The CookingBites Cookalong: Gumbo

I guess what I was trying to say is, for your first ever gumbo, maybe go with the basics. First, it is easier, but more than that, it is what most cajun families eat most often.

Good advice.
Making the roux is supposed to be tricky but both times I found it very easy

The tricky part is the amount of attention a roux needs. You obviously nailed it.
 
The tricky part is the amount of attention a roux needs. You obviously nailed it.

It may be because I was making such small quantities. I imagine its more difficult in larger batches. Here are the two I made.

In Le Creuset pan:

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In stainless steel pan:

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Very nice roux, MG. Nice color for seafood gumbo. Enameled cast iron is good for making roux. I use a LeCreuset Dutch Oven.

It's not "difficult" to make a roux, it just requires a lot of attention. The most certain way to ruin a roux is to walk away to do something else.

CD
 
Stopped off at a diner for breakfast, on my way down to find good shrimp in Connecticut. (Among my other tasks and fun )

As I love seafood, I'd rather do my first gumbo with this, then chicken. I'm sure that's what I ordered in NOLA back in the day.

Go for it! Shrimp and crab are the go-to seafoods for gumbo in Louisiana, but get whatever is fresh and in season where you live. Shrimp and crabs just happen to be abundant on the Gulf coast, so that's what people use down here.

CD
 
I'll be starting a gumbo z'herbes in a little bit. It's not for dinner tonight, but we just don't have room for all the greens and the turkey and duck we bought today, as well as the other Thanksgiving items and the rest of the week meals. I'm finally going to make the turducken roulade I've been wanting to make for a long time. The original gumbo recipe is one for Lent, so it's vegan, but Craig wants some andouille in it so I'll use that and a mixture of vege and chicken stock, plus I'm going to make a couple of other changes. I got collards, mustard greens, watercress, spinach and red swiss chard for the greens.
 
The original gumbo recipe is one for Lent, so it's vegan, but Craig wants some andouille in it so I'll use that and a mixture of vege and chicken stock, plus I'm going to make a couple of other changes. I got collards, mustard greens, watercress, spinach and red swiss chard for the greens.

Sounds good. Mine turned out OK which reminds me I must post recipe and photos. Although I'm happy with vegan food I do feel it would have worked well with andouille. Not that I can get that here anyway. I used a Bavarian smoked sausage in the seafood & chicken gumbos I made.
 
Sounds good. Mine turned out OK which reminds me I must post recipe and photos. Although I'm happy with vegan food I do feel it would have worked well with andouille. Not that I can get that here anyway. I used a Bavarian smoked sausage in the seafood & chicken gumbos I made.

Bavarian smoked sausage doesn't taste the same as andouille , but it works fine in gumbo. I buy German smoked sausage from a gas station/truck stop/smokehouse called Woody's in the little freeway town of Centerville, Texas. I would have no issues with using it in gumbo.

Home - Woody's Smokehouse

CD
 
Bavarian smoked sausage doesn't taste the same as andouille , but it works fine in gumbo.

Phew! Glad you said this. I didn't think it would be the same - but I did like the smoky flavour combined with the woodsy roux. This in itself is a bit of a revelation for me as I generally don't like smoked sausage.
 
Phew! Glad you said this. I didn't think it would be the same - but I did like the smoky flavour combined with the woodsy roux. This in itself is a bit of a revelation for me as I generally don't like smoked sausage.

Yeah, using a smoked sausage of any kind is a natural with the woodsy/earthy flavors of Cajun gumbo.

CD
 
Shrimp, okra and andouille gumbo. Okra based gumbo has homemade andouille and the shrimp were added in the last 5 minutes of cooking. There is a tiny bit of leftover gumbo, but the shrimp are all gone.

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