Vegetable Gardens

» Joy Butler - Okra Gumbo

Okra was brought to the new world by African slaves and Gumbo is Swahili for Okra.

I didn't know that!! So when I make a dish I call Okra gumbo, I'm essentially saying the same thing! What an interesting article.

http://dogs.suite101.com/
Joy

» Sally125 - Okra Gumbo

In response to Okra Gumbo posted by JButler:

Joy: I didn't know it either, so I learned something myself writing that article! That is one reason I enjoy writing - we get to learn new things all the time. But since gumbo is commonly accepted today to refer to a stew or soup, it is still okay for you to say okra gumbo. But the thing all the gumbos have in common is okra. Okra acts to thicken the stew. They also usually use roux as a base, and as a thickening agent. I checked three other sources - they all say essentially the same thing. It originated in Africa. Wikipedia had this:

"Gumbo is a spicy, hearty stew or soup, found typically in the states on the Gulf of Mexico in the United States, and very common in the southern part of Louisiana and the Lowcountry around Charleston, South Carolina...The primary and necessary ingredient, however, is okra, from which the dish derives its name. "Gumbo" is Gullah (a Charlestonian Creole dialect) for "okra."..."

When you look up Gullah, you find it represents Black residents of SC and GA sea islands. So it's a Charlestonian Creole dialect, and the people who speak it originated in West Africa. I favor the University of Illinois statement that gumbo is Swahili, but we know for sure now it is of African origin.

Apparently our word yam originated in similar fashion. That's our history lesson for today! But while I was looking that up, I ran across the origin of sweet potato, potato, and corn... That will make a good article or blog entry - a potato famine changed the landscape of Ireland and America once upon a time!

Joy, thanks for getting me started searching. I love tracing something back to its origins. Have a good night.

-- posted by Sally125

» Robert Dailey - Okra Gumbo

In response to Okra Gumbo posted by Sally125:

I can attest to what Sally says. Being a native of south Louisiana, I grew up eating two types of "gumbo." Creole Gumbo, which we always ascribed to New Orleans and points east (most of the Gulf Coast east of New Orleans), was made with okra.
Cajun Gumbo, on the other hand, is usually made by creating a very dark flour and oil roux (about the color of dark chocolate), with "file" (pronounced feelay) as an additional thickening agent. File is made from ground sassafras leaves. I keep a jar of file in my spice drawer just in case my gumbo base is too thin. Cajun gumbo is generally found west and southwest of New Orlean, in the area known as Acadiana, and west of there along the Texas Gulf Coast.
I agree with Sally about the origins of the word "gumbo," although I don't know if Swahili or some other west African language is the actual linguistic origin. I do believe that the word (and the vegetable) arrived here from Africa via the West Indies.

» Sally125 - Okra Gumbo

In response to Okra Gumbo posted by bobcajun:

Bob, as I was reading, I came upon articles and websites devoted to 'all things Cajun' and there is some debate whether file and roux should be used together. Coming from an authentic Cajun, you have settled it for me! I did an article recently in another venue about a couple in Abbeville, LA, who collect cars. They're right in the heart of Cajun country! Reading all this about gumbo makes me really want some, so I guess I will have to learn to make it. I have never prepared the WHOLE thing by the recipes because they require each part be prepared separately and so much of everything... Do you have a simple recipe that a non-Cajun could do?

Interesting little note, Chuck, author of the recipe in the blog I wrote "Cajun gumbo" pronounced curses on anybody who published his recipe without his name. I found that so funny, but you'll notice I was absolutely sure to give him credit, and I listed his website too. Is that a Cajun thing too?

Thanks for adding seasoning to our posts with your insider knowledge on gumbo. I would have never known about the ground sassafras leaves.

-Sally

-- posted by Sally125

» Robert Dailey - Okra Gumbo

In response to Okra Gumbo posted by Sally125:

Actually, Cajuns are a pretty laid back, practical and friendly people, and not much given to curses, although we do like to play pranks by letting people think we do (put curses). That's pretty much a voodoo, New Orleans Creole thing, and not Cajun.
My grandmother was a "faith healer," though, a "traiteusse," or a "woman who treated people," for illness, similar to the "curanderas" in New Mexico. But even though she had a pretty mean temper, she never put a curse on anyone to my knowledge.

Here's a pretty easy Cajun gumbo recipe:
1. Make your roux. Heat about a cup of oil in a pan(not olive oil because the oil must be very hot). Sprinkle (about the same amount as the oil) flour onto the hot oil, and stir (scrape) until the mixture is the color of dark chocolate. You must continue stirring the mixture, and scraping it from the bottom and sides, or it will burn. It will seem endless, and you'll be tempted to stop when it reaches milk chocolate color. don't. The roux is essential to Cajun gumbo, and, when the gumbo is finished, the roux should "bite" a little at the back of the throat.
When your roux is finished, turn the heat off. (You may want to turn it off a little before it is finished if you're using a wrought iron pan, or pot.)

An easier way is to order a bottle of roux (it's very good) from Cajun Grocer.

Add about two quarts of chicken boullion (or chicken stock)dissolved in hot water. Just pour it into the pot on top of the roux. Turn the heat back on and mix the boullion and roux well.
Add the "trinity": diced onions, diced bell peppers and minced garlic. (Some afficionados say you have to sautee the onions, peppers and garlic in a separate pan. I do, but my wife doesn't and I can't tell any noticeable difference.)
If you're making chicken and sausage gumbo, then you want to add them now (you can use skinless chicken to lower the fat content). Make sure your chicken is cut up, and your sausage is sliced. I like to slice my sausage about a half-inch thick, but anywhere from razor thin to three to four inches work. Remember, it doesn't have to be exact...it just has to taste good.(I usually bake my chicken and sausage before hand, but we're trying to save you some steps, so just put the meat in right after you add the veggies.It won't make a lot of difference.
I'd cook on a medium fire for about an hour. Then test your chicken and see if it's cooked.
If not, just cook it a little longer.
Once the chicken is cooked, turn the fire off and let cool.Season the mixture to taste. For added zip, add some Tabasco Sauce (not too much) or some Tony Chachere's seasoning.
Reheat to boiling just before serving over rice.

Chicken and sausage gumbo always tastes better when allowed to cool, and is then reheated. You can even make it the day before, refrigerate it, and then serve it the next day.(We actually freeze some if we happen to cook too much).

For seafood gumbo, since seafood takes much less time to coook, add the seafood to the boiling mixture about 15 minutes before serving.
(You can make your base gumbo with everything except the seafood the day before, then just before serving, bring it to a boil and add the seafood 15 minutes before serving.

Cajun gumbo is traditionally served with a side of potato salad and hot French bread. The potato salad makes a delightful counterpoint to this hearty dish,and also serves to cool the tongue if too much pepper is used.

There isn't much more to it. You can use just about anything to make gumbo. I've had prairie hen gumbo, duck gumbo, shrimp gumbo, alligator gumbo, coot gumbo, Chicken and sausage gumbo, oyster gumbo, crab gumbo, and any mixture in between.
When we do gumbo, we usually make a party of it, having friends and relatives over, and it takes a lot of the stress out of the thing.
Hope this helps. b

» Sally125 - Okra Gumbo

In response to Okra Gumbo posted by bobcajun:

Awesome! I could not have asked for more help than that. I promise to make the seafood version soon. Thanks too for the tip on ordering the roux already fixed (busy ladies need that tip!) Interesting about your grandmother too - you should write a book, Bob. Desert gardens and Cajun cuisine! I'm half scared to ask you though, what in the world is a "COOT?" Forgive me if I display ignorance! LOL.

My grandmother was quite an interesting character too. She knew about everything from folk healing to gardening to sewing. Industrious is the best word to describe her. I must have gotten some of my "remarkable resiliency" from her, I guess

Now if we can entice Joy back to share her okra gumbo recipe, the readers in Australia (HEY CINDY's CROWD) will all be happy (and me too.)

Thanks again Bob. I thoroughly enjoyed these posts.

-Sally

-- posted by Sally125

» Joy Butler - Okra Gumbo

In response to Okra Gumbo posted by Sally125:

I'm glad you asked what a coot is cuz I don't know either! I'm not Cajun although I have friends who are. According to what I've read here, my vegetarian gumbo recipe probably doesn't even qualify as gumbo but I try to keep my cooking as simple as possible. Here's a link. http://www.suite101.com/lesson.cfm/18887...

http://dogs.suite101.com/
Joy