{"id":1845,"date":"2016-02-09T17:30:00","date_gmt":"2016-02-09T17:30:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2016-09-16T16:53:39","modified_gmt":"2016-09-16T20:53:39","slug":"for-mardi-gras-a-brilliant-gumbo-recipe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=1845","title":{"rendered":"For Mardi Gras, a brilliant gumbo recipe"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"gumbo-bowl\"<\/a>“Will Clower.” It\u2019s not a Cajun name.\u00a0<\/span>Maybe this gumbo recipe would be more credible coming from someone named Lafayette \u201ccrawfish\u201d Prud\u2019homme. But I promise this gumbo really is authentic.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
Even though, it\u2019s true, I have no bayou water splashing through my veins, I managed to get some good recipes and sneak them back east after my sister married a certified, born and bred, crawdad-snatching, zydeco-stomping Cajun. I\u2019m not sure how legal it is, exporting genuine Cajun recipe magic across state lines, so just keep this to yourself.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\"picky-eater-boy\"<\/a>My son was always a picky eater. He knows what he likes and, more importantly for him, he knows what he doesn\u2019t like. This gumbo falls into the first category, and has become his definition of great food.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
In fact, since he was a kid gumbo has become a reward item for him \u2013 a prize for good efforts and noble deeds benefiting humanity at large. However, we\u2019ve had to draw the line at him bathing in gumbo or eating it for more than 2 meals per day.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
In the recipe below, you may notice in the \u201cYou\u2019ll need\u201d list that some of the items are a bit vague. But no worries, you cajuns-in-training, I\u2019ll explain everything below. There\u2019s a bit of alchemy involved. After all, it is authentic.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
You\u2019ll need:<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n
1 \u00bd gallons water<\/span><\/div>\n
8 large chicken pieces, bones and skin still on them<\/span><\/div>\n
1 small handful salt<\/span><\/div>\n
3 \u2013 4 bay leaves<\/span><\/div>\n
3 lb spicy sausage<\/span><\/div>\n
1 cup vegetable oil<\/span><\/div>\n
11\/3 cup flour<\/span><\/div>\n
\"carrots-onions\"<\/a>2 large onions, finely chopped<\/span><\/div>\n
2 cloves garlic, minced<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00bc cup parsley<\/span><\/div>\n
1 \u2013 2 stalks celery<\/span><\/div>\n
Red and black pepper to taste<\/span><\/div>\n
Tabasco<\/span><\/div>\n
Gumbo fil\u00e9<\/span><\/div>\n
Green onions, chopped<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
First make the stock.<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
When you get the chicken, be sure to buy the parts with skin and bones still on them. This dramatically adds to the flavor you get on the other end. One result of the fat free frenzy is that people tend to just eat breast meat, and avoid legs and thighs. For the gumbo, you should include both. The darker meat is richer and, frankly, has a better flavor.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\"chickenstock-pot\"<\/a>Put them all into the water with the salt and bay leaves, bring it to a chummy sort of boil in a large gumbo pot. During the early part of the boiling you\u2019ll notice some whitish foam gooze bubbling on the top. Get a large spoon and ladle this out. It\u2019s yuck. The stock should boil along until the chicken meat falls off the bones, about an hour or so. In the end, your stock should have boiled down by about \u00bc, from 1 \u00bd gallons to a little more than a gallon.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
Make the sausage<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
There are a couple of options here. You\u2019ll have to play with them to see what works best for you (I always love it when I\u2019m instructed to \u201cplay with my food\u201d).<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
You can get the firm Andouille sausage that slices into small medallions and fry them up like that. They\u2019re generally very spicy, but it\u2019s really great when this flavor seeps into the broth of the gumbo.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
If you are not such a fan of spicy foods, you can also get the hot Italian sausage, which comes in the casing. Squeeze it out into the pan and chop it up as it cooks. Even though it says \u201cspicy\u201d Italian sausage, you\u2019ll be adding it to a vat of gumbo, so never you fear.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
Either way, you simply cook up the sausage and set it aside.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Remove the chicken from the bone<\/b><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
After the stock has cooked down by a quarter and the meat is falling off the bones before your very eyes, pull out the chicken and pull off the meat.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
Let it cool a bit first because it\u2019ll be quite hot. But be careful to remove all of the bones.\u00a0<\/span>Cover the chicken and set it aside with the sausage.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Do the roux<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
Roux is the elixir of life. Not many people know this, although I guess this book has let the cat out of the bag now. If you do this part of the recipe correctly, your gumbo will be triumphant! (Triumphant. No kidding, you just wait and see if you don\u2019t agree with that word at the end.)<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\"roux\"<\/a>Get a 2-cup measuring container. Fill the first cup with vegetable oil. Now stir in some flour until it\u2019s smooth. Keep stirring in flour until the level gets up to 2 cups.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
\n


\n<\/span>You\u2019ll end up adding in much more than 1 cup of flour to the oil, because it all mixes in together.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
After the total beige mixture levels out at 2 cups, get a rubber spatula and scrape it into a frying pan over medium-high heat. You\u2019ll need a metal spatula to turn over the roux as it cooks.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
Here\u2019s what you\u2019re shooting for: chocolate. Not Hershey\u2019s milk chocolate, a rich dark chocolate. As the roux cooks and you turn it over and over, it will go from an anemic pale, to milk chocolate, to a fine dark chocolate. Also note the texture. This will go from liquidy, to firmish and bubbly, to crumbly. When it gets to \u201ccrumbly dark chocolate,\u201d remember the aroma you smell. This means you have arrived at gumbo nirvana.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
Now for the alchemy. Watch out that you don\u2019t scorch the chocolate. Keep the roux just this side of burned. I can\u2019t tell you where that line is, young Jedi knight, so you\u2019ll have to use the force. Or maybe just be conservative to start with and take it off when it\u2019s crumbly and dark, but not yet burned.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
Add the roux to the stock<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
Careful here. The chicken stock is water-based. The roux is oil-based. These two like each other as much as two irate alley cats in a shower.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
Take just enough roux to fit on your spatula and set it down into the pot, but not all the way down into the stock. Have the lid in the other hand because it\u2019s going to hiss and spit at you when the roux hits the water.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
After all the roux is in, boil it hard for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Finish the gumbo<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
After the roux and stock have boiled themselves into blended perfection, put in the chicken, sausage, vegetables, salt, pepper, gumbo fil\u00e9, and Tabasco. Let these flavors simmer for another 20 minutes.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
You may notice that I did not specify any amounts for the salt, pepper, gumbo fil\u00e9, and Tabasco. I want you to add these in as you taste. You\u2019ll get a feel for how much is enough. Remember, you are cooking in a vat, so you may need more than you think.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
Add the gumbo fil\u00e9 last. It gives it that \u201cdirty\u201d flavor that\u2019s the essence of Louisiana cooking. Add, taste, add, taste.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n

When it\u2019s ready, chop some green onions to sprinkle on top.\u00a0<\/span>Gumbo is served in a bowl, on a bed of rice. I dash some Tabasco in on top. But then I like it hot.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information: Click here to visit Will Clower’s website. <\/a><\/p>\n

Save<\/span><\/p>\n

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Save<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“Will Clower.” It\u2019s not a Cajun name.\u00a0Maybe this gumbo recipe would be more credible coming from someone named Lafayette \u201ccrawfish\u201d Prud\u2019homme. But I promise this gumbo really is authentic. \u00a0 … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4539,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[380],"tags":[254],"class_list":["post-1845","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-recipes","tag-recipe"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7Qv5g-tL","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":257,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=257","url_meta":{"origin":1845,"position":0},"title":"Louisiana Gumbo (from The Fat Fallacy)","author":"Will Clower","date":"December 24, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"\"Will Clower.\" It\u2019s not a Cajun name.\u00a0 \u00a0 Maybe this gumbo recipe would be more credible coming from someone named Lafayette \u201ccrawfish\u201d Prud\u2019homme. But I promise this gumbo really is authentic. \u00a0 Even though, it\u2019s true, I have no bayou water splashing through my veins, I managed to get some\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Recipes"","block_context":{"text":"Recipes","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=380"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.willclower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Picky-Eater2BBoy.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2274,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=2274","url_meta":{"origin":1845,"position":1},"title":"Marilyn Monroe\u2019s Stuffing Recipe Stars in a Remake","author":"Will Clower","date":"November 11, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"A new book entitled \u201cFragments\u201d (Farrar, Straus & Giroux; $30) collects assorted letters, poems and back-of-the-envelope scribblings that span the time from Monroe\u2019s first marriage in 1943 to her death in 1962.\u00a0Not known as a \"foodie\", a recipe for either chicken or turkey stuffing was found scrawled --\u00a0haphazardly\u00a0-- on stationery\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Marilyn Monroe's Stuffing Revealed\"","block_context":{"text":"Marilyn Monroe's Stuffing Revealed","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?tag=marilyn-monroes-stuffing-revealed"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/_HAl9r2q_-j0\/TNvI5vfD7XI\/AAAAAAAACxs\/CN4clrje2fM\/s320\/MarilynMonroeHuntingTurkey.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2374,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=2374","url_meta":{"origin":1845,"position":2},"title":"Caribbean Polenta (turbo recipe)","author":"Will Clower","date":"May 30, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"The simplest things are the best, and healthiest. If you're looking for optimal health, choose pedestrian, common, everyday foods. Like polenta. I got this recipe from \"An Embarrassment of Mangoes\", an awesome book about a couple from Toronto who take two years to sail down to the Caribbean. This particular\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Cooking For Health"","block_context":{"text":"Cooking For Health","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=317"},"img":{"alt_text":"Bookmark and Share","src":"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/s7.addthis.com\/static\/btn\/v2\/lg-share-en.gif?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1911,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=1911","url_meta":{"origin":1845,"position":3},"title":"Recipe For Good Health. First, Cook Your Own Food. 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From the cranberries to the spinach to the lime honey and bacon balance that ties it all together. Your family will love you for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Recipes"","block_context":{"text":"Recipes","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=380"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"http:\/\/www.mccormick.com\/~\/media\/Images\/Recipes\/Recipe%20Details\/Main%20Dish\/Garlic%20Herb%20Tilapia.ashx?w=380","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":403,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=403","url_meta":{"origin":1845,"position":5},"title":"Basic Pickle Brine Recipe","author":"Will Clower","date":"September 21, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 You can adjust this recipe to make larger or smaller quantities; just be sure to keep the proportions of salt to vinegar to water the same. You'll Need: 1 3\/4 cups pickling salt (not iodized) 2 1\/2 gallons water 2 1\/2 cups vinegar 1\/2-3\/4 cup Pickling Spice Mix (see\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Recipes"","block_context":{"text":"Recipes","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=380"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1845","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1845"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1845\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4547,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1845\/revisions\/4547"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1845"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1845"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1845"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}