Gumbo

notbob said:

I can't imagine anyone spending 15-45 mins making a simple roux. My
technique calls for a copper bottomed SS pan and a hi-temp silicon
spatula. I crank the heat right up under the smoking point and keep
that roux a-movin'. I can get a fudgesicle brown roux in about eight
minutes.

That's livin' on the edge! For most people, though, the risk of
scorching at that high heat offsets the time savings. Safer to
moderate the heat a bit and spend more time stirring. -aem

notbob said:

I can't imagine anyone spending 15-45 mins making a simple roux. My
technique calls for a copper bottomed SS pan and a hi-temp silicon
spatula. I crank the heat right up under the smoking point and keep
that roux a-movin'. I can get a fudgesicle brown roux in about eight
minutes.

Yep. I used to do it the slow way because that's how most recipes
specify it. Then I read "Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen" where
he does a dark roux in a few minutes. That's the way I do it now.
It's drop dead easy.

--
Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com

Wayne Boatwright said:

On Sat 27 Aug 2005 08:48:06a, Kenneth wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

Roberta said:

Thank you 🙂 don't know what file powder is

Hello again,

It is actually finely ground sassafras leaves and has a
wonderful "smoky" taste and aroma...

All the best,

CAUTION: Once file powder is added to gumbo or other dish, do not allow the
liquid to boil or it will get "stringy". File powder is used both for
flavoring and thickening.

Hi again,

You are right of course...

I neglected to mention that for a while, filé was
(amazingly) on the U.S. federal controlled substances list.
It all but disappeared from the shelves, but they woke up
and removed it from the list.

All the best,
--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

"Reg" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

notbob said:

I can't imagine anyone spending 15-45 mins making a simple roux. My
technique calls for a copper bottomed SS pan and a hi-temp silicon
spatula. I crank the heat right up under the smoking point and keep
that roux a-movin'. I can get a fudgesicle brown roux in about eight
minutes.

Yep. I used to do it the slow way because that's how most recipes
specify it. Then I read "Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen" where
he does a dark roux in a few minutes. That's the way I do it now.
It's drop dead easy.

Reinhart's "Sacramental Magic...." (1994) book is a running narrative with
recipes, sort of like a travel book. This is what he says about Prudhome on
p. 80-81:
"What I did want to do was to top the previous year's menu by preparing the
greatest gumbo ever made. The key, I reasoned, was my new-found knowledge
of roux, gleaned from the writings of Paul Prudhomme and Justin Wilson."

I don't know what year the "Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen" book was
written. But there might have been a epiphany there for one of those cooks.
Dee Dee

Dee Randall said:

I don't know what year the "Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen" book was
written. But there might have been a epiphany there for one of those cooks.

It came out in 1984. It's the best I've ever read on the subject
of cajun and creole cooking. I like Justin Wilson too, but he's
a bit more traditional and not as technically sound, IMO.

--
Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com

Dee Randall said:

I don't know what year the "Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen" book was
written. But there might have been a epiphany there for one of those cooks.
Dee Dee

My edition was published in 1984.

nb

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dee Randall said:

After reading "Sacramento Magic in a Small-Town Cafe" by Reinhart" p. 79-88,
he describes gumbo as being all in the roux. The lightest being a constant
stirring of 15 minutes and the darkest up to and no more than 45 minutes.
His roux recipe is 2-1/2 cups oil (either canola, peanut or safflower) and 1
cup unbleached all-purpose flour. THEN, you add the roux to the gumbo OR
soup stock, without getting lumps for which he gives tips.

He refers to Wynton Marsalis saying that blues in the root of all music as
"the roux is to the gumbo."

Dee Dee

I'm still basically a 45 min rouxer, using the cheapest veggie oil and
all purpose flour. I can do it in 15 to 20 minutes but if I turn my back
for just a moment it scorches and all is lost. I use only about 1/3 to
1/2 cup of oil to 1 cup of flour. I start with high heat and stir like
crazy until everything smoothes out. Then I turn it down to almost
simmer level (for the 45 min rough) or medium for the 20 minute job.

I made gumbo earlier this week (okra is available big time at our
farmer's market) and when I went to start the roux I was shocked to find
I only had about 1/2 cup of flour in the house. So I added about 1/4 cup
of massa harina (sp?) to the mix. Was real worried .... the massa was
gritty while the roux was under construction. I dumped the veggies in
the finished roux and tossed to coat them and then dumped the whole mess
in the broth (made from smoked turkey drumsticks). Ended up with a
pretty thick Gumbo! But the grittiness was gone.

I usually only provide file powder at the table. Throw the gumbo in your
bowl, add a heap of rice, sprinkle file powder over, pop a beer, enjoy.
And so it goes.

Regards,
Dave W.

--
Living in the Ozarks
For email, edu will do.

Regardless of what doesn't happen, there's always someone who knew it wouldn't.
R. Henry

On Sat, 27 Aug 2005 18:23:49 GMT, Reg <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

It came out in 1984. It's the best I've ever read on the subject
of cajun and creole cooking.

Howdy,

I remember a while ago seeing Chef Paul on the tube.

When he was asked to describe the difference between "Cajun"
and "Creole" he just started to stammer, eventually saying
that one was from "the country" and the other from "the
city."

It was a hoot...

All the best,
--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

Kenneth said:

I remember a while ago seeing Chef Paul on the tube.

When he was asked to describe the difference between "Cajun"
and "Creole" he just started to stammer, eventually saying
that one was from "the country" and the other from "the
city."

It was a hoot...

Heh. That's pretty much what he says in the book, too. But he
does go a bit more indepth, and there's not so much stammering
involved. OK, maybe a little...

--
Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com

Dave W. said:

I'm still basically a 45 min rouxer, using the cheapest veggie oil and
all purpose flour. I can do it in 15 to 20 minutes but if I turn my
back for just a moment it scorches and all is lost. I use only about
1/3 to 1/2 cup of oil to 1 cup of flour. I start with high heat and
stir like crazy until everything smoothes out. Then I turn it down to
almost simmer level (for the 45 min rough) or medium for the 20 minute
job.

I used to make all of my roux the hard way but since learning the tricks of
microwave roux, never again. I can get a perfect dark roux in about 10
minutes with less than a minute of that time spent stirring.

It helps a lot if your microwave has proportional power control (AKA
inverter control) as opposed to the cheap on-off type of regulation.

Kenneth said:

On Sat, 27 Aug 2005 18:23:49 GMT, Reg <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

It came out in 1984. It's the best I've ever read on the subject
of cajun and creole cooking.

Howdy,

I remember a while ago seeing Chef Paul on the tube.

When he was asked to describe the difference between "Cajun"
and "Creole" he just started to stammer, eventually saying
that one was from "the country" and the other from "the
city."

It was a hoot...

All the best,

I believe the Cajuns were mostly French-Canadians, with maybe a *little*
Cherokee (etc) mixed in for good measure. They were poor folks, and
tended to have more one-pot meals made with whatever fish or meat they
caught that day. The Creoles were a higher social class, and were
mixed-breed Cajun-Spanish-Black. Their cooking was more "continental",
and influenced by Spanish and classic French cooking, and an occasional
good measure of African. Have you ever noticed how much jambalaya
resembles paella? It is a creole dish. Gumbo is less well defined and
can be made in one big pot or skillet -- cajun.

Chef P. should have known that.

Best regards,
Bob

zxcvbob said:

I believe the Cajuns were mostly French-Canadians, with maybe a *little*
Cherokee (etc) mixed in for good measure. They were poor folks, and
tended to have more one-pot meals made with whatever fish or meat they
caught that day. The Creoles were a higher social class, and were
mixed-breed Cajun-Spanish-Black. Their cooking was more "continental",
and influenced by Spanish and classic French cooking, and an occasional
good measure of African. Have you ever noticed how much jambalaya
resembles paella? It is a creole dish. Gumbo is less well defined and
can be made in one big pot or skillet -- cajun.

Some of the above is correct, some is not. It's a little more complex.

"The Cajuns are an ethnic group consisting essentially of the
descendants of Acadians who came from Nova Scotia to Louisiana as a
result of their refusal to swear allegiance to the British Crown. The
word "Cajun" is an Anglophone corruption of the French pronunciation
of the word acadien, after Acadia, the name of their ancestral region
in Nova Scotia; the name "Cajun" was applied to them by
English-speaking colonists when they settled in Louisiana."

"Cajuns are primarily the descendants of Acadian refugees; however
other groups have contributed to the modern Cajun population.
Non-Acadian French Creoles in rural areas were absorbed into Cajun
communities. Many Cajuns also have ancestors who were not French."

"Gumbo (from a Central Bantu (Africa) word meaning okra) is a spicy,
hearty stew or soup, found typically in the states on the Gulf of
Mexico in the United States, and very common in the southern part of
Louisiana."

These are just a few tibits from the extensive coverage on
http://en.wikipedia.org. There's a lot more and creole is not just a
USA tag, there being Alaskan, Filipino, and Latin American creoles.
There's also black cajun communities as well as white cajun
communities in the US. Regardless of all the confusion, I wouldn't
lose any sleep over it. 😉

nb

Reg said:

Yep. I used to do it the slow way because that's how most recipes
specify it. Then I read "Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen" where
he does a dark roux in a few minutes. That's the way I do it now.
It's drop dead easy.

There's another technique which I learned originally. You take the
flour (dry) and brown it (pan toast) in a big skillet to the desired
color. Then make a basic fat/flour roux. It doesn't provide the same
flavor, but does give a nice brown color for an espagnole sauce.

nb

Kenneth said:

I neglected to mention that for a while, filé was
(amazingly) on the U.S. federal controlled substances list.
It all but disappeared from the shelves, but they woke up
and removed it from the list.

I thought sasafrass root, not leaves were banned. I didn't miss filé
powder, but I did miss roots to brew tea.

zxcvbob said:

I believe the Cajuns were mostly French-Canadians, with maybe a

*little*

Quoted message said:

Cherokee (etc) mixed in for good measure. They were poor folks, and
tended to have more one-pot meals made with whatever fish or meat they
caught that day. The Creoles were a higher social class, and were
mixed-breed Cajun-Spanish-Black. Their cooking was more "continental",
and influenced by Spanish and classic French cooking, and an occasional
good measure of African. Have you ever noticed how much jambalaya
resembles paella? It is a creole dish. Gumbo is less well defined and
can be made in one big pot or skillet -- cajun.

Chef P. should have known that.

Best regards,
Bob

There is Cajun jambalaya and there is Creole jambalaya, and no one knows
which is older. The primary difference is that Creole tends to have more
tomatoes. The origin of both of them owe more to the Senegalese dish
'bennachin' than they do to paella. Gumbo's roots (minus the okra) are
obviously in bouillabaisse.

Jambalaya is usually made in one pot. Gumbo actually requires two, as the
rice is prepared separately.

On Sat 27 Aug 2005 11:09:11p, sf wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

Kenneth said:

I neglected to mention that for a while, filé was
(amazingly) on the U.S. federal controlled substances list.
It all but disappeared from the shelves, but they woke up
and removed it from the list.

I thought sasafrass root, not leaves were banned. I didn't miss filé
powder, but I did miss roots to brew tea.

I think both were at different times. The root was banned a long time ago,
supposedly as a carcinogen. I remember my dad brewing sassafras tea for us
when I was a kid.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
____________________________________________

My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four,
unless there are three other people.

"Wayne Boatwright" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Sat 27 Aug 2005 11:09:11p, sf wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

Kenneth said:

I neglected to mention that for a while, filé was
(amazingly) on the U.S. federal controlled substances list.
It all but disappeared from the shelves, but they woke up
and removed it from the list.

I thought sasafrass root, not leaves were banned. I didn't miss filé
powder, but I did miss roots to brew tea.

I think both were at different times. The root was banned a long time
ago,
supposedly as a carcinogen. I remember my dad brewing sassafras tea for
us
when I was a kid.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*

In my household as a child (1935-1945) there was no such thing as tea, but
there was sassafras occasionally. It was a treat. And I can't remember if
it was something we had as a 'treatment' when we were sick. I do remember
catnip (tea) bringing me back from being almost dead. I had been very ill
for many days and within a day after being given catnip tea, I was up and
running.
Dee Dee

Roberta said:

I have googled and googled - gumbo???

NO OTHER THAN... Paul Prudhomme..

In article <[email hidden]>,

Bubbabob rnorton@_remove_this_thuntek.net said:

Dave W. said:

I'm still basically a 45 min rouxer, using the cheapest veggie oil and
all purpose flour. I can do it in 15 to 20 minutes but if I turn my
back for just a moment it scorches and all is lost. I use only about
1/3 to 1/2 cup of oil to 1 cup of flour. I start with high heat and
stir like crazy until everything smoothes out. Then I turn it down to
almost simmer level (for the 45 min rough) or medium for the 20 minute
job.

Quoted message said:

I used to make all of my roux the hard way but since learning the tricks of
microwave roux, never again. I can get a perfect dark roux in about 10
minutes with less than a minute of that time spent stirring.

It helps a lot if your microwave has proportional power control (AKA
inverter control) as opposed to the cheap on-off type of regulation.

Yeah, and in my case it would help a lot if I had a microwave! 8^)

Regards,
Dave (stone age) W.

--
Living in the Ozarks
For email, edu will do.

Regardless of what doesn't happen, there's always someone who knew it wouldn't.
R. Henry

Dee Randall said:

I do remember
catnip (tea) bringing me back from being almost dead. I had been very ill
for many days and within a day after being given catnip tea, I was up and
running.

Is there something you're not telling us, Dee? Hmmmm?