Gumbo (Gumbo)

Name: Gumbo
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 150 ml vegetable oil, 120 g plain flour; 1 onion, 2 celery sticks, 1 green pepper, chopped; 4 garlic cloves; 600 g chicken thighs, 300 g andouille sausage, sliced; 1.5 l chicken stock; 200 g okra or 1 tbsp filé powder, Cajun spices, bay leaf; cooked white rice, spring onion

Overview

Gumbo is the best-known dish of Louisiana. It starts with a roux of flour and fat stirred slowly until it turns the colour of peanut butter or dark chocolate, which gives the dish its nutty, toasty flavour. The holy trinity of onion, celery and green pepper is cooked in the roux, then stock is added along with chicken and smoked andouille sausage, or seafood such as shrimp, crab and oysters. It is thickened with okra or with filé powder made from sassafras leaves and served over white rice.

History

Gumbo developed in south Louisiana in the eighteenth century, drawing on French, Spanish, West African and Native American cooking. The name is thought to come from a West African word for okra, while filé came from the Choctaw. Cajun and Creole cooks make it in different styles, and it was named the official state cuisine of Louisiana in 2004.

Main ingredients

Dark roux, onion, celery and green pepper, chicken, andouille sausage, okra or filé, rice. The soup is built on chicken or seafood stock and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; not usually gluten-free.

Explore: Chicken soups · Pork soups · Rice soups · More soups from United States

Recipe outline serves 4 · ~150 min

Ingredients

150 ml vegetable oil, 120 g plain flour
1 onion, 2 celery sticks, 1 green pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves
600 g chicken thighs, 300 g andouille sausage, sliced
1.5 l chicken stock
200 g okra or 1 tbsp filé powder, Cajun spices, bay leaf
cooked white rice, spring onion

Allergens: Contains: Celery, Gluten. Based on the typical recipe. Recipes and products vary; always check labels if you have an allergy.

Method

Cook the oil and flour over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 30 to 45 minutes until dark brown.
Add the onion, celery, pepper and garlic and cook until soft.
Whisk in the stock, add the chicken, sausage, okra and spices and simmer for 1 hour.
Season, stir in filé if using, and serve over rice with spring onion.