| New Orleans Food
Posted: 3/28/2008 10:17:16 AM | Hope this helps-you must send samples upon completion -lol
Cheater’s Version: - from memory
This is a “tweaked” version which by the time I am thru, it is not a true cheat, but it is a lot faster.
General Notice:
When using Meats, i.e chicken, sausage, andouille, wild game, tasso, etc.,
brown meat first.
When using seafood, put it in when you have the liquid at about 10 min or so from being DONE….if Shrimp, when it turns lite pink, it’s done.
Other cheating seafood options:
Canned white crab meat, canned salmon meat, canned oysters, a couple of king-crab legs for flavor.
To start, drink a beer and
Put a small amount of oil ( 2-3 tablespoons, preferably in black pot, or real heavy pot.
Brown meat…I like to sprinkle a “little” sugar on mine as it gives it a candied effect.
When done, take out and put aside.
Put in all your cut up vegetables…onions, garlic, celery, bell pepper (prettier if you use multiple colors), green onions and sauté in a low fire….add meat.
Then I add my gumbo mix per instructions .( I like Oakgrove Smokehouse best) and season liquid to taste ( I use some of the Cajun Spices), knowing that it will start out slightly watery and you will cook it down. Drink another beer.
I then add a couple of tablespoons of ready-made, either home-made or store-bought roux (Savoie is my favorite)….a couple of table spoons (usually this is OK with a one-pack of mix will provide.)
which I rub onto the sides of the pot and allow it to mix as I turn liquid.
Cook it down to desired thickness.
Drink another beer.
I like to serve hot buttered, garlic, French bread and white rice.
IT IS NOT rice and gravy, it is Gumbo with some rice.
If you want to add Okra, You can….add with vegetables.
The ingredients of Gumbo usually reflect what’s available in the area.
i.e the coast will do seafood, inland will do meats, country folks will do more game.
Full recipe:
Start by making a roux…equal amounts of oil and flour, cook over low to mid-low fire until you have done it a few times. Stir constantly, DO NOT BURN, or you’ll have to start over. Get to desired color…South Louisiana normally likes it dark brown, while NOLA likes it mid brown. Don’t forget the beer.
Put in all your cut up vegetables…onions, garlic, celery, bell pepper (prettier if you use multiple colors), green onions and sauté in a low fire until soft/transluscent….add previously browned meat
Add water, season to taste…cook down to desired thickness.
Ingredients List: This can be adjusted to personal taste i.e. more/ less onions
Chicken and sausage:
Chicken about 2 lbs (cut it up, or buy it cut, or boil and debone…if you do the later, save the broth as liquid.
Sausage: 1 ½ pound cut up in 3/4 inch chunks.
½ cup oil
½ cup flour
2 1/2cups chopped Yellow or Red Onions (2 nice size onions)
1- 1 1/2 clove minced Garlic
1/3 cup Celery
1/2 cup Green onions
1/3 cup parsley
1 ½ cup chopped Green pepper (or divide between colors)
If you want file gumbo added, do so AFTER it is finished cooking and fire is OFF so it does not become stringy….or add it to the individual servings.(better and strongly suggested)
About 6 – 8 cups cups of liquid, water or water/broth and allow to cookdown.
I like to put 1/3 of the parsley AFTER it is finished cooking the other 2/3 I put in with vegatables....some people put it all with vegetables..OK
When using seafood, put it in when you have the liquid at about 10 min or so from being DONE….use Shrimp to tell, when they turn lite pink, it’s done.
DO NOT OVERCOOK SEAFOOD-DO NOT FORGET THE BEER
Feel free to ask
raul@thecajunstore.com | |
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