. No one was interested in trying them. A few months later, I left for college in the Mid-West and any thoughts of replicating gumbo, jambalaya or Bananas Foster were buried behind English literature, economic modeling and labor law. Luckily, it didn't take long after I was out on my own to rediscover the wonders of Creole and Cajun cuisines again.
At the last minute I got sent to a conference in New Orleans in the fall of 1983. I had a corporate expense account, a few bucks of my own in my pocket and six days to eat and drink my way across New Orleans. Of course I could only scratch the surface, but it was a good scratch - one that permanently whetted my appetite.
I came home and immediately started to try and replicate the food. The ironic thing about it looking back is that I cooked very little in those days. So, I suppose it's fair to say that New Orleans turned me into the foodie I am today.
The first rule of gumbo is that it needs to be thickened. A good roux is a must. To make a really great gumbo you need a dark nut-brown colored roux. Use a heavy pan and stir constantly. How long does it take to make? In the words of legendary New Orleans chef Emeril Lagasse, "about two beers."
After the roux, you have a choice of thickening with either okra or file′, but never use both. You need to decide which you'll use before starting to cook. Okra is added early on, but file is added at the end just prior to serving. Something you need to remember about file′ (which is powdered sassafras) is that the taste turns bitter if it is reheated. If you use file′ only add it the portion you are serving that day.
Without further ado, let's move on to the recipe. I make it with chicken and sausage because Mr. Lear is allergic to shellfish these days. You could substitute crab and shrimp. Add them at the same time you would add the chicken below.
This recipe for Chicken and Sausage Gumbo originated from The Complete Book of Soups and Stews, by Bernard Clayton, Jr.
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Chicken
1 4 lb. whole chicken, disjointed to fry
liberal sprinkles of salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne
1 c. flour, to coat chicken
½ c. bacon drippings or oil
Roux
1 c. oil
1 c. all purpose flour
Okra (if chosen rather than file)
2 c. sliced okra, fresh, or thawed if frozen
Gumbo
2 c. finely chopped green pepper
2 c. finely chopped onions
2 c. finely chopped celery
1 c. finely chopped parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 c. chicken stock
½ tsp cumin seed, roasted and crushed
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 bay leaves
½ c. tomato paste
8 drops tabasco sauce
1 pound smoked spiced sausage, sliced thinly on the diagonal
1 tablespoon file', (if chosen as thickener)
hot cooked white rice
Season (30 minutes)
Place the chicken pieces on a baking sheet and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne. Leave undisturbed for 30 minutes. Place the pieces in a paper bag and add one cup of flour. Shake throughly to coat.
Fry (45 minutes)
Heat the fat in a dutch oven over medium heat until just smoking. Fry the chicken until a golden brown and tender enough to be taken off the bones, about 45 minutes. Debone. Reserve meat.
Roux (30 to 40 minutes)
There should be about 1/2 oil left in the dutch oven. Scrape loose the particles and add more oil to make 1 cup.
Over medium-low heat slowly stir the 1 cup of flour into the oil. The roux will be an off-white color and gradually change to a dark nut-brown. It must be stirred during the entire cooking period to prevent scorching or burning. Use a whisk or wooden spoon.
The darker the roux becomes, the more taste it will add to the dish.
Okra (45 minutes, optional step that can be done simultaneously with step 3)
Wash, stem and slice fresh okra into 1/2 inch pieces, or thaw frozen okra.
Place 1/4 cup of oil in a skillet and cook okra over medium heat for 45 minutes or until slightly browned. Set aside until needed.
Gumbo (2 1/2 hours)
When the roux has cooked, stir in the green peppers, onions, celery, parsley and garlic. Blend well.
Cover and cook over low heat - barely bubbling - for 1 hour. Stir frequently.
When the okra has cooked, lift it with a slotted spoon and add it to this mixture.
Add the stock to the vegetables. Add the cumin, pepper, salt, bay leaves, tomato paste and tobasco sauce. Stir to blend.
Partially cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour.
While the gumbo is cooking, try out the sausage slices in a skillet to remove excess fat, about 20 minutes. Lift the pieces out of the skillet with a slotted spoon and add to the gumbo. Discard the fat.
Add the chicken and cook 30 more minutes.
If the gumbo is to be thickened with file, remove from the heat and add file to whatever portion you will be serving at this meal.
Ladle the gumbo over a bed of hot rice.
I think good gumbo should se accompanied by good corn bread. Here's one of my favorite recipes from Pat and Gina Neely, owners of Neely's Bar-B-Que in Memphis and stars of the Food Network show Down Home with the Neely's.
Honey Cornbread Muffins
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
½ stick butter, melted
¼ cup honey
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Into a large bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the whole milk, eggs, butter, and honey. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed.
Place muffin paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin. Evenly divide the cornbread mixture among them. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden.
If you are interested in hosting a What's for Dinner in the coming weeks, please leave a comment below or contact me by email. Please consider sharing your favorite recipes, or special kitchen secret with your fellow Kossacks. Our scheduled upcoming diaries and their hosts are as follows:
Nov. 21 | ninkasi23 | Planning for Thanksgiving Leftovers |
Nov. 28 | MaskedKat | Eating Healthy During the Holidays |
Dec. 05 | Translator | Christmas Treats |
Pour yourself a beverage, put your feet up and stick around for a while this evening. And by all means, tell us what's for dinner at your house.