Gumbo Methodology

Now that I live in the frozen, yet unsnowy north, I have to make gumbo if I want it. I learned this lesson in New Jersey, where I would see gumbo on the menu and foolishly order it. People seem to think it's the same thing as soup. And while soup is good, it serves a different purpose than gumbo. I've been making versions of this since late 2006, and I like my way because it's more of a method than a recipe. I use it to clear out the fridge of vegetables on the edge.

Traditionalists would be appalled, but I don't much care. To my thinking, gumbo really only requires a few elements to be legitimate: roux, either okra or file, and the trinity of celery, onion, and green pepper. Everything else is negotiable. I also use an unconventional method to make roux, stolen from Alton Brown. He makes it in the oven to prevent burning, which I think is genius. It takes longer, but is foolproof.

The gumbo method is: make roux, cook vegetables in roux, add liquid, add meat, finish with a secondary thickener. There are many varieties, including a tomato based version, and versions without meat. There's a lot of room to play around. Just remember, if someone serves you a gumbo that isn't thickened, then they're cheating.

Ingredients:

Roux:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup fat (oil or melted butter, your choice)

Vegetables:
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
Other random vegetables (greens are an excellent choice, but you can use anything)
Creole seasoning
Thyme
1 quart chicken stock

Meat (any or all, or none, as you prefer):
1 chopped chicken breast
2 links andouille
1 lb shrimp

Secondary Thickener:
1/2 lb sliced okra OR 1 tablespoon file powder (never both)

Directions:

To make the roux, whisk together the flour and fat in an oven safe pot. Bake in an oven at 350 for 1 to 1.5 hours, stirring once every 30 minutes. Color is the most important thing here, it should have a walnuty color or darker. You may need longer to achieve it.

Once the roux is done, move the pot to the stove on medium heat. Add your vegetables and stir them. Stir in creole seasoning and thyme to taste. It shouldn't be very spicy, but have a lot of flavor. Cook vegetables and seasoning for a few minutes, until the onions are soft. Add the chicken stock and stir. Once it boils, reduce heat to a simmer.

If you're using chicken or sausage, brown those meats in a separate pan and add them to the pot. That keeps the gumbo from getting greasy. If you're using shrimp, add them 15-20 minutes before you plan to serve your gumbo.

If using okra, add it now. You'll need to cook your gumbo for at least an hour after this, until the okra is no longer slimy.

If using file, stir in 1 tablespoon 15 minutes before serving.

Serve over rice, with hot sauce on the side. Crystal is best, but Tabasco is usually all that's available. The texture should be somewhere between soup and gravy.