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Gumbo

gumbo

This is a tasty, soulful dish and it can’t be beat for warming up with on a cold winter night. I have no idea where I got this recipe, its been in my head and part of my repertoire since I can remember. Paul Prudhomme was extremely popular in the early 80’s so I imagine I picked it up from him. I have his Louisiana Kitchen Cookbook upstairs and I drag it out when I’m making Shrimp Etouffee.

If my world is on track and running right I have onions and celery in the frig and everything else in the pantry or the freezer. Then I only have to make sure I have bell peppers and okra. This recipe involves some chopping, just enough to be therapeutic, and the rest is dead simple. It is the perfect meal to prep before you leave home in the morning and when you get home that night you can have it on the table in 20 minutes. Take that Rachael Ray!

Gumbo
1 1/2 small bell peppers, diced
1 1/2 small onions, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
4 links of Bruce Aidell’s Andouille, chopped into slices
1 ham steak (I get mine from Willow Creek Farm), diced
1 can of roma tomatoes, diced
4 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
12 okras, chopped into 1/4 slices
Chicken stock
Red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons Gumbo File
Fresh or Frozen shrimp, with their shells on
1 1/2 cooked white rice
Tabasco

Sweat the onions, peppers, and celery in a large pot with some salt. Add the Andouille, ham, tomatoes, red pepper flakes. Add the chicken stock to achieve the consistency you prefer. Let this cook on medium low for 5 minutes so or until all those items heat up. Add the garlic, okra, and shrimp. Cook until the shrimp turns bright pink. Add the rice, cook a few more minutes to heat up. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the Gumbo File and as much Tabasco as you can handle, taste, add salt and pepper if necessary. Serve.

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December 4, 2006 | Filed Under beef, fish, poultry, pork, cookbook, food, gratins, stews, and stir-frys, vegetable 

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