Mardi Gras Time -- Gumbo and Roux

Louise brought up the idea of cooking some Cajun stuff in honor of Mardi Gras (which is Tuesday).

A lot of it was just too caloric and too much trouble -- I really miss having neighbors we could cook with, Susan would launch into a cooperative effort at the drop of a hat and it didn't even have to be on the weekend. But I got into reading recipes and decided to tackle a gumbo and make it right this time.

Every single time I have tried to make the long slow-cooked cajun Roux I have wrecked it, usually by burning it. You know I don't mean the 3 minute roux (butter and flour) that is step one for béchamel or many gravy recipes. This is flour and oil stirred attentively for, like, an hour. WELL I found a better option and here's a URL that explains it.

http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2009/03/ea ... z3RmsxVA2z

I put 1/4 cup of peanut oil and 1/4 cup of flour into a cast iron fry pan, set the oven at 360 F, stirred the flour together with the oil making it smooth and stuck the pan into the oven for about half an hour. Took it out every few minutes for whisking. What I got was a brown paint-like liquid that smelled nicely toasty and "brown" and was about the color of an old penny. I didn't want to risk anything so I didn't use the grease from frying the chicken thighs, I just used pristine peanut oil and did the roux as a completely separate step. I recommend doing it this way. But when you start frying the vegetables (finely chopped onions, celery stalks, bell peppers, okra, I added a leek because I like adding a leek, etc.) you want to get the roux in there with everything and stir it around. Then there will be bay leaves, thyme, cayenne, salt and pepper. For liquids I used a bottle of clam juice and a couple of cans of Campbell's Chicken Broth with equal amounts of water. When everything was simmering I added back the chicken thighs, along with "coins" of andouille sausage and a sliced up ham steak. Finally I threw in some shrimp. Stuff tastes pretty good. It's hot and savory and the roux gives it a bit of that brown flavor.

The recipe that inspired me was from Best Soups and Stews from the editors of Cook's Illustrated.

[Jenise]

That sounds terrific, Frank. I really like the step of oven-roasting the roux--would not have come up with that.

One of these days I must tackle a gumbo, too. True confession: I've never made one. It's probable that the underlying reason is that I just haven't eaten that many gumbos and so far none of those I have had has been life-changing--though I remain convinced the life-changing version is out there. Yours might be it!

Have faith, Jenise. It's out there.

The oven roux is a fantastic idea that commands my attention. The "real" way truly became too much for me and so gumbo fell out of favor.

[Jenise]

Have faith, Jenise. It's out there.

I'm sure it is; the dish could not be held in such high esteem were it not so. I just don't have a benchmark.

One of the cool things in that URL -- she suggests that you can make a big batch of brown roux and put it in a jar in the refrigerator and add it when necessary to an appropriate stew etc.

I wouldn't call it "life changing" but I think I understand for the first time what that roux is about. The toasty brown smell is really nice and there is some flavor as well. It is quite subtle but I think for people who grew up with it you would absolutely miss it if it isn't there.

Also -- putting in the clam juice and the handful of shrimp really kind of amplified the dish, took it out beyond the chicken and ham and andouille. I suppose I think the same way about a paella, even though you can make perhaps a more authentic paella with just chicken and rabbit, putting in a seafood element makes it rich and special.

Anyway, glad people find it interesting, I certainly recommend trying the oven method.

PS I cooked up some nice basmati rice and we'd put a chicken thigh and some rice in a bowl and then ladle in some juice and veggies and sausage bits. Tasty meal.

Also -- putting in the clam juice and the handful of shrimp really kind of amplified the dish, took it out beyond the chicken and ham and andouille. I suppose I think the same way about a paella, even though you can make perhaps a more authentic paella with just chicken and rabbit, putting in a seafood element makes it rich and special.

I make all my own stock and freeze what I don't use right away--that includes fish stock, which lends much to many dishes.

Paul Prudhomme, in his Louisiana Kitchen cookbook, describes a fast method for making the chocolate-brown/black roux used in gumbos. The roux is made with equal portions of flour and peanut oil (1/2 cup each, for his gumbo recipe). You heat the peanut oil in a large skillet or saute pan over high heat, then gradually add the flour, stirring vigorously all the while with a long-handled wire whisk. The idea is to thoroughly mix the oil and flour and to keep the mixture in constant motion as it cooks. The roux will darken as it cooks. You may need to lift the skillet off the heat if it starts getting out of control. You need to cook the roux until it is at least a deep brown, and until it is nearly black, but not burned, if you dare. This takes about five minutes. If black spots appear earlier in the cooking, it means that the roux has burned and you have to start over. When the roux is done, take the skillet off the heat and add the chopped vegetables, still whisking the mixture until it stops cooking.

Prudhomme warns that this type of roux has earned the nickname Cajun Napalm in his restaurant kitchen because of the way it burns if it gets on your skin.

It takes a bit of practice to keep this process under control, and you should go slowly and watch the heat carefully the first few times. I stopped at a mid-brown roux the first few times--which still makes a fine gumbo--but now I can take this all the way to black roux.

-Paul W.