Gumbo

By shethinksshecancook

Is it possible to make authentic gumbo in less than two hours?

This was the burning question I asked myself yesterday as I rode the bus from work, home. A massive blowout at the fish markets a day earlier had left me with quite the collection of seafood, and as if by fate - a single smoked chorizo. It was almost as if it was my destiny to make gumbo that night, however it was already 5pm by this point and as any of you who know gumbo, know… That, is fuck all time. So I set myself a challenge to come up with an authentic gumbo recipe that took less than 2 hours to make - and delivered, with half an hour to spare!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Duck / Bacon Fat
• 2 tbsp Plain Flour
• 1 Green Pepper (Capsicum)
• 1 Large Brown Onion
• 1 Stick Celery
• 4 Cloves Garlic - all pulsed in a food processor until very finely chopped
• Sea Salt & Pepper
• 1 Smoked Chorizo, thinly sliced
• 1 Litre Prawn / Crab / Fish Stock
• 2 tsp Hot Sauce
• 1 tsp Cajun Seasoning
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 3 Sprigs Thyme, stripped
• 400 g Tin Chopped Tomatoes
• 1 Cup Passata / Tomato Sauce (Purée)
• 4 Chicken Drumsticks, skin off
• 10 Pods Okra, chopped into chunks
• 10 Prawns, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 kg Cleaned Black Mussels
• 200 g Drained Potted Crab
• 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 Cups Long Grain Rice
• 2 tbsp Italian Parsley, finely chopped

Preparation

Step 1

The first step is to make a roux, equal parts animal fat and flour, which is then cooked until turned a deep mahogany brown. This not only gives colour and flavour, but also acts as a thickener which cuts down on cooking time! Other times I have made gumbo I've rendered the fat from bacon - as you can imagine that the flavour this gives is phenomenal - however aiming to be quick, this time around I bought a small tub of commercially prepared duck fat instead.

Melt the fat in a large stock pot or pan over a medium heat and when it starts to sizzle whisk in the flour. You will need to constantly whisk / watch the roux which can very easily burn. It will take roughly 10-15 minutes to turn a rich shade of brown, with the Southern Mamas who make this using the colour of their skin as a guide. Being of a pastier pallor, I removed mine from the heat when it resembled melted chocolate.

The next step is to add the holy trinity, the Louisianan's take on the french mirepoix - onion, bell pepper and celery. These too give flavour and are the base for many dishes in cajun / creole cuisine. These are pulsed in a processor along with some garlic until very finely chopped, then added to the darkened roux along with some salt and pepper to simmer and soften for 10-15 minutes until you have an unattractive looking yet totally authentic and amazing brown sludge!

Next add the chorizo, then the stock and bring to the boil. Add all of the seasonings - hot sauce, cajun spice, sugar, bay leaves, thyme, tinned tomatoes and passata. Turn the heat down to medium-low and allow to bubble gently and simmer. In a non-stick fry pan with a little extra oil / fat, brown off the chicken drumsticks and add to the pot, then in the same pan sauté the okra before also adding to the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Some people dislike okra but it plays a very important role here. As you were chopping it you may have noticed that it oozed a slightly sticky sap, that some people find unappealing and compare to slime. This is what is going to cook out into the gumbo and help to thicken it up - green beans instead just won't do. If Okra is out of season the Louisianan's substitute it with filé powder - the ground up leaves of the sassafras tree - which seasons and thickens, though I've heard it's virtually non-existent in the UK and very hard to come by in AU.

Next add the prawns, mussels, worcestershire sauce and crab and simmer for a final 30 minutes. During this time you can cook your rice - I find the absorption method gives the best results. Rinse 2 cups of grains in cold water and add to a small, lidded pan. Pour over 600ml water and bring to the boil. Immediately cover with a tight lid, turn the heat down to absolute low, and simmer for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to stand and steam for 10 more minutes. Do not remove pot lid at any point during this time.

Before serving gumbo, remove bay leaves and pull any remaining chicken meat from the almost-bare bones. Spoon over your steamed rice, and garnish with finely chopped parsley and / or extra thyme.