FistFullaRoux

And I just reminded myself of something. You can make roux in a microwave. It takes between 6-8 minutes, more or less, depending on your nuker. If you don't walk away, and stir it every minute or so, you can have a decent roux. Just a warning for those wanting to try this. It goes from light brown to burnt in about 30 seconds. You have to watch closely. Use a pyrex dish, and have the mise ready just like the other version. Again, the only thing that will stop the cooking process of the roux is the addition of lots of liquid. Today, I am sick as a dog, and gumbo sounds like it would hit the spot, but I can't stand over a pot for 30 minutes. I may try the microwave version.

Regarding tomatoes in gumbo. It's not usually done in the Cajun tradition, but it is sometimes done in Nawlins. Actually, if you added more tomatoes, some peas, and got really aggressive with the spices, you really have a sauce piquant. Which is a different thread. Tasty, but different. It's served more like a gravy over rice. Before anyone gets any bright ideas, ahem - There is no okra in sauce piquante. Repeat. No okra in sauce piquant. It's not an option, and I've never ever ever seen it done. Anywhwere. The roux rules. Versatile stuff, this.

carbquick bake mix. Oy. Italian sausage. Double oy. Whatever floats yer boat, cuz. If you like it, more power to ya. If you don't, you can't say you don't like gumbo, because you stretched the boundaries of what could be called roux, therefore completely missing the essence of the dish.

On the riverwalk, if you just want a quick bite while wandering, the Hilton has a small cafe downstairs, right on the riverwalk. The best tortilla soup I have ever had. Let me say that again. Hands down, the best tortilla soup I ever had. When you get tired of walking, have a seat, a cup of soup and a beverage. Life is good. It will get you through the rest of the day. Also, in the mall, there is (was) a marble slab ice cream type of operation in a small stand on the (I think) 2nd floor. Amazing cinnamon ice cream. I got bananas in mine. Super stuff.

Patrick Mould's "From A Chef" is a pretty good one. Tony Chachere's "Cajun Cookbook" covers a lot of ground, including how to make your own file' And you really can't go wrong with Marcelle Bienvenue's books. And as Brooks mentioned, any of the little old lady/Junior League/church group's books you run across will have good things in them. The recipes in those aren't so stringently tested, though. I've learned to always try them before you serve those recipes to guests.

Cast iron is fine. There isn't that much splattering, but there will be some steam. And it won't stick. It's half oil. You would be heating the teflon to something like 350-400 degrees, which I believe teflon can handle. Baking pans with teflon go to 450+. And it browns just fine in the teflon. I use it. Use a wooden spatula - I can't emphasise how much you want to use a wooden utensil, or at least metal with a non-conductive handle. Otherwise you have a 350 degree peice of metal in your hand at the end of it. I like to use a whisk when adding the liquid after the trinity is added. I think it distributes the roux more evenly, removing any chance at lumps. But that's only after the liquid has been added.

There ya go. I should have explained it like that. It's a leap i made years ago, I just assumed that everyone else knew that too.... whoops.

How 'bout right here: Roux ← Holeey smokes! Just when I thought all the bases had been covered (and finely summarized, thanks to Chris), I look at that CajunGrocer web page and find a Cajun-style roux offered...in addition to "Old-Fashioned" dark roux, light roux, and a couple of "instant" roux. (Aren't these all supposed to be "instant"?) Folks in the know, what exactly would a Cajun-style roux be, if not a traditional roux? What color is it likely to be? And BTW, what would be more instant about the instant roux than the other jarred roux? Not that I'm planning to buy roux; I'm looking forward to living dangerously soon. Let's see...dog asleep, cats drugged, it might work. ← Instant rouxs are cooked flour without the addition of oil. They work, but I don't care for them. The difference between Cajun Style and Dark Roux is that the dark roux is darker. Same stuff, just not cooked as long as the dark. Add any of these products at room temperature to boiling water/stock/etc.

Organ meant, no. There are other uses for them. You wouldn't necessarily make Liver Au Vin, would you? If you want the Cajun version of an organ meat dish, try just browning them off, then deglaze with a little onion and a very little chicken stock or water to make a gravy. Serve., like everything else, over rice. This is Rice and Gravy, which may just rival gumbo for it's popularity. Rice and gravy can be made with anything that will brown in a pan. Edited to say - I just re-read the question. You can add chicken liver and gizzards to gumbos, yes, it is done, and they are good. My bad. You could do duck as well, but I wouldn't attempt foie gras in gumbo. I read that as calve's liver, etc. In general, beef/veal or pork are only added to gumbo in the form of sausage.

Yours is right, with the emphasis on the second syllable.

You could always do the beans on the side. Pintos and black beans would be good choices. Don't forget the cornbread. You can incorporate some whole kernal corn into it as well.

To recap and just to clarify, there are different types of gumbo, just like there are different kinds of chocolate. They are similar, but they taste different, and are usually prepared differently. Most gumbos (in south Louisiana) are served with French bread, potato salad, and hot white rice. Okra - What many people think is the traditional gumbo, it is made with okra at the heart of it, giving the dish it's flavor and texture. It is a more delicate flavor. Shrimp and chicken, either one with sausage, are the most common meat components. It gives a light green to gray result, with a thickened stock that is more like a stew, having a lot of vegetable material cooked down in it. It's a lighter dish than the other versions and does not include the use of file'. Roux based - This is the preference of a lot of people. The roux itself can be anywhere from the light side of medium to a stunningly dark. As the roux darkens, it creates more of a caramalized or even burnt flavor. The darker the roux, the more bitter it is. The bitterness is usually balanced out with the rest of the ingredients, so be careful. When in doubt, go for a lighter roux. We've covered the color stages. A roux based gumbo can contain nearly anything - wild birds, turkey, chicken, fresh or smoked sausage, small wild game (rabbits and even squirrel), crabs, shrimp, and greens. Some people either poach an egg in the liquid, or drop in a previously hard boiled egg to let it soak up some of the goodness of a roux based gumbo. The egg does not add to the flavor of the dish, it serves to give another protien source, or something to eat the stock with, if the meat has been picked out - a rather common occurrence. File' is sometimes added at the table. Handling leftovers - If you are lucky, you will have some left. Gumbo is even better the next day, providing you follow a few guidelines. Store the rice and stock seperately, otherwise you get a gummy mess. I've found the best reheating method to be the microwave, especially with dark rouxs. They tend to burn without really careful supervision of the reheating process. The gumbo will be thicker after a rest in the fridge, but resist the urge to add water. When it heats up, it should return to where it was the day before. The rice can be reheated in the gumbo itself, if you are microwaving single serving. Otherwise, the rice alone can be reheated in the microwave after dripping a tablespoon of water over it. It can also be steamed to renew it. Gumbo, whether okra or roux, is probably the preferred comfort food for most Cajuns. For that reason, feelings run strong about it. More than regional differences, family traditions and personal taste dictate how and when the gumbo is made, and what the cook puts in it. The only things that okra and roux gumbos have in common are the rice, the trinity, and the pot they are cooked in. I too have been a bit of a fearmonger regarding rouxs. They are dangerous, but no more than frying chicken or handling a pizza stone. If you are careful, you should be fine. But you must be careful, and be sure you have everything ready for the second the roux gets to the proper stage. The roux waits for no one, and cannot be reversed. Also, if you take the same basic roux based recipe, and adjust the seasonings for a lot less water, that same technique makes a wonderful stew, also served over rice - no file'. That stew can be made with beef tips, meatballs, chicken, shrimp, or even just eggs. You may want to go with a lighter roux, since the roux's flavor is more pronounced in the stew version. In my family, it was called fricasse (but pronounced free-KAH-say). I really do hope everyone gives this a try.

Sure. You will have to let it completely cool to room temp (it takes a while), but it can be stored in a plastic bag, but only once completely cooled. Once it is cool/cold, it can be added to the boiling broth, a little at a time, until you get a good consistency.

Mr Folse isn't from Lafayette. He's in the Patterson/Donalsonville area, sort of between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, or a little south of there. He's in a swampier area than where I grew up. He's also closer to New Orleans than Lafayette.

Just like you wouldn't add cornstarch to a roux, okra is a thickening ingredient. Stewed down properly, the sliminess is supposed to turn into thickening, but I don't normally give it a chance to. Roux and okra is overkill. File' is only used on roux based gumbos (hence, not okra). It is not added to the pot, but served at the table so each diner may season his/her dish to his/her own tastes. I rarely use the stuff. I aim for the simple heart of the brew.

No worries, Sieur Perleaux. Your looks pretty darn good. And I don't have anything against the jarred roux either. I make it myself, because I usually have the time, and I don't have little ones tangled at my feet. I can ignore the phone and the doorbell, and I always remember to make a pit stop and grab a smoke before I get started. And roux is highly dangerous stuff to have around tender skin, whether your own or your offspring's. Be very very careful when dealing with this napalm. And don't let your guard down when you are adding anything wet, say... vegetables into this roux. It will spit and splash and steam, and it will not settle down until the liquid is completly added, and the bottom of the pot is scraped.

I'm torn between being authentic and honoring the spirit of the dish. At it's basis, it's the same as most other peasant food around the world. it's cheap and easy, and it feeds a lot of people. On the other hand, it's authenticity is something to be honored. I find it hard not to get all huffy about it. Mea Culpa. It's not so much that there are huge geographical differences, but the ingredient combos do vary from family to family. For example, probably half of the gumbos I've ever had included fresh sausage. But I wouldn't put fresh sausage in an okra gumbo. My grandmother and grandfather lived in Cutoff and Golden Meadow (south of New Orleans) when they were first married. They returned to Vemilion Parish in the mid 50's, so I'm not sure if mine is so "authentic" to Vermilion Parish, now that I think about it. When I was growing up, okra gumbo was more often than not made with chicken, but sometimes with shrimp, if there was some in the freezer. The freezer plays a huge role in the gumbo continuum. Seafood gumbos are made with a lighter roux because it becomes more like a bisque. Crabs are cleaned, but usually left in the shell, meaning you get to make a mess while eating it, but it's OK - everyone else is doing it too. Shrimp are headed, peeled and deviened. Chicken gumbos can be made with okra or a medium to dark roux. Sausage, smoked or not, can be added. With fresh sausage, you want to render out at least some of the fat, so parcooking it seperately is an option. And before anyone even suggests it, don't insult crawfish by putting them in gumbo. It don't work that way, never has. Crawfish stays on it's own, not mixed up with other ingredients and overpowered by a dark roux. Just like you wouldn't mix Beluga caviar with ranch dressing. They are different things. My all time, best bet, 100% favorite is the good ol chicken and sausage gumbo. Medium dark roux (the color of a pecan shell), a fryer/broiler, smoked sausage, green onions, the trinity (2 parts onion, 1 part bell pepper, 1 part celery), water, cayenne pepper and salt are the only ingredients. Served over hot white rice, maybe a little French bread (carbs be damned), and a thoroughly chilled, very basic mustard potato salad on the side. That's home, friends.

Mais, what the hell have I been doing to miss this one... Please note that my gumbo skills were aquired in Vermilion Parish, there may be some differences. Regarding smoked vs fresh sausage - Smoked will give you a better flavored broth, but I've found that with birds other than chicken (duck, dove, quail, etc) that smoked overpowers the bird too much. A nicely spiced fresh sausage is not a bad option, as long as it is a basic sausage. Not breakfast sausage, no fruit, no rice, just pork (or your choice of meat), fat, seasonings like scallions, cayenne, and a proper amount of salt. Fifi is right about the types of roux. For a real dark roux (perfect for chicken and sausage), The Hershey bar comparison is close, but I go a hair darker. Think mahogany. Drop a bit on a white plate if you are concerned about the color. For most people, the medium to dark range is going to be fine for starters. It works for nearly all meats. Starting with the dark is not really for the faint of heart. It will smoke up the kitchen with a smell that will linger (your choice if it's good or bad), and it's almost impossible to reheat. With experience, you can reach the upper levels of rouxdom. Just start off slow. The higher the heat, the quicker it will be done, but it's very easy to overshoot your target that way. Don't even pay attention to the clock. It has no real bearing on what is happening in the pan. I just realizing I haven't made a gumbo in over a month. I've been in Birmingham too long. I'm slipping... I may have to get in on this.

The core of Julia's influence was that she put "advanced" techniques into the hands of a housewife in Topeka, at a time where the only person who taught you how to cook was your mother. She adapted the French techniques and ingredients to readily available equipment and supplies. She showed that housewife in Topeka that she could make a dish suitable for any French dignitary who may happen to come by her home. That was a huge chunk of power to give to people who knew nothing about cooking from other regions in the US, much less the intimidating classical French cuisine. And the reason American food was in the shape it was in was the cheap automobile, the suburbs, and marketing of "convenience" foods. She came along at the same time the TV dinner did. Thank God someone was able to counteract that. Had she not been around, and noone else could have done it, we would never be having this conversation. We would all be going home to open a can of something. And you will notice that until very recently, progress in that area had stayed within an arm's reach of the original TV dinner, just different packaging and ingredients. Only recently have they been marketing what would have been considered military survival rations as food.

You'll need an asbestos toilet seat.... ow.

I think I would have suggested to put the cool whip on the table for ALL of the desserts. Then never darken her door again.

Eating? People eat during Mardi Gras? I thought all nutrition was consumed from a can or bottle... Back when I used to brave the insanity of Mardi Gras, it was Lucky Dogs, or whatever burger type thing was nearby. But I had a place on Esplanade to duck into if needed. And another on Broadway. Just a short ride or walk from whichever parade route. Both places owned by my uncle, who kept sandwich stuff and other snack type foods around for the various refugees who decided to remove themselves from their prime viewing spots...

The cafeteria in the hospital, being a hospital cafeteria, isn't all that great, but there are bright spots, and it is reasonable as well. I usually eat at my desk, simply to be able to get out of here an hour earlier. And I don't usually bring lunch, though I have been known to. There is a break room for the lab area, and the smells that come out of there just amaze me. I've called it "cabbage and ass" before, and it still fits. Lots of BBQ, fish, and popcorn. The kicker is, every one in a while, the micro lab will open a petri dish full of some anaerobic bacteria that will clear the lab. Smells like old, hot, rotten death. Ooh, it's lunchtime....

With leftovers, if there is any, you can remove the meat from the bone and serve with baked potatoes. Just open the freshly baked potatoes up, and drop the puled meat and some of the sauce in there. You may need to adjust the salt a little, but it's amazing stuff.

Sometimes the best food is food prepared carefully with common (or cheap) ingredients. Any food, prepared carefully will be good, whether the main ingredient is 10 cents per pound or 10 dollars per pound. Your meals sound lovely. I've spent hungry times in my life, and the stuff I craved was exactly what you described, not burgers or ribeyes. The New Orleans tradition of red beans and rice bears this out. A pound of kidney beans, a few hunks of sausage or ham, and plain white rice, when prepared properly, can make tourists pay 8 dollars a bowl and send their friends to pay 8 bucks a bowl as well...