This is where a flexible spatula really comes in handy, because you can see the cleared trails you’ve created in the pan, and know that the roux is being moved sufficiently. It’s getting there – keep stirring! Use the spatula to thoroughly scrape the roux around the span, leaving no surface untouched. Around the 15 minute mark, you’ll notice a shift in the color from beige to peanut butter.There will be only a little bit of color change, and you should definitely not have spotty color changes (which means you’re not stirring enough!). If you’re using butter, it will likely foam as the water within boils away. For the first ten minutes, there will be little activity. Place the pot over medium heat and add your fat and flour.Yes, you can break for a 30 seconds here and there, but, especially in the final stages, you have to keep the roux from resting in one spot on the hot surface, where it will singe and burn. Get ready to stir: Unlike risotto, where it’s a bit of exaggerated kitchen lore that you have to stir it continuously or the world as we know it will end, with a dark roux, you do actually have to stir it almost non-stop.Choose your fat: Although I use butter in my recipe here, you can swap in vegetable oil or bacon drippings at the same quantity.Although you can certainly use both: use the whisk at the beginning to work the flour into the fat, and switch to the spatula. While you’ll often see cooks using a whisk in videos or photos, I prefer a spatula, because later in the process, when the threat of burning becomes an issue, a spatula will more efficiently help you move the roux around the pot than a whisk. Equipment you’ll need: A heavy bottomed pot or sauce pan, and a whisk or rubber or silicone spatula.I usually make the roux the day (or weekend) before, which makes the gumbo a much faster dinner to whip up. You can absolutely make dark roux ahead of time, and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to cook up your gumbo. It’s what gives gumbo that deep, almost gravy-like, Creole-seasoned sauce that envelopes the chicken, seafood and sausage within, to create an impossibly flavorful and crave-worthy soup.įirst and foremost, it’s important to set aside 30 minutes where you can be in front of the stove without interruption. If you’re a Northerner, like me, filé might be a tough find locally, but Penzey’s carries it, both online and in-store.Īnd finally, there’s the dark roux. And it’s wicked effective in adding extra body to the gumbo. Used as a thickening agent, the ground leaves of the sassafras tree add a unique flavor that’s a fascinating cross between root beer and grassy thyme. This tasty trio creates the foundation of many Louisiana dishes, including gumbo and jambalaya. This is the Creole/Cajun version of the French mirepoix: onions, celery, and bell pepers. Wherever you land on the question of the authenticity of no okra in gumbo, I couldn’t possibly skip over the things that, according to my taste buds, makes gumbo gumbo.įirst, is the Holy Trinity. As in, should an American blogger really call their recipe “Thai”-something when traditional, tropical Thai ingredients and methods were not used in the cooking of it? Is it okay to take a recipe and retrofit it to an American kitchen and grocery store, but still call it “Thai”-something in the spirit of homage - or even just as a way to label the flavor palate of the dish?Īnyway, if you’re an aficionado of world cuisines, it’s an interesting read. It’s particularly interesting to me as a food blogger, because we’re confronted with the issue of authenticity all the time. Speaking of gumbo variations and the question of authenticity, I found this article in the NYT about that very thing. So, I unapologetically leave it out, and thicken my chicken seafood sausage gumbo with a classic dark roux and filé powder instead (more on that in a sec). And okra is traditionally used to thicken Gumbo.īut friends, I’m just not feelin’ the okra. Gumbo the soup, afterall, is thought to be named from “kombo,” another name for the okra plant, brought over from Africa. Which, in some southern households, makes this not gumbo, lol. I do want to fess up to something up front: there’s no okra in this gumbo. Creole-spiced Chicken Seafood & Sausage Gumbo with a luxurious dark roux is a delicious weekend cooking project! A thick, rich gumbo is a welcome meal any time of year, but especially in late winter, when Mardi Gras season arrives and we all crave hearty southern comfort food.
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