73Saint

There's really not a whole lot better than a good bowl of gumbo. It's almost like having a mechanic you can trust, or a competent doctor.

Pete

Don't forget the Tasso

Danno

This is probably blashphemy in most circles, but if you need a quicky fix for Gumbo and don't have much time to make it, "Olde South" gumbo base is the best store bought base I've ever tasted.

I can have a pretty good pot of Gumbo ready to eat in 30 minutes start to finish.

http://www.oldesouthgumbo.com/products.html

Marlboro Man

Seafood definitely is first choice. Been makin it like my grandmother made it since I was 10. Chicken and sausage is good too but nothing compares to Seafood. And don't you dare forget the French Bread & Butter Cher.

HouYat

Seafood gumbo is superior by far for my taste. I was hoping you wouldn't say you put seafood, chicken & sausage in the same pot. I've never had it all thrown together like that any where in LA, but I have seen this Done in TX. Not tasty at all. Yuch! You either make seafood gumbo, or chicken & sausage, but never both in the same pot!

jeanpierre

Jeanpierre's Gumbeaux

Cast Iron Pot 6 qt, Seasoned (Lodge makes a good product)

Note: Always handwash pot in soap and very hot water; never put it in dishwasher and use it ONLY for Gumbeaux...

Now, some more prep

One (1) Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken, Deboned, Some Skin, Lg Bones
Note: Winn Dixie or WalMart Grilled Chicken Marked Down after 6pm, refridged for the next day works best...

Two (2) lbs Grilled Mild Sausage, Sliced .1875 thick
Note: Don't geaux overboard with specialty sausage, YOU do the seasoning, I like Smokey Hollow Mild for its consistent product; Prepare two (2) lbs as you'll have those that like to "trawl"...

Base 1:1, Flour:Sesame Oil (or Peanut Oil) with a little Extra Light Virgin Olive Oil to top off the oil

Make yo roux over medium heat (don't ask time, it's all relative to gas v electric, altitude, humidity), just as you start to get the color (Dk Milk Chocolate) you need (remember when you add stock, it will lighten some), to add

1 Cup Chopped Green Onions
1 Cup Fine Chopped Vidalia Onions
1/4 Cup Bell Pepper (Dehydrated is okay as good Bell Peppers should be stuffed, that's a recipe for another day)
2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
1 Tsp Celery Salt

Brown/soften these ingredients in Roux until you've cooked most of the moisture out of 'em, be ready - don't be watching the game or gettin distracted as the Roux can burn fast, you'll know when it's peak, then add

1qt Kitchen Basics Stock (Total of at least 4qts)

No MSG, Blend well and uniform, when that comes to small boil, add another 1 qt and blend well again, and when boil returns you...

Now add room temp meats (above) and

1 tsp Sea Salt
2 tbsp Paprika
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Cayenne

Bring back to boil, add another qt stock and

1/2 cup Parsley
1/2 tsp File (Grd Sassafras)
3 Bay Leaves Trown on Top

Stir, Cover, Very, Very Low Fire; Covered, it'll still roll so

Check on it every 15 Minutes adding Good Fresh Water to maintain a good level and consistency to your gumbeaux...

After 45 minutes, crack off a 1/4 to 1/2 bottle of Pinot Grigio Wine (Don't Geaux Wasting Good Money, Bella Sera is a great value and flavor to cook Chicken, Pork, and some Fish Recipes with)...

Serve over Zatarain Par-boiled Rice (Unless you know who to make good long grain rice)...

Anyways, that's how I roll on Fall/Winter Fridays for my Crew at my Office...

It's not that my way is the right way, I just make the right way my way...

SloMotion

I can't imagine putting sausage & seafood in the same dish, the flavours seem like they'd clash, but ... being a 'gumbo-novice', is it safe to assume I could take the chicken-sausage recipe and substitute seafood if desired and still get a good result?

HouYat

You can try that, but it's just going to taste pretty much like the chicken & sausage gumbo. When we do seafood gumbo, there's an important additional ingredient, and that's okra, and lots of it. When that cooks down and blends in with the shrimp and crabmeat, it's got a whole different taste, which is why I prefer that to the chicken & sausage gumbo. That's good too, but the seafood is better.

SloMotion

Thanks, okra is not a real big ingredient around here and I probably would of left it out. I found a couple generic recipes I'm gonna' try, but I'm really waiting on Saint_LB's wife's recipe ... gumbo & rice is gonna' be my food of choice this summer.

Rugby Saint II

I'll be in New Orleans for Mardi Gras and the first thing I'm doing is grabbing a real roast beef poboy with gravy. MMmmmmmmm......I hope it's so sloppy I end up wearing it.