The Language of Love

Mmmm... Guuuumbohhhh.

 

There used to be this Cajun chef on teevee years ago, named Justin Wilson. I was fascinated with his show -- not because I was into Cajun food (and certainly not because I'm any kind of cook), but just because I liked to hear him talk. He cracked me up.

 

-- Nephele

I'm a big stew fan, you can't beat it, quick, easy and it lasts for days and the funny thing is , the longer you leave it the better it tastes. (why is that??)

 

Cheers for the cooking instructions Doc, I think I might rustle up a bit of Gumbo for the family this week end!

Anytime! I'm full of recipes (and other things...hush, Don Tomato!).

 

Why do things like soups, stews, gumbos, and the like get better as they sit? Because it has to do with how the flavors are transmitted. Essentially, most flavors (including salt) are carried best either in oils/fats or alcohol; water can be a carrier of flavor, sure, but it's not always as effective. Either way, when we make things which have some fats in it, as it sits the oils/fats absorb the various flavors and intensifies them as well as melds them together.

 

So you think how most soups, stews and gumbos start...it's with a fat or oil. Perhaps it's rendering out bacon, sausage or other fatty meat...or it's olive oil or butter. Either way, there's always some sort of oil or fat involved...in moderation. Also, if you add stock or broth, there's inherently a little fat in it.

 

One more note about gumbo: the leftovers should be frozen or refrigerated separate from the rice...otherwise, the rice soaks up all the broth, and it's a gelatinous mess.

 

(BTW, flavors that are best carried by alcohol are those which are 'fleeting'...they don't get intensified over time, usually.)

I should add something else about the sausage in gumbo:

 

--If at all possible, Cajun andouille is the preferred choice. It's a smoked pork sausage, as said before...it tends to have a small amount of heat, but it's not hot hot.

 

--Next best alternative is Spanish chorizo, which is the basis for Cajun andouille. It's again a smoked pork sausage which is not hot, and tends to get its red color from paprika. DO NOT use Mexican/Latin American chorizo...it tends to be quite wet. Portuguese lingui

There is no such thing as Italian turkey sausage. Only turkeys would eat that slops!

Sorry for repeat,

Gumbo sounds good. I've taken down the recipe and am going to try it tonite. It sounds like something that my kids would dig. Cheers, matey!.

So I tried it, the kids dug it, a success all up. Plates were wiped cleaned with bread and seconds were had by all. Cheers again for the recipe. Much better than a stew. Does this recipe translate well to seafood?

Very much so! A very common ingredient in gumbos is shrimp or prawns...cooked with the shell on, so that you get the flavor in the broth. And, being that gumbo is the soul food of the bayou, crawfish are very common in there as well. Perhaps in fancy-schmancy places you can add crab pieces, too. Like any other such recipe, the sky's the limit!

 

Glad that it was enjoyed by all!