All About Gumbo - Part 1
Step by step recipe for a perfect gumbo
Jun 15, 2006 Jacqueline Church
Gumbo is an iconic dish. Hear the word and you know you're talking about NOLA, New Orleans, Louisiana, that is.
This dish nearly sings out the warm welcome any visitor to New Orleans receives. The origin of the word comes from "kingumbo" according to once source; an African word for okra, a common Gumbo ingredient and thickener. File ("fee-lay") powder is ground sassafras leaves contributed by Choctaw, also a thickener. Andouille ("Ahn-doo-wee") is thought to have French and possibly Spanish origins...you're getting the picture, yes?
Hospitality in New Orleans is as authentic and as old as the Atchafalaya swamp. I remember my mother going with her co-workers to a conference in New Orleans decades ago. Her fondest memory was of the invitation to the home of a co-worker's mother for a home cooked meal. She loved the food and they were delighted this tiny Japanese woman could eat!
How to make Gumbo
I'd heard of gumbo before and after my mother's trip, but it seemed mysterious and intimidating. I'm here to tell you - it's not hard!
It's worth the effort to make gumbo and I'll walk you through it, step-by-step. It's also a "recipe" that allows a lot of variation; and if you follow just a few key pointers, all else will be forgiven. It's also better the next day so it makes a great dish for company, no last minute fussing.
Cast iron
If you don't yet have a cast iron Dutch oven, go out and get one. It will be one of the best investments you will ever make. You can even pick one up at a yard sale on the cheap. Don't worry if it looks rusty. Scour it down, wipe it with oil and put it in a warm oven for a bit, it'll be good as new and last a lifetime.
Cast iron heats up like nothing else, it holds heat like nothing else, and rather than imparting questionable fumes - even adds a bit of iron to your diet!
Roux
Roux ("rue") is the base for gumbo. It is a mix of flour and oil, which thickens as you brown it. In classic French dishes roux would be flour and butter and is cooked, but not generally browned. I find a 1:1 ratio is best, though "The Little Gumbo Book" purchased on my first trip to New Orleans, suggests ¾ C vegetable oil:1 C flour for her Cast Iron Skillet Roux.
The purpose of roux is to thicken the gumbo which ultimately hovers somewhere between a soup and a stew. Gumbo recipes will usually tell you what color to cook the roux to such as "café au lait" (for a light roux), or "peanut butter" roux (cooked longer to a darker color) which is better for heartier gumbos, for example. The darkest roux are often refered to as "copper" or "chocolate." If you're using okra you may need less roux as okra has its own thickening agent.
Andouille, Tasso
Andouille sausage is a spicy pork sausage (salt, red and black pepper, garlic) often smoked over pecan wood and/or sugar cane. Tasso ham is spiced and smoked pork shoulder. These could be used interchangeably in most gumbo recipes with good results. Both are common ingredients in Cajun food. You can also make a fine gumbo without either.
The holy trinity
The blend of onion, celery and carrots called mirepoix is the essential aromatic base for soups and stews of all sorts. In New Orleans, the "holy trinity" as it's called consists of onion, celery, and green bell pepper. Many Cajun and Creole dishes begin with this.
Okra
This is an essential ingredient in many authentic gumbo recipes. The vegetable is more popular in the Southern US and was likely brought over from Africa by slaves. It can be fried, pickled or used in soups and stews. When sliced it lends a natural thickener to the gumbo or soup. Some people dislike it, others love it. I've heard people say they can't find it. Chinese grocers often carry it and frozen okra is also pretty passable in a gumbo. Again, you can also make a respectable gumbo without it.
Remember, this is a layered dish that will be better the next day. It's entirely forgiving of mistakes and variations.
Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to:
- find a cast iron Dutch oven,(you could also use any large heavy bottomed pot, but I really think every kitchen should have one of these!)
- make your spice blend or buy one,
- and buy some andouille and/or tasso ham.
Next: My Chicken, Andouille and Tasso Gumbo.
If you like food from New Orleans check out Michael Vyskocil's Tribute to New Orleans
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