I just made Chicken Gumbo.....ask me anything.

[Liberal Veteran]

Yummy!

[fishnfla]

1. did you make the roux right?

discuss

[Liberal Veteran]

3. Yes....it came out perfect....

And I didn't even fill the house up with smoke.

[fishnfla]

4. awesome thats the secret

;)

[Syrinx]

2. Can you tell me how to make it?

[Friar]

14. I'm not from LA but here's how I do it

Take a 1/4 lb. butter and melt on med heat. Butter should be bubbly
Add about 1/2 cup flour. Stir and stir and stir. When it's all mixed well let it bubble and shit until it's as brown as you like it. Don't burn it. This is the roux, a thickener.
Chop up some veggies- carrots, celery, peppers, onions, etc. and saute 'em in a big pan with a bit of oil.

Cut up some fresh ochra while they cook. Lotsa ochra. (If you don't like ochre you can thicken with cornstarch at the last 5 minutes.)

strain a #10 can of tomatoes (or fresh equivalent, peeled and seeded.)
Cut up some shrimp and sausages. Crawfish are great too. I've had good results adding halibut or scallops at the last minute.

Ok. Roux is made, veggies are sauteed and fish are cut up. Add some chicken (or fish) stock to roux. Stir, stir stir. Add tomatoes and spices ( no file!) Stir, stir, stir.

spices:
cayenne
more cayenne
parsley, thyme, rosemary, basil...whatever you like

add ochre and cook for a bit (20 minutes? It depends. It'll thicken)

Add fish thingies, sausage and veggies

cook until done (ten minutes or so) Did I mention stirring?

serve over bed of rice or alongside red beans&rice

[fishnfla]

5. do you put okra in your gumbo?

and if so how do you prep it?

[Syrinx]

6. I hate okra!

Is file powder okay?

[fishnfla]

I dont use either

dont need to

[Friar]

15. file is added as a topping

Don't try to cook it. It loses it's flavor and all like that. Kinda like cilantro. Tastes best raw.

[Liberal Veteran]

7. I had to use frozen okra.....

I just toss it in with the rice.

[mlawson]

8. That's okay. It's not gumbo, w/o okra!

After all, the word 'gumbo' is a West African word for okra...

Frozen is just about as good as fresh, but you don't get the slime. The slime is used for thickening stews in Africa.

You did put cayenne in it, didn't you?????

[fishnfla]

9. thats good too

i should clarify ( I make lots of gumbo, lots ) my crew does not like okra. a true gumbo, by definition contains it. I believe the word gumbo is an african derivation of okra.
that having been said, there are lots of ways to make gumbo without it. Hell some recipes even use tomatoes in there. I myself, like okra, but again my gang says no way, so i leave it out.

File powder IMO, just blands the dish. If all your ingrediants are fresh and the roux is right, you dont need that either

[Friar]

16. just cut off both ends

and slice about 1/8 in. thick.

[Girlfriday]

10. mmmmmmm gumbo

I love gumbo!

[HawkerHurricane]

11. Could you pass the gumbo?

HH, future liberal veteran.

[arwalden]

12. Do You Like BREADED and FRIED OKRA?

How about cheddar cheese melted in your grits?

-- Allen

[trof]

17. AND...chopped jalapenos

Jalapeno Cheese Grits...ambrosia!

[Rowdyboy]

13. Do you put sausage in also?

A basic chicken and sausage gumbo is my idea of heaven.

[Robb]

18. Yeah, but

...Can you make a chicken mambo?

Or two-step? :silly:

[trof]

19. While yer cookin', ya gotta sing the song:

Jambalaya and-a crawfish pie and-a file gumbo
'Cause tonight I'm gonna see my machez amio
Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay-oh
Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou.

Miz t. sez if you put carrots in gumbo yer a sissie.
(Miz t. is The Kajun Kween of Orange, Texas)
The Holy Trinity of gumbo is celery, onion and bell pepper.

Roux is a matter of taste and family tradition from light, light blonde to dark, dark brunette.
I like the dark.
Not butter, but peanut oil.
Butter burns before the roux gets dark enough.
Traditionally it was bacon grease.
Miz t.'s takes about 30 minutes of cookin' and stirrin'.

Ain't no hot peppers in gumbo. The heat goes in according to individual taste, after it's dished up.

The file' goes in just before serving. Once the file' is in, never let the gumbo boil. It'll turn bitter if you do.
The traditional accompaniment is potato salad.
And cornbread.

Thanks for the inspiration.
Rainy cold front coming through.
Chicken and andouille sausage gumbo with jalapeno cheese cornbread tonight.
:9

[Rowdyboy]

20. Damn, that sounds good...

I may just have to change my plans for dinner. I'm going through the same rainy cold front and gumbo sounds really good!

[trof]

21. P.S.

Miz t. came down with a cold, so I made chili instead.
She's better this a.m., so GUMBO TONIGHT!
Still cool and rainy.

[Az]

22. Um... You gonna eat that?

Just asking.