Gumbo

*Post by Angela

Talk about timely. Just a couple days after I make a huge pot of gumbo, the dish is featured as a crucial plot point in Rachel Bilson's new show Hart of Dixie (get over it, I watch a lot of crappy tv, I know). Though I find the show about a sassy Manhattan doctor attempting to win over a small Southern town sorta charming, it irked me to see Dr. Hart view gumbo-making as a horrific task she had to overcome. Because gumbo-making is a fun Friday night for me.

Originating in Louisiana in the 18th century, gumbo combines French, Spanish, German, West African, and Choctaw cuisines into a uniquely American hearty stew. There are countless varieties out there, and people are passionate about what constitutes an "authentic" gumbo. I want to head off any rants - I am well aware that this Creole-style gumbo is nowhere near authentic, being sort of a combination of several recipes I've tried over the years, but it is very, very good.

List of ingredients for the shrimp stock:

• 1 ½ lbs raw, whole, head-on medium-sized (31-50 count) shrimp
• 2 quarts (8 cups) water

Couldn't I have just purchased shrimp or seafood stock and saved myself the time? Sure. Would it have been as good? Maybe, I don't know. Did I have anything better to do? No. First, I deheaded the shrimp and peeled them, saving the shrimp meat for later on. I put heads and shells in a saucepan with 2 quarts of water, brought it to a boil, then reduced the heat and simmered for 1 hour, or until it had reduced down by about half.

I strained the liquid into a container, discarding the solids, and set it aside.

List of ingredients for the spice mix:

• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 2 Tbsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp dried thyme
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp ghost pepper powder

Couldn't I have just purchased a Cajun/Creole spice mix and saved myself the time? Sure. Would it have been as good? Maybe, I don't know. Did I have anything better to do? No. I combined all the spices in a plastic container and gave it a good shake to combine.

List of ingredients for the gumbo:

• 1 lb okra
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 lb bacon, diced
• 1 lb chicken thighs w/ skins
• Salt
• 1 1/2 lbs andouille sausage
• Vegetable oil
• 1 cup flour
• 2 green peppers, diced
• 4 celery stalks, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 quart shrimp stock
• Cooked white rice

First and foremost, I chopped up the okra, rinsed it and set it in a bowl with the red wine vinegar for about 30 minutes, then rinsed again. Why? Because fresh chopped okra is something out of a horror movie - it is a mucilaginous plant, meaning that the second I started chopping the pods, they excreted a thick...goo. It is super gross. But I love okra, and managed to get rid of a lot of the sliminess first. The rest cooked off in the stew.

In the meantime, I cooked the diced bacon in a huge pot until crispy. I used a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and set aside, leaving the oil in the pot.

Next, I added the chicken thighs, skin side down, to the pot and cooked them about 3-4 minutes before flipping them and cooking another 3-4 minutes. Again, I removed the meat and set it aside, leaving the oil in the pot.

I moved on to the final meat ingredient, the andouille sausages, which I browned in the fat, then removed and set aside with the bacon and chicken. In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have chopped the sausages first...

I measured the fat in the pot, and added a little vegetable oil until I had about 3/4 cup of fat/oil. I heated it over medium heat, then stirred in 1 cup flour. For the next 30-40 minutes, I whisked this roux pretty constantly until it was the color of coffee with just a touch of cream (Cajun-style gumbo requires a very dark brown roux). I also brought the chicken stock and shrimp stock to a boil in a seperate pot. 

 

Once I had gotten the roux the color I wanted, I added the onion, green pepper and celery and mixed well. I cooked the vegetables for about 5-7 minutes, added the garlic, cooked another couple of minutes, then added the tomato paste.

I added the simmering stock to the gumbo a ladelful at a time, whisking constantly.

I lowered the heat to medium-low and added back in the chicken thighs, simmering for about 90 minutes, until the chicken was ready to fall off the bones (which I removed). At this point, I added the andouille sausage, the okra, and the bacon, and let the gumbo cook down for another 2 hours. 

About 5 minutes before I was ready to eat, I added the shrimp, stirred, and removed the pot from the heat (the residual heat of the gumbo cooked the shrimp perfectly). Then I ladled it up over some steaming hot white rice and dug in.

Yeah, okay, Little-Miss-Manhattan-Doctor, this took all night. And a significant amount of arm strength. But it's time and effort you can taste in the deep, rich flavor of the gumbo. This. This is a dish that will warm your bones on the coldest of nights, will fill your stomach with deliciousness born of a myriad of cultures. And it might just be enough to win over a town of stubborn Southerners.

Comments

[Darin]

Wow, looks great. I want some right now.

[KrisDub]

Last Friday as you were making Gumbo, I was at Eva's Soul Food in Lakewood being told to not order the gumbo (which I very much wanted) because the portions size was more than I could eat in one sitting. I regret not getting that gumbo. Thanks for posting this recipe that I can't wait to try.

[TreasureLA]

Best poop soup I've ever had! Thanks for sharing it with me Angela. So flavorful.

[Angela]

Darin and KDub,

Next time I make it, you both get invites.

Nick,

You're the sweetest. I was happy to share.