I got the big pot and my wooden spoon out of the cupboard.
First, you make the roux. Flour and fat. Some use butter, I usually use vegetable oil.
There are many ways to make gumbo. This is my way.
It's probably not really correct, and missing some ingredients
(I couldn't find any okra this time of year in Iowa) but this is
my interpretation of a seafood gumbo.
Anyway, the roux is the most important part. You have to watch the roux and
keep stirring it constantly over the heat to make sure it doesn't burn.
If the flour burns, it's ruined and you have to start over.
I was a bit reckless this year and started with a higher heat.
Somehow I managed to toast my flour to a dark tan color without burning it!
I must be getting better at this!
Then you add the onions, celery, and green peppers.
These help to stop the roux from overcooking and gets the base started.
Let the veggies cook down, then add in some broth and get it to a comfortable simmer.
After a while, I like to throw in some shrimp and pieces of fish and any seasonings.
A bay leaf, spices, garlic, some file.
The first round of fish and shrimp are sacrificial, to a degree, because
they will cook down to mush, but will add a lot of flavor.
I let these cook down, tasting from time to time to test seasoning.
After stewing for a while, throw in the rest of the goodies. Remaining shrimp,
fish pieces, crawfish tails, mussels, whatever you like. Keep tasting for seasoning.
Let it stew. Gumbo tastes better if you let it cook away for a bit.
This is a bad picture of rice being cooked. Gumbo is traditionally
served with some white rice.
Yummmm......Add hot sauce if desired.
Gobble it up!
Leftovers. Gumbo for days.
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