Making that Crazy Gumbo!

So we are ready to complete our turkey gumbo, but before we do, can I mention how beautifully cool this morning was? 69 degrees. It suddenly made me remember how wonderful the “Non-Summer” months can be.

But back to the gumbo. Gumbo is a very forgiving dish….the measurements do not have to be exact! So here is my recipe for about 14 servings of turkey/sausage gumbo. You’ll need:

A large size pot

Roux – one or two cups (see previous blog entry!)

Chopped Onions – around 3 cups

Chopped Green Bell Peppers – around 2 cups

Chopped Celery – around 2 cups

Chopped Parsley Leaves – one bunch

Minced Garlic Cloves – around 4-5 cloves

Chopped Green Onions – one bunch

Sliced Okra – around 2 pounds.

Sliced Kielbasa or Andouille – 2 pounds

Turkey Meat – around 2 pounds

Chicken and/or Turkey Stock – about a gallon

Seasonings – to taste. I usually use, sage, Montreal steak seasoning and tabasco sauce…and others (trade secret)

So, we’ve made our roux, and it’s either hot off the stove or it’s been cooled off and stored. If it’s hot off the stove, dump all your “plant” ingredients into it. You can use frozen onions, bell pepper, and okra (because I’m a lazy SOB, and I hate chopping!) There will probably a large amount of steam, but the roux will cool down immediately. If you are using roux which has been refrigerated or frozen, it’s going to be very hard….like hard frozen ice cream. Place the roux in the pot, and slowly warm it until it liquefies….then add your “plant” ingredients. Mix it well, and then add to your stock and seasonings.

Simmer the gumbo for several hours, adding the meat elements according to the following hints:

Ham/Sausage can be added immediately, because they won’t break down. I like to lightly grill the ham/ and/or sausage for additional flavor….actually my hubby does the grilling.

Boneless Poultry should be added around two hours before serving, since it will break down otherwise. I also like to fully cook (ok, my husband cooks) the poultry on the grill for additional flavor. You can add it raw to the hot gumbo mix, but don’t taste the mixture until you are sure that the meat has been fully cooked!

Fish should be added and gently stirred an hour before serving. Avoid oily fish like salmon.

Oysters/Crab/Shrimp should be added just prior to serving. They cook very quickly, and can become tough if over cooked. You might want to augment their taste with some clam juice or seafood stock.

Venizon/Gator? – Sorry, never cooked gumbo with it. I’m sure there are some helpful recipes on the internet.

Other Hints:

If a layer of oil appears on the top of the gumbo, scoop it off.

Cook it over a low flame. If you boil it, you run the risk of it sticking to the bottom of the pan.

If some of the does mixture stick to the bottom of the pan, relax. Just lower the heat and loose with a spatula. It should be fine.

Be careful that you don’t over-salt your gumbo. Remember if you simmer the gumbo to reduce the liquid, the seasonings become more concentrated.

Final Step: Serve over white rice. Leftover gumbo freezes wonderfully.

Bon Appetit!