Floating Seeds

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by rhines81

The recipe you posted is more like a seafood stew (with okra) - probably would be good, but not authentic. It would be missing "something" without the roux base. Crawfish is NOT seafood (but it is good and is often added). A seafood gumbo is usually just fish, shrimp and blue crab. The shrimp and blue crab (also the crawdads if used) are cooked in old bay (or other favorite seasoning), peeled and added to the gumbo towards the end of the boil, but prior to the simmer. To remove the bay leaves before serving is sacrilege. Nothing like taking a bite and puling the leaf out of your mouth while enjoying the bit of extra seasoning. Also, including at least one small uncracked blue crab claw in each bowl is a must. Proper etiquette and stuff.

I have two bay trees growing in my yard.
I get the freshest of fresh from them.

Worth

[rhines81]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I couldn't find any.

Worth

gosh darnoodleyit all!!! Arghhhhh!!!!

[rhines81]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I have two bay trees growing in my yard.
I get the freshest of fresh from them.

Worth

I might request the Worth express this summer!

[AlittleSalt]

Originally Posted by rhines81

And to think ... now this is a GUMBO thread!

Rhines, a gumbo thread sounds good to me.

One of my favorite cooks/chefs was Justin Wilson. He is/was also a comedian.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK4umRMJlrs I saw this on PBS years ago.

No okra or tomatoes, but entertaining.

The thing is, a gumbo can be made many ways. It can even have pasta in it. Cumin is absolutely necessary to me. So are okra and tomatoes.

Living in Texas all my life, I like a cross between Mexican, TexMex, Southwest, and Cajun for everyday food. That means a lot of tomatoes and peppers. Beans are high up there on the list along with shrimp. I make chowder with shrimp and peppers added.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by rhines81

I might request the Worth express this summer!

Your on, the stuff they sell at the store isn't really true bay leaves.
The bay trees are an ever green and I can get leaves all year long.
I edited my post but not before you posted back.
I used a good smokey Texas Czech Sausage.

[Stvrob]

Originally Posted by rhines81

There is no other type of gumbo.

I did enjoy your history link very much (thanks for that!), but without a roux and some type of spice (i.e. Cajun seasonings) ... it's a stew or a soup.
Gumbo is sort of like chili. Every family has there own style and ingredients (and I have had literally hundreds of varieties). Once they become more like a soup or a gooey vegetable platter with sauce ... it really can't be a gumbo (in my view). The roux however is required, or it is just a stew. But then again, there are all kinds of dishes that people want to label as chili too.
Not saying that the other recipes are not good eating ... most sound delishious ... but gumbo is gumbo and chili is chili. I guess the rule boundaries are personal.

By the way... London Broil is not a steak!

So people who were eating gumbo for hundreds of years, even in Louisiana, without using a roux, were all mistaken about what gumbo really is? And then in the mid 20th century, someone in New Orleans starts making it with flour thickener, and the whole concept of what is and is not gumbo is transformed?

[rhines81]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

One of my favorite cooks/chefs was Justin Wilson. He is/was also a comedian.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK4umRMJlrs I saw this on PBS years ago.

I guarangosh darnoodleytee it he was the best of the best ... And that's for true. I used to watch his show all of the time. He always like to add just a little bit more sherry to the recipes and always loved his measuring system!

[rhines81]

Originally Posted by Stvrob

So people who were eating gumbo for hundreds of years, even in Louisiana, without using a roux, were all mistaken about what gumbo really is? And then in the mid 20th century, someone in New Orleans starts making it with flour thickener, and the whole concept of what is and is not gumbo is transformed?

Yes, once that took hold, there was no going backwards. You should also try putting French dressing (Catalina is the best) on pizza too ... it's awesome (I am trying to start a movement).

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Stvrob

So people who were eating gumbo for hundreds of years, even in Louisiana, without using a roux, were all mistaken about what gumbo really is? And then in the mid 20th century, someone in New Orleans starts making it with flour thickener, and the whole concept of what is and is not gumbo is transformed?

Pretty much so.

I have had gumbo fights before on the subject of okra or no okra.
My mom always made gumbo without the roux.
People dont even pronounce it right from what the African slaves called okra and the stew made from it.
It isn't gumbo it is goombo as in boo.
Just like jumbo is really joombo, as in boo.
Louisiana boudin isn't like french boudin either.
The french version is all meat and no rice.

[AlittleSalt]

I often make things too simple. Worth is right in post 54. That is what I meant about how Gumbo can be made so many ways. The best gumbo is made of soft shell turtle with it's seven different tasting meats. Fish is a great ingredient. As efisakov wrote, salt water fish are better, but a channel cafish works too. So does alligator.

[Stvrob]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Pretty much so.

I have had gumbo fights before on the subject of okra or no okra.
My mom always made gumbo without the roux.
People dont even pronounce it right from what the African slaves called okra and the stew made from it.
It isn't gumbo it is goombo as in boo.
Just like jumbo is really joombo, as in boo.
Louisiana boudin isn't like french boudin either.
The french version is all meat and no rice.

Well I guess I was wrong. I always thought that a summer type stew, using quite alot of okra, and allowed to thicken without the use of a roux was actually considered a legitamate type of gumbo. But looking at the internet, the terms "roux" and "traditional" turn up so often together in The description that I now feel I must have been mistaken.
I will still make it that way, Ill just make sure my kids understand that when they leave the nest and enter the world, not to call this dish gumbo anymore.

[efisakov]

Originally Posted by rhines81

There are quite a few good restaurant choices around the NYC/North Jersey area that have some awesome gumbo (and some that claim to, but do not) - search Cajun Cuisine on Yelp.com or another Restaurant review site for your area and you will find some to start your quest. There was a small semi-casual restaurant/pub in the Suffern, NY area that had some pretty good stuff (can't remember the name). You might need to invite me for dinner to prove their authenticity however!

I found Qdoba Mexican Grill that has Mexican gumbo. Is it a good one to start with?

[Stvrob]

Originally Posted by efisakov

I found Qdoba Mexican Grill that has Mexican gumbo. Is it a good one to start with?

Maybe you should call first and ask about their roux.

[efisakov]

Originally Posted by Stvrob

Maybe you should call first and ask about their roux.

[Worth1]

Gumbo.
1 whole head of celery chopped up.
1 whole head of garlic chopped up.
1 whole large red onion chopped up.
1 smoked hog jowl chopped up.
4 chicken thighs.
About 2 ½ pounds of okra.
1 pound of sweet red and orange peppers chopped up.
4 red hot jalapeño peppers chopped up.
3 table spoons of chili powder.
1 tea spoon of salt.
1 table spoon of cumin.
2 table spoons of paprika.
1 pound of good local smoked sausage cut up.
1 table spoon if ground chili arbol or red pepper.
4 bay leaves if desired.

Probably not real gumbo.
Worth




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