The CookingBites Cookalong: Gumbo

[Mountain Cat]

I have customers near New Haven. If I'm there in the summer, you can find me at a dockside bar eating clams with a side of cold beer.

CD

I'll keep that in mind! I go into New Haven once or twice a year - MRI on my knee to make sure my tumor isn't growing back too quickly, and to check in with the doctor.

While there, I hit up IKEA (sometimes) - last time there instead of IKEA I hit up a vegetarian restaurant I'd always wanted to try (Claire's Corner Copia). Wouldn't mind finding your dockside bar if I go there in the summer - planning on mid-spring, however, for my next visit.

^^^^^
Turns out I'll be going back down to Danbury CT this next Wednesday. Meeting a friend for lunch, running a few errands, and meeting other friends for a book club discussion over dinner. So I can hit the two places that sell great seafood in my old area. (Bring Cooler, Will Travel!)

 

[Morning Glory]

I've been looking at gumbo z'herbes recipes and have noticed a lot of them don't use a roux, which to me makes them more like soupy greens. I did find one though using a roux and only 1 or 2 meats that makes a lot less than one ElizabethB 's used. It's actually a totally vegetarian/vegan one, though they did mention adding andouille or tasso if you aren't making it for Lent.

One issue I keep coming up against is the fact that most recipes seem to cook the greens for a long time - its against my instincts to do this. Not only will they probable lose colour, they will also lack vitamins. Is this an 'old school' thing perhaps - rather like the long cooking of shrimp in some old jambalaya recipes?

I think I'll cook the greens until just done - this will make it quite a quick recipe to make. Now...what type of beans to use?

I have butter beans, black beans, red kidney beans, green flageolet and gungo beans

 

[medtran49]

Greens in the south are traditionally cooked to death, as are most, if not all, vegetables actually. When I make collards, they are cooked until they are soft or Craig won't eat them. There is no such thing as "crisp tender" in traditional southern cooking. LOL!

Yep, some of the "older" recipes cook fish and shellfish long past what is now considered optimal. One of our cookbooks by an older Cajun cook has a recipe for crawfish etouffee in which you cook the already cooked crawfish tails for close to an hour.

Sorry, I can't wrap my head around putting beans in gumbo.

 

[caseydog]

Yeah, as medtran said, greens in traditional Southern cooking are often cooked to death. Same with other veggies, like green beans. Often, these veggies are simmered for a long time with bacon or a ham hock.

CD

 

[Morning Glory]

Sorry, I can't wrap my head around putting beans in gumbo.

I think it will work - beans are earthy tasting which should work well with the musky, bosky aromatic taste of gumbo and the grassy greens.

I'll taste it & photograph it with & without the beans.

I was going to put okra in too...

 

[Morning Glory]

Found this:

According to J. P., there was likely a quart or so of red beans left over, so on Tuesday, the beans were used to make red bean gumbo.

"A roux (not too dark) was made, to which the trinity, bay leaves and garlic, and the mashed up red beans were added. Enough liquid, usually water, was added to make a soupy concoction that was simmered for an hour or more. And then, Memaw would stand over the hot pot and one by one, she plopped in a dozen or so fresh eggs, which were allowed to poach in the hot soup. She stood guard so no one would disturb the eggs cooking. The eggs were poached hard -- no runny yolks."

The family then lined up to serve themselves a ladle of red bean gumbo and one egg. Sure, rice could also be offered, but more than likely, the egg was mashed up in the gumbo to make it creamy, creamy.

Chef J.P. worked at Brigsten's and showed one of the cooks how to make red bean gumbo, which became a tradition on Lundi Gras at the restaurant.

Red bean gumbo? It's really a thing: Cooking Creole

 

[medtran49]

Found this:



Red bean gumbo? It's really a thing: Cooking Creole

Okay then. Marcelle is well known in the Cajun/Creole food world so I'll take her word for it.

On a side note, I've been to Oak Alley with DD when she was going to school in NOLA. What a beautiful home and we had a lovely lunch in the restaurant at the side of the main house.

 

[caseydog]

I've never seen beans in gumbo, either, but there are a lot of things I've never seen. If you are going to use beans, red beans would be a good choice.

For a little perspective, if you have never had cajun gumbo, and want to eat what most cajuns cook for their own families on a regular basis, start off with a basic chicken and sausage gumbo. That is the most common gumbo in cajun country. Once you have done that, knock yourself out on alternative gumbos. Beans, lamb, alpaca and pasta -- whatever floats your boat.

CD

 

[caseydog]

I'll keep that in mind! I go into New Haven once or twice a year - MRI on my knee to make sure my tumor isn't growing back too quickly, and to check in with the doctor.

While there, I hit up IKEA (sometimes) - last time there instead of IKEA I hit up a vegetarian restaurant I'd always wanted to try (Claire's Corner Copia). Wouldn't mind finding your dockside bar if I go there in the summer - planning on mid-spring, however, for my next visit.

^^^^^
Turns out I'll be going back down to Danbury CT this next Wednesday. Meeting a friend for lunch, running a few errands, and meeting other friends for a book club discussion over dinner. So I can hit the two places that sell great seafood in my old area. (Bring Cooler, Will Travel!)

I live ten minutes from an IKEA, but I can't get fresh clams here. Well, not without paying way too much for them.

CD

 

[ElizabethB]

medtran49

No roux - no gumbo.

One issue I keep coming up against is the fact that most recipes seem to cook the greens for a long time - its against my instincts to do this.

I made a point of not cooking my greens to death. I put them in a stock pot with a little chicken broth and the water clinging to the leaves and just wilted them. Then fine chopped in the food processor. The greens did cook a long time in the gumbo. Because they were not over cooked all of the flavor was released in the gumbo.

For a little perspective, if you have never had cajun gumbo, and want to eat what most cajuns cook for their own families on a regular basis, start off with a basic chicken and sausage gumbo. That is the most common gumbo in cajun country. Once you have done that, knock yourself out on alternative gumbos. Beans, lamb, alpaca and pasta -- whatever floats your boat.

When I started my Gumbo Z'Herbes I asked myself if it really was gumbo. A resounding yes. A little research showed that Gumbo Z'Herbes had deep roots and tradition in gumbo tradition. New to me. Beans, carrots, Cauliflower, squash.... that may be pushing the envelope. It may be a very nice soup or stew but not really gumbo - even if you use roux.

 

[caseydog]

When I started my Gumbo Z'Herbes I asked myself if it really was gumbo. A resounding yes. A little research showed that Gumbo Z'Herbes had deep roots and tradition in gumbo tradition. New to me. Beans, carrots, Cauliflower, squash.... that may be pushing the envelope. It may be a very nice soup or stew but not really gumbo - even if you use roux.

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.

I remember the first time I ate pizza in Napoli, and coq au vin served family style in Paris. It set me up with a baseline. I got a feel for the spirit and traditions of the food.

I don't know what else to say, so I'll shut up.

CD

 

[Morning Glory]

If you are going to use beans, red beans would be a good choice.

Red beans it is.

I made a point of not cooking my greens to death. I put them in a stock pot with a little chicken broth and the water clinging to the leaves and just wilted them. Then fine chopped in the food processor. The greens did cook a long time in the gumbo. Because they were not over cooked all of the flavor was released in the gumbo.

I'll do similar.

For a little perspective, if you have never had cajun gumbo, and want to eat what most cajuns cook for their own families on a regular basis, start off with a basic chicken and sausage gumbo. That is the most common gumbo in cajun country.

Well I started with a seafood gumbo last week and made a chicken/sausage one yesterday (photos to follow). Today is z'herbes.

To make things a bit easier I made double the amount of roux, trinity & stock and split it into two for the chicken/sausage and z'herbes.

Making the roux is supposed to be tricky but both times I found it very easy and that is in two different kitchens using two different saucepans The first roux was in my friend's kitchen using a Le Creuset saucepan, the second in my kitchen using a stainless steel saucepan. Whether I could have gone a bit further on colour I don't know but it was quite rich brown. It seems to lose a lot of the rich dark colour when its added to the stock.

Photos of roux to follow...

 

[Mountain Cat]

Like others, I've never made a roux before. At least, if it fails to work out, it won't be already mixed in with the pricier ingredients.... and I'll be able to start again.

 

[Morning Glory]

This is the roux made for the seafood gumbo:

 

[ElizabethB]

This is the roux made for the seafood gumbo:

A very nice color for a seafood gumbo. A slightly lighter roux is good for seafood. A darker roux would over power the delicacy of the seafood. The roux I used for the Gumbo Z'Herbes and the usual chicken and sausage gumbo is a little darker.