Gumbo
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Arborealus
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Arborealus
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Duck, Tasso and Sausage Gumbo
1 Duck cut into 8 serving pieces
1.5lbs Mild Pork Sausage (1/2 Pond sliced very thinly, 1 Pound Cut on bias into 2-3 inch pieces)
1lb Tasso Thinly sliced (Tasso is a very spicy lean smoked pork sub 1lb spicy pork sausage or Andouille if you can't get Tasso)
1 Lg White Onion chopped finely
2-3 ribs Celery chopped finely
1 Lg Bell Pepper chopped finely
1/2 Cup Green Onions chopped finely
1/2 Cup Parseley chopped finely
1 Gallon Water
4-5 tbsp Dark Brown Roux*
(Basically equal parts oil and flour browned on high heat until it is a dark chocolate brown. Practice rouxs a lot before ya do one for real...and under cooked Roux or a burnt one will yield something more or less exactly wrong. Gumbos need Dark brown rouxs.)
Salt
Pepper
Gumbo File' (Powdered Sassafras Leaves)
Tabasco Sauce
In a large cast iron dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot clarify the white onion in the oil. Once they clear add Water, Celery, and Bell Pepper and bring to a boil. Once boiling stir in the roux. Let boil about 15 min then Add Duck, the 1/2 pound of thinly sliced mild Sausage and Tasso and let it come back to a boil then reduce to a medium heat and cook about and hour add the rest of the sausage, green onions and parsley. Continue on medium heat until duck is done and the consistency is thick but not coating a spoon (about half an hour). Drop heat to minimal
(stop the boiling) and Ladle off excess grease. Salt, Pepper, File' and Tabasco to taste (easy on the last 2, this shouldn't be terribly spicy hot). Serve in soup bowl over rice with File' and Tabasco on the side.
*(Basically equal parts oil and flour browned on high heat until it is a dark chocolate brown. Practice rouxs a lot before ya do one for real...an under cooked Roux or a burnt one will yield something more or less exactly wrong. Gumbos need dark brown rouxs.)
Seafood Gumbos follow basically the same process but use a bit less water initially (3 quarts) reduce less and you won't add the seafood until the last 15 minutes or so (Rubbery is bad!) I also highly recommend replacing 1 quart with fish stock. Typically In a Seafood Gumbo we'll use Shrimp, Oysters (out of shell), Crabmeat, Crawfish, Any sort of fish meat.
1 Duck cut into 8 serving pieces
1.5lbs Mild Pork Sausage (1/2 Pond sliced very thinly, 1 Pound Cut on bias into 2-3 inch pieces)
1lb Tasso Thinly sliced (Tasso is a very spicy lean smoked pork sub 1lb spicy pork sausage or Andouille if you can't get Tasso)
1 Lg White Onion chopped finely
2-3 ribs Celery chopped finely
1 Lg Bell Pepper chopped finely
1/2 Cup Green Onions chopped finely
1/2 Cup Parseley chopped finely
1 Gallon Water
4-5 tbsp Dark Brown Roux*
(Basically equal parts oil and flour browned on high heat until it is a dark chocolate brown. Practice rouxs a lot before ya do one for real...and under cooked Roux or a burnt one will yield something more or less exactly wrong. Gumbos need Dark brown rouxs.)
Salt
Pepper
Gumbo File' (Powdered Sassafras Leaves)
Tabasco Sauce
In a large cast iron dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot clarify the white onion in the oil. Once they clear add Water, Celery, and Bell Pepper and bring to a boil. Once boiling stir in the roux. Let boil about 15 min then Add Duck, the 1/2 pound of thinly sliced mild Sausage and Tasso and let it come back to a boil then reduce to a medium heat and cook about and hour add the rest of the sausage, green onions and parsley. Continue on medium heat until duck is done and the consistency is thick but not coating a spoon (about half an hour). Drop heat to minimal
(stop the boiling) and Ladle off excess grease. Salt, Pepper, File' and Tabasco to taste (easy on the last 2, this shouldn't be terribly spicy hot). Serve in soup bowl over rice with File' and Tabasco on the side.
*(Basically equal parts oil and flour browned on high heat until it is a dark chocolate brown. Practice rouxs a lot before ya do one for real...an under cooked Roux or a burnt one will yield something more or less exactly wrong. Gumbos need dark brown rouxs.)
Seafood Gumbos follow basically the same process but use a bit less water initially (3 quarts) reduce less and you won't add the seafood until the last 15 minutes or so (Rubbery is bad!) I also highly recommend replacing 1 quart with fish stock. Typically In a Seafood Gumbo we'll use Shrimp, Oysters (out of shell), Crabmeat, Crawfish, Any sort of fish meat.
http://www.cajungrocer.com This place is great decent shipping. Unfortuantly I don't live in Louisiana any more so I have to get most of my stuff from them.
Hehe, anyone that can reccomend a good webpage for cajun recipes?
Live in Denmark, and we got exactly 0 cajun restaurants, and of course no shops seems to be geared for cajun food, but it should be possible to find the individual ingredients if i go spend some time looking.
Live in Denmark, and we got exactly 0 cajun restaurants, and of course no shops seems to be geared for cajun food, but it should be possible to find the individual ingredients if i go spend some time looking.
"Terrorism is the war of the poor, and war is the terrorism of the rich"
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Xatrei
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- Location: Boringham, AL
Check out http://www.gumbopages.com/recipe-page.html Hesten.
"When I was a kid, my father told me, 'Never hit anyone in anger, unless you're absolutely sure you can get away with it.'" - Russel Ziskey
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Arborealus
- Way too much time!
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- Joined: September 21, 2002, 5:36 am
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http://www.jfolse.com/findrecipe.htm
Also a good source for cajun, creole and other fairly common Louisiana recipes...
Also a good source for cajun, creole and other fairly common Louisiana recipes...
wow I just made gumbo two days ago and it came out excellent. Here's my own recipe, adapted from Paul Prudhomme's original gumbo recipe.
All measures are approximate as I never accurately measure any ingredients.
2-3 lbs chicken, shrimp, crawfish, or smoked sausage
2 tbsp salt
2 tsp ground red pepper
one medium onion, finely chopped
one green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 c vegetable oil
1 c all-purpose flour
1 lb fresh okra sliced 1/4"
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped green onion (tops only)
I used 1 lb crawfish tails and 1 lb pork and venison smoked sausage.
Roux
Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a saucepan over high heat for 3-4 minutes until the oil is just short of smoking. Gradually add flour, stirring briskly with a long handled wooden spoon or whisk. Roux is very hot at this stage and sticks to skin, take extreme care to not get any on you while stirring. Continue cooking and stirring until the roux is medium red-brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn heat to low and continue stirring till roux is dark red-brown. Remove from heat and add in half the chopped onions and the chopped bell pepper. Continue stirring till well mixed and set aside.
Gumbo
In a large saucepan combine remaining oil with remaining onions, okra, tomatoes, 1 tbsp salt and red pepper. Cook over high heat, stirring continuously for 10-15 minutes until sticking on pan bottom is excessive. Add 1/2 cup water and scrape pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen stuck on goodness. Add 1 quart water and stir until all burned on bits are dissolved. Bring mixture to boil, then add roux mixture by spoonfuls, ensuring roux is dissolved before adding more. Add 1 to 2 quarts additional water, meat, garlic, green onion, and remaining salt, bring to boil, then turn to low and simmer for an hour. Serve over freshly prepared white rice.
All measures are approximate as I never accurately measure any ingredients.
2-3 lbs chicken, shrimp, crawfish, or smoked sausage
2 tbsp salt
2 tsp ground red pepper
one medium onion, finely chopped
one green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 c vegetable oil
1 c all-purpose flour
1 lb fresh okra sliced 1/4"
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped green onion (tops only)
I used 1 lb crawfish tails and 1 lb pork and venison smoked sausage.
Roux
Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a saucepan over high heat for 3-4 minutes until the oil is just short of smoking. Gradually add flour, stirring briskly with a long handled wooden spoon or whisk. Roux is very hot at this stage and sticks to skin, take extreme care to not get any on you while stirring. Continue cooking and stirring until the roux is medium red-brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn heat to low and continue stirring till roux is dark red-brown. Remove from heat and add in half the chopped onions and the chopped bell pepper. Continue stirring till well mixed and set aside.
Gumbo
In a large saucepan combine remaining oil with remaining onions, okra, tomatoes, 1 tbsp salt and red pepper. Cook over high heat, stirring continuously for 10-15 minutes until sticking on pan bottom is excessive. Add 1/2 cup water and scrape pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen stuck on goodness. Add 1 quart water and stir until all burned on bits are dissolved. Bring mixture to boil, then add roux mixture by spoonfuls, ensuring roux is dissolved before adding more. Add 1 to 2 quarts additional water, meat, garlic, green onion, and remaining salt, bring to boil, then turn to low and simmer for an hour. Serve over freshly prepared white rice.
This is a recipe I've been using for years. It's my modified version of the cafe du monde's (in Nawlins). It takes forever and a day to make but it's well worth it. If you're looking for a quick gumbo, look elsewhere. If you have about 3-4 hours to kill and you want one mean gumbo, here ya go:
FOR THE STOCK:
8 quarts cold water
a whole chicken, cut up
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery with tops, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 heads garlic, cut in half horizontally
Optional:
1 teaspoon or so black peppercorns, cracked
A few parsley stems
1 bayleaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
Put the chicken in the stockpot with the water and bring slowly to a simmer. Periodically skim off any scum that forms, and if you wish use a skimmer to skim off the fat. Let this simmer for at least three, or preferably four hours. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery and optional ingredients. Simmer for one more hour. Remember that during the simmering process, it's best not to stir the stock. Once done, strain thoroughly; the best way to do this is to ladle the stock out and pour it through a strainer which has been lined with a couple of layers of damp cheesecloth.
If you're using the stock immediately, skim off as much fat as you can with a fat skimmer or a piece of paper towel, otherwise cool the stock right away by placing the container into an ice-water-filled sink, stirring to bring the hot liquid from the center to the sides of the container. Don't just put hot stock in the refrigerator - make sure that it cools first. To defat the stock easily, refrigerate so that the fat solidifies on the surface, then skim off.
Makes about 5 quarts of stock.
FOR THE ROUX:
1-1/4 cups flour
1 cup oil
Blend thoroughly in a thick skillet and cook over medium-high to high heat, stirring CONSTANTLY. BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO BURN IT!! If you see black specks in the roux, you've screwed it up. Dump it out and start over. Keep cooking and stirring until the roux gets darker and darker. This will take anywhere from 20-45 minutes, depending on the quality of the pot you're using.
New Orleans people tend to like a blond or peanut butter colored roux, so feel free to make it that way if you like. Cajuns tend to like it dark, and so do I -- if you feel comfortable that you won't burn the roux, cook it until it's a dark, reddish-brown, almost but not quite as dark as milk chocolate. The roux, when finished, almost smells like roasted coffee ...
If you prefer a blond or medium roux, cut down on the amount of roux you use; dark roux does not have as much thickening effect since the starch is so thoroughy cooked.
You should turn the fire down or off as the roux nears the right color, because the heat from the pan will continue cooking it. You can also add your onions, bell peppers and celery to the roux as it's near the end of cooking to arrest the cooking process and to soften the vegetables (this is the way I like to do it). KEEP STIRRING until the roux is relatively cool. Add the roux to the stock.
Don't let any splatter on you, or you'll get a nasty burn. Stir carefully.
If you don't have a heavy enough pan, or if you're nervous about cooking roux at high heat, remember that a dark Cajun-style roux will take about an hour of constant stirring at low heat, so if you're pressed for time, a nice blond Creole-style roux will still do nicely, and will take about half the time. Also remember that the roux can be prepared in advance, and refrigerated or frozen. With a little practice, you'll get good at it.
FOR THE REST:
1 chicken, cut up
1 to 1-1/2 pounds andouille sausage, sliced about 1/4" thick on the bias (you can substitute hot or mild smoked sausage if you can't find any andouille), browned
4 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 pounds okra, sliced (leave out if you don't like okra, but be sure to add filé at the end if you leave out the okra)
2 onions, chopped
1 bunch green onions with tops, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
5 ribs celery, chopped
several cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
Creole seasoning to taste, OR
black, white and cayenne peppers, to taste
Salt to taste
Few dashes Tabasco, or to taste.
1 - 2 tablespoons filé powder (ONLY IF YOU DON'T USE OKRA!)
Steaming hot long-grain rice
HOOKERWHORESLUT the chicken pieces with Creole seasoning and brown in the oven. Slice the sausage and brown, pouring off all the fat (especially if you're using fresh Creole hot sausage).
Sauté the onions, green onions, bell pepper and celery if you haven't already added them to the roux, and add to the stock. Add the chicken and sausage(s). Add the bay leaves and Creole seasoning (or ground peppers) to taste and stir. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer; let simmer for about 45 minutes. Keep tasting and adjusting seasonings as needed.
Add the okra and cook another 30 minutes or so. Add the parsley and cook for another 15 minutes. If there is any fat on the surface of the gumbo, try to skim off as much of it as possible.
FOR THE STOCK:
8 quarts cold water
a whole chicken, cut up
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery with tops, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 heads garlic, cut in half horizontally
Optional:
1 teaspoon or so black peppercorns, cracked
A few parsley stems
1 bayleaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
Put the chicken in the stockpot with the water and bring slowly to a simmer. Periodically skim off any scum that forms, and if you wish use a skimmer to skim off the fat. Let this simmer for at least three, or preferably four hours. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery and optional ingredients. Simmer for one more hour. Remember that during the simmering process, it's best not to stir the stock. Once done, strain thoroughly; the best way to do this is to ladle the stock out and pour it through a strainer which has been lined with a couple of layers of damp cheesecloth.
If you're using the stock immediately, skim off as much fat as you can with a fat skimmer or a piece of paper towel, otherwise cool the stock right away by placing the container into an ice-water-filled sink, stirring to bring the hot liquid from the center to the sides of the container. Don't just put hot stock in the refrigerator - make sure that it cools first. To defat the stock easily, refrigerate so that the fat solidifies on the surface, then skim off.
Makes about 5 quarts of stock.
FOR THE ROUX:
1-1/4 cups flour
1 cup oil
Blend thoroughly in a thick skillet and cook over medium-high to high heat, stirring CONSTANTLY. BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO BURN IT!! If you see black specks in the roux, you've screwed it up. Dump it out and start over. Keep cooking and stirring until the roux gets darker and darker. This will take anywhere from 20-45 minutes, depending on the quality of the pot you're using.
New Orleans people tend to like a blond or peanut butter colored roux, so feel free to make it that way if you like. Cajuns tend to like it dark, and so do I -- if you feel comfortable that you won't burn the roux, cook it until it's a dark, reddish-brown, almost but not quite as dark as milk chocolate. The roux, when finished, almost smells like roasted coffee ...
If you prefer a blond or medium roux, cut down on the amount of roux you use; dark roux does not have as much thickening effect since the starch is so thoroughy cooked.
You should turn the fire down or off as the roux nears the right color, because the heat from the pan will continue cooking it. You can also add your onions, bell peppers and celery to the roux as it's near the end of cooking to arrest the cooking process and to soften the vegetables (this is the way I like to do it). KEEP STIRRING until the roux is relatively cool. Add the roux to the stock.
Don't let any splatter on you, or you'll get a nasty burn. Stir carefully.
If you don't have a heavy enough pan, or if you're nervous about cooking roux at high heat, remember that a dark Cajun-style roux will take about an hour of constant stirring at low heat, so if you're pressed for time, a nice blond Creole-style roux will still do nicely, and will take about half the time. Also remember that the roux can be prepared in advance, and refrigerated or frozen. With a little practice, you'll get good at it.
FOR THE REST:
1 chicken, cut up
1 to 1-1/2 pounds andouille sausage, sliced about 1/4" thick on the bias (you can substitute hot or mild smoked sausage if you can't find any andouille), browned
4 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 pounds okra, sliced (leave out if you don't like okra, but be sure to add filé at the end if you leave out the okra)
2 onions, chopped
1 bunch green onions with tops, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
5 ribs celery, chopped
several cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
Creole seasoning to taste, OR
black, white and cayenne peppers, to taste
Salt to taste
Few dashes Tabasco, or to taste.
1 - 2 tablespoons filé powder (ONLY IF YOU DON'T USE OKRA!)
Steaming hot long-grain rice
HOOKERWHORESLUT the chicken pieces with Creole seasoning and brown in the oven. Slice the sausage and brown, pouring off all the fat (especially if you're using fresh Creole hot sausage).
Sauté the onions, green onions, bell pepper and celery if you haven't already added them to the roux, and add to the stock. Add the chicken and sausage(s). Add the bay leaves and Creole seasoning (or ground peppers) to taste and stir. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer; let simmer for about 45 minutes. Keep tasting and adjusting seasonings as needed.
Add the okra and cook another 30 minutes or so. Add the parsley and cook for another 15 minutes. If there is any fat on the surface of the gumbo, try to skim off as much of it as possible.
Laneela
You may take our lives, but you will never take our trousers!
You may take our lives, but you will never take our trousers!
I should be able to track down some Tasso, but Trader Joe's has decent andouille.