Comforting Okra Gumbo
We’re cooking up a big pot of Okra Gumbo in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen tonight, my friends. This is one my favorite dishes in the world. I fell in love with gumbo on my many trips to New Orleans, which is a wonderful culinary city. So many outstanding places to eat and enjoy. You’ll find gumbo everywhere, from Cajun style to Creole style, even green gumbo. Gumbo has really evolved a lot, though one ingredient you’ll still find quite often is okra. Not everyone uses or even likes okra in their gumbo, but okra was once considered essential for making gumbo, and for some cooks, it still is. There are other ways to thicken gumbo, such as filé powder, which is dried and ground sassafras leaves. You’ll also achieve thickness and body from your roux. When using okra, however, the dish is characterized as “Okra Gumbo”. I’ve seen recipes that do not use a roux to make okra gumbo, and rely strictly on the okra for thickening. It works well, though I prefer sticking with a roux, which adds flavor and body to the dish. The inclusion of okra in gumbo is somewhat debatable, based on the preference of the cook, but it should be noted that the name “Gumbo” derives from a West African word for okra. The West African version of this dish, which had a heavy influence in what gumbo is today, used okra as a thickener and did not include a roux. Many people from Louisiana will tell you it isn’t a gumbo without the roux, at least not the gumbo they grew up with. For me, personally, I’ll take the roux as well as the okra. Let’s talk about how to make okra gumbo, shall we? Serve it Up! Remove from heat and stir in filé powder, if using, for extra thickness. Serve into a bowl, over white rice if desired, and garnish with extra parsley and red pepper flakes. Make the Roux. Add ½ cup peanut oil to a large pot and heat to medium heat. Add flour and stir. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring constantly, until the roux browns to the color of chocolate. Cook the Vegetables. Add onions, peppers, celery and garlic. Stir and cook about 5 minutes, covered. Spices and Stock. Add Cajun seasoning and chicken stock. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil. Thicken with Okra. Add okra and parsley and cook 15 minutes. The okra will help to thicken up the gumbo. Boom! Done! Your okra gumbo is ready to serve. It looks so tasty, doesn’t it? Look at all that wonderful okra. I can’t wait to dig in! That’s it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this aloo gobi recipe. Let me know if you make it. I’d love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up! Also, potato salad is a popular dish served alongside your favorite gumbo. Some people enjoy adding a spoonful or two of creamy potato salad into their gumbo, though it is more commonly served on the side. You can also freeze it for 2-3 months in a freezer proof container. I freeze my gumbo often and enjoy it for lunches. Works perfectly for me. Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Louisiana Real and Rustic, by Emeril Lagasse (affiliate link, my friends!)
