I believe that Gumbo is the most iconic New Orleans dish (and I don't think many people would disagree with me on that one). I was so excited to have a "gumbo" lesson with Liz this afternoon. She had friends coming into town from Washington, DC and they were so eager to learn how to make "traditional" New Orleans fare--so Liz invited them (and me) to come over and learn how to make a roux based chicken, andouille and oyster gumbo.
After reading about the horrors of burning roux, and the struggles associated with getting gumbo started, I was a bit apprehensive about tackling this dish. But Liz is a great teacher, and guided us through the steps with ease. Liz is my culinary guru. She can make anyone (amateur cook, foodie etc) feel comfortable and confident in the kitchen.
Immediately Liz had her guests chopping up green bell peppers, green onions, andouille sausage etc. Liz pulled out a bunch of knives for us to work with ranging from a Japanese chefs knife (all the rage in the food world) to her grandfather's semi-rusted and slightly chipped chefs knife. In Liz's kitchen heritage meets high-tech, tradition meets fusion and expert cook works alongside apprentice...
For most of this culinary adventure, I stayed behind the camera, capturing everything on film while taking notes at the back of the kitchen.
Here is how we put the dish together (a true team effort):
Recipe for Gumbo
After reading about the horrors of burning roux, and the struggles associated with getting gumbo started, I was a bit apprehensive about tackling this dish. But Liz is a great teacher, and guided us through the steps with ease. Liz is my culinary guru. She can make anyone (amateur cook, foodie etc) feel comfortable and confident in the kitchen.
Immediately Liz had her guests chopping up green bell peppers, green onions, andouille sausage etc. Liz pulled out a bunch of knives for us to work with ranging from a Japanese chefs knife (all the rage in the food world) to her grandfather's semi-rusted and slightly chipped chefs knife. In Liz's kitchen heritage meets high-tech, tradition meets fusion and expert cook works alongside apprentice...
For most of this culinary adventure, I stayed behind the camera, capturing everything on film while taking notes at the back of the kitchen.
Here is how we put the dish together (a true team effort):
Recipe for Gumbo
Ingredients:
*1 whole chicken
*2 onions
*2 green bell peppers
*5 stalks of celery
*2 bunches of scallions
*6 smoked andouille sausages
*Olive oil
*Flour
*3 bay leaves
*1 tsp ground thyme
*2 tbs black pepper
*1 pint of oysters
Night Before:
-Place raw whole chicken in a medium-sized slow cooker/crock pot. Pour water into the slow cooker so that the chicken is submerged (about 3-4 cups of water). Cover the slow cooker and set on low heat. Let cook over night.
Day of:
Preparation:
-Take chicken out of the slow cooker and place chicken on a plate. Save the juices in the slow cooker (this will become stock for your gumbo). Pull chicken off the bone with your hands and set aside.
-Chop onions, bell peppers, and celery into equal size pieces.
-Chop 2 bunches of scallions into 1/8 inch medallions (including the white bulb and half way up the green stalk).
-Cut 6 smoked andouille sausages into quarter inch thick medallions.
Rice:
-Prepare 3 cups of white rice, and let cook while you make the roux and gumbo
The roux:
-Heat 1/2 cup of olive oil in a large soup pot on medium high heat
-Add 1/2 cup of flour to the pot (roux is made in a 1:1 fat-flour ratio), and stir until the oil and flour are well incorporated (the roux should be a butter yellow color). The roux should be the consistency of natural peanut butter. Let the roux cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes stirring occasionally (the roux will come to a simmer--don't forget to stir!).
-After about 7-10 minutes on medium heat (perhaps a bit longer) the roux will start "to roux," meaning the roux will start to toast and turn a carmel/pink color. Once the "roux-ing" process starts, stir the roux often (so that it does not burn).
-Keep stirring the roux until it begins to "stick" then add the chopped onion. (NOTE: When the roux begins to stick to itself, it gets thicker and doesn't flow as much. Essentially, when you pull your spoon across the bottom of the pot, the roux should stay for a few seconds before its settles back along the bottom of the pot. The roux should be a nice caramel color as well).
The gumbo:
-Fold the chopped onions into the roux, add 3 bay leaves (make sure the bay leaves are submerged in the hot roux) and let cook for about 3 minutes.
-Add bell peppers, celery and scallions, fold the greens into the roux/onion base. Let cook on medium heat for about 2 minutes.
-Add the juices from the chicken (about 6 cups of chicken juice in total from the slow cooker. 3-4 cups of water put in the night before, the rest from the juices of the chicken).
-Add andouille sausage
-Add two more cups of water
-Add 1 tsp of ground thyme, 2 heaping teaspoons of black pepper, and a few dashes of Tabasco
-Let gumbo cook on medium heat for 20-25 minutes.
-Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 5-10 minutes (while you prep the table for supper)
-Add 1 pint of oysters (with the brine). Let oysters poach in the gumbo for 5 minutes, then salt the gumbo to taste
Plating the Dish
-Place 1/2 a cup of rice in the bottom of a shallow soup dish
-Ladle 1 cup of gumbo overtop the rice
-add gumbo file powder (normally 1/4 teaspoon per serving) and tabasco sauce to taste.
The beginning of the roux:
The butter yellow incorporated roux (1 part olive oil, one part flour):
The roux is beginning "to roux" or toast (note pink/caramel color on the bottom of pot):
Keep stirring the roux as it turns a nice toasted caramel color"
Once the roux "sticks," add onions:
Add greens, andouille and chicken:
Add two cups water:
Let simmer for 20-25 minutes (sausage floats to the top):
Once you've poached the oysters, plate and enjoy!!
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