Can a Minnesotan make a good gumbo?
Thanks!
I've only had gumbo in a restaurant or two. They had the rice in there when they brought it to my table. Didn't know if it was in the mix or in the bowl with gumbo on top.
Overall Blue Reader is nailing the roux discussion, so I'll just post my simple Cajun recipe:
1 chopped onion (sweet or yellow... not white or red)
1 chopped bell pepper (I prefer green for gumbo, but red will do)
6 stalks chopped celery (slice stalks in 4ths long ways, then chop)
salt
Creole Seasoning (I use Tony's but not sure what you can get up there)
Gumbo File (ground sassafras)
1 cup of white all-purpose flour
1 cup of canola oil (or butter, but I prefer oil for gumbo and butter for ettoufee)
3 bone-in chicken breasts (or whatever bone-in pieces you like... legs and thighs works great)
1 lb sliced sausage of your choice (Andouille works best, but use what you like)
white rice
Get a stock pot, roughly 12 - 15 Qts (I highly recommend the 14-Qt Magnalite). Place it on high heat. Add the cup of oil. Slowly wisk in the flour. Continue to stir and watch until the roux is the color you want. I prefer milk heading into dark chocolate. Reduce to medium heat and dump in the vegetables and stir to coat them and cool down the roux. Sprinkle with salt. Sometimes I have to add a splash or two of water to make sure the roux doesn't keep darkening. Let the vegetables cook down for a few mins and start to become tender. Spread evenly over the bottom of the pot and crank the heat back up to high. Place the chicken skin side down pressing into the roux and liberally coat the exposed side with Creole Seasoning. After a min or 2 of searing the skin, add about 1 gallon of water and stir well. Bring to a rolling boil. Drop in your sausage and stir in about a tablespoon of Gumbo File. Cover and cut heat to as low as it goes. Let it simmer for at least 30 to 45 mins, stirring occasionally. When you are ready to eat, pull out chicken, shred it off the bones, and stir the meat back in. Serve over rice.