I'm sure you have heard the words, "tastes like chicken." Alligator tail (the part you eat) seriously tastes like chicken.
CD
The CookingBites Cookalong: Gumbo
- Thread starter Morning Glory
- Start date
I'm sure you have heard the words, "tastes like chicken." Alligator tail (the part you eat) seriously tastes like chicken.
CD
Yes - I've heard that. I wondered how the whole dish worked too.
CraigC
Guru
I thought it was good. It also had andouille and okra in it. I found that the alligator took much longer to get tender than I anticipated, the book was a bit vague on that.
CraigC
Guru
Nobody else making gumbo? 
Nobody else making gumbo?
Yes I am (definitely) but we have the whole month - I'm at my friends at the moment. Most likely when I get back but maybe before...
ElizabethB
Legendary Member
CraigC
Gumbo or not to be gumbo? IDK. I can deal with the alligator but the pasta really throws me off. More of a stew or soup. medtran49 you sound dubious. What is you honest opinion. Gumbo or not gumbo?
Yes. Need to get to the meat market for really good ingredients.
Seriously CraigC - pasta in a gumbo? Over the top.
CraigC
Guru
Hey the book called it a gumbo. 
I had my doubts with the base being tomato.
I had my doubts with the base being tomato.
medtran49
Forum GOD!
I had a loaded baked potato after eating 2 bites,of which I spit out half of the second. That's why I suggested he lose the book. I was dubious about the recipe to begin with and tried to gently hint that he pick another, but... I'm also very dubious about several other recipes in the book, including the one that uses refrigerated biscuit dough for beignets.
ElizabethB
Legendary Member
rascal
Forum GOD!
I served crocodile as an entree about 15 years ago, everyone said it tasted of chicken. I thought the same. There used to be a shop that sold ozzy foods here, it went broke!
Russ
Nobody else making gumbo?
I will probably wait and make turkey and sausage gumbo with the leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. I do it almost every year.
CD
Would you guys normally serve it with rice - and if so do you put the rice in the bowl with the gumbo to serve? I've been looking at photos on the internet...
Also - would shellfish ever feature in a seafood gumbo?
Also - would shellfish ever feature in a seafood gumbo?
CraigC
Guru
Most of the time rice is served with gumbo and goes in the bowl/on the plate first. Shrimp, oysters and crab are often featured in gumbo, but I've never seen clams or mussels in gumbo. I've seen recipes for shrimp, oyster and crab gumbo. What are you considering as "Seafood" gumbo?
I was (am) going to use a mix of prawns (shrimp), mussels possibly crab. Then I thought to add chicken (but not a lot). And in place of andouille which I simply can't get, use some smoked Polish sausage. Not intending a tomato base.
ElizabethB
Legendary Member
A note on making a roux.
You really have to be flexible. The recipe calls for equal parts flour and oil. Environmental issues can change that. Altitude - when I made a roux in Denver, Co. I had to use 2 parts flour to 1 part oil. Today I made a large batch of roux - it is Gumbo Season. I plan to make more than one batch of gumbo so roux in the fridge. So 4 cups oil and 4 cups flour. Guess what - very high humidity changes the flour to oil ratio. It is overcast, hot - 79 degrees F with over 90% humidity. I had to use 6 cups flour to 4 cups oil. I added the additional flour 1/4 cup at a time until I achieved the correct consistency.
Another note. Something that has not been addressed in other discussions of making a roux. When your roux is nearly the color of chocolate remove it from the heat and continue stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan until it has cooled enough to stop the cooking process. Do not turn your back. This is where the novice will burn the roux. The hot roux can continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes after it is removed from the heat,
morning glory
Prawns, crab and mussels should work. I would use chicken or seafood stock (and roux) instead of water for flavor. Since seafood requires a very short cooking time it is added at the very end of the cooking process. Not a lot of time to build flavor. You need flavor from your broth. I have never seen chicken in a seafood gumbo but what the heck. Do use the Holy Trinity. IDK about Polish sausage. I have never had it. What herbs/spices make it Polish? Seafood has such a delicate flavor. You do not want to overpower it with a very strong sausage. Italian sausage would never work - the flavor is too distinct. You would end up with an Italian seafood something. Is the flavor of Polish sausage as distinct?
You really have to be flexible. The recipe calls for equal parts flour and oil. Environmental issues can change that. Altitude - when I made a roux in Denver, Co. I had to use 2 parts flour to 1 part oil. Today I made a large batch of roux - it is Gumbo Season. I plan to make more than one batch of gumbo so roux in the fridge. So 4 cups oil and 4 cups flour. Guess what - very high humidity changes the flour to oil ratio. It is overcast, hot - 79 degrees F with over 90% humidity. I had to use 6 cups flour to 4 cups oil. I added the additional flour 1/4 cup at a time until I achieved the correct consistency.
Another note. Something that has not been addressed in other discussions of making a roux. When your roux is nearly the color of chocolate remove it from the heat and continue stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan until it has cooled enough to stop the cooking process. Do not turn your back. This is where the novice will burn the roux. The hot roux can continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes after it is removed from the heat,
morning glory
Prawns, crab and mussels should work. I would use chicken or seafood stock (and roux) instead of water for flavor. Since seafood requires a very short cooking time it is added at the very end of the cooking process. Not a lot of time to build flavor. You need flavor from your broth. I have never seen chicken in a seafood gumbo but what the heck. Do use the Holy Trinity. IDK about Polish sausage. I have never had it. What herbs/spices make it Polish? Seafood has such a delicate flavor. You do not want to overpower it with a very strong sausage. Italian sausage would never work - the flavor is too distinct. You would end up with an Italian seafood something. Is the flavor of Polish sausage as distinct?