Gumbo For Mardi Gras

posted February 14, 2007
  by Pamela Chester, The Savvy Slow Cooker

Mardi Gras is a celebration that occurs around this time every year, between February and March, to mark the beginning of the Lent season leading up to Easter. Traditionally it is always the day before Ash Wednesday, a Fat Tuesday that is the culmination of the festivities. It is a time filled with eating, drinking, and merrymaking before the Lenten period of penance, fasting and self-denial.

It’s also the perfect occasion to honor the cuisine of New Orleans, the US city most associated with the pre-Lenten carnival. In this great city, Mardi Gras is celebrated with costumes, balls, parades filled with beads, and of course lots of good food. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina and the devastating events following it profoundly affected New Orleans, forever changing both its landscape and outlook. Despite the recent grim reports of progress in the news, the spirit of Mardi Gras is still alive and well and can be seen in celebrations that keep the city’s hope alive.

I had the good fortune to travel to New Orleans a few years ago (we were there just after Mardi Gras, but we still had a very colorful time) and we thoroughly enjoyed eating our way across the city. While we were there, one of my favorite dishes that we tried was a bowl of gumbo at a little hole in the wall lunch counter just outside the French quarter. Gumbo is a spicy stew that showcases New Orleans’ special blend of ethnic influences in a unique dish that reflects its French Creole culinary heritage, and is perfect for the cold weather.

The foundation of any gumbo is the “Holy Trinity,” a Creole variation of mirepoix containing a combination of three aromatic vegetables (celery, bell pepper and white onions) that is used as a basis of many regional specialties. Gumbo is usually thickened with roux, a mixture of cooked fat and flour. Creole roux differs from classic French roux, in that more economical vegetable oil or lard is often used instead of butter, and this creates a distinctive roux that is a darker, almost caramel color.

From there, okra and other vegetables along with various types of meats and shellfish can be added, including a special spicy Cajun version of sausage called Andouille. Gumbo is usually served with plain white rice and can be thickened with the addition of the spice gumbo filé sprinkled over the top. Keep in mind, combining okra and filé is unusual in Louisianan cuisine, as filé was originally used as an okra substitute to thicken gumbo when okra was out of season.

A big pot of gumbo is the perfect way to commemorate Fat Tuesday-–it falls on February 20th this year. Fresh okra is the star of the dish which is built upon a simple roux that has been cooked until golden brown to deepen the flavor of the gumbo, and of course the Holy Trinity of celery, onion and pepper. This dish is super convenient to make in he slow cooker, as all you will need to do in advance is make the roux and brown the chicken and vegetables. If you are adding sausage and shrimp, these can be added towards the end of the cooking time so they don’t overcook. For a full meal, add cooked long grain rice, some crusty bread, and salad, and you are all set for your Mardi Gras celebration.

Let the good times roll!

Chicken Gumbo with Fresh Okra Recipe
http://www.cdkitchen.com/


Serves/Makes: 6
Ready in: > 5 hrs

* 4 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
* 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
* Salt and pepper, to taste
* 4 tablespoons unbleached flour
* 1 cup onion, diced
* 1 cup green pepper, diced
* 1/2 cup celery, diced
* 2 cups fresh okra, sliced *
* 1 can (15 oz size) chicken broth
* 2 bay leaves
* 1 can (28 oz size) diced tomatoes
* 1 tablespoon hot sauce, or to taste
* 3/4 pound cooked andouille or chicken sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
* 16 raw frozen peeled shrimp (optional, amount as desired)
* 3 cups cooked long-grain white or brown rice

*or 1 bag (16 oz. size) frozen okra

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and add chicken pieces. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in the slow cooker.

Scrape up any brown bits from the pan and add to the cooker. Add remaining 3 tablespoons oil to the pan, and heat until hot. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, (should approach the color of peanut butter) 3 to 4 minutes. The mixture is extremely hot, so be careful not to splatter.

Add the onion, green pepper and celery, and cook until the vegetables start to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and stir until smooth and incorporated. Pour mixture into the slow cooker. Add okra, bay leaf, tomatoes and hot sauce.

Cover, and turn cooker to low. Cook for 7 to 8 hours, adding another 1/2 cup chicken broth or water if necessary.

Thirty minutes before serving, add the sliced sausage and turn cooker to high. Five minutes before serving, add the shrimp. Serve with cooked rice.

©2008 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction of this article may be made without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.



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