Gumbo

Gumbo is a soup popular in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It consists of a strongly-flavored stock, meat or shellfish, a thickener, and the CajunCreole “holy trinity” of celery, bell peppers, and onions. The preferred method in the historical New Orleans variation is with a French dark roux.

About Gumbo in brief

Gumbo is a soup popular in the U.S. state of Louisiana, and is the official state cuisine. Gumbo consists of a strongly-flavored stock, meat or shellfish, a thickener, and the CajunCreole “holy trinity” of celery, bell peppers, and onions. The preferred method in the historical New Orleans variation is with a French dark roux. Tomatoes are traditionally found in Creole gumbo and frequently appear in New Orleans cuisine but there is a camp of gumbo cooks who believe that tomatoes should not be used as with okra. The flavor of the dish has its origins in many cultures. It was first described in 1802, and was listed in various cookbooks in the latter half of the 19th century. The dish was likely named after one of its two main ingredients, okra or filé. In the Niger–Congo languages spoken by many slaves from West Africa, the vegetable okra was known as ki ngombo or quingombo; the word is akin to the Umbundu ochinggômbo and the Tshiluba ching gômbô \”okra\”. In the language of the native Choctaw people, filé, or ground sassafras leaves, is called kombo. Andouille sausage is often added to both meat and seafood gumbos to provide an additional layer of flavor to the dish. The key with the Andouilles is to use a tender one so not too chewy. Gumbos are seasoned with onions, parsley, bell pepper, and celery.

Tom tomatoes are used in seafood gumbo, but a few other vegetables are included. Traditionally, okra and filé powder are not used in the same dish, although this rule is sometimes broken. According to The Oxford Companion to Food, the okra-based texture is becoming less popular, as the texture has become less palatable to palatable tastes. This mucilaginous vegetable is usually cooked first, usually cooked with other ingredients and then added to the gumbo once the desired consistency is reached. A third, lesser-known variety, the meatless gumbo z’herbes, is essentially a gumbo of slow-cooked greens. The name of the Dish comes from Louisiana French. Gumbo does vary by region, town and even within the family and in some ways is like Minestrone in that no two recipes are exactly the same. Meat-based gumbo may consist of chicken, duck, squirrel, or rabbit, with oysters occasionally added. Seafood- based gumbo generally has shrimp, crab meat, and sometimes oysters. The dish simmers for a minimum of three hours, with shellfish and some spices added near the end. If desired, Filé powder is added after the pot is removed from heat, and then meat is added. It can be used alone or in conjunction with the other ingredients.

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