Gumbo, not just a New Orleans dish

Recently I had a lovely note from a young lady wanting to know how to make a true Gumbo. She had had a bowl in the Carolinas that did not have okra or seafood. It appeared to have ground beef. I don’t think that there is any ‘true’ gumbo recipe. It just depends on the culture, the location, the food available, and last but not least…what you have on hand. Locations the world over have some dish that is similar to gumbo. In the south we have okra and some sort of seafood…whether it comes from the ocean, lakes, rivers, or streams. I searched and found what I think you are referring to (1955 Southern Living Annual Recipes, page 70). I always thought that gumbo was a New Orleans dish.

Carolina Gumbo

1 pound lean ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

1 package (16 ounces) white corn, thawed

1 can (15 ½ ounce) Great Northern beans, drained

3 cans (14 ½ ounce each) stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 package (10 ounce) sliced, frozen okra, thawed

2 tablespoons chili powder

Hot cooked white rice

Hot sauce (optional)

Brown ground beef and onion in a Dutch oven, stirring until beef crumbles. Drain, rinse with hot water, and return to Dutch oven. Stir in next four ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over cooked rice with hot sauce, if desired. Makes 1 ½ quarts.

Gumbo with Tomato Base

4 chicken breast halves (Use bone in)

2 T chicken bouillon granules

1 Quart water

Mix in a pot, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook until done. Cool meat in broth, remove meat from broth, de-bone, skin, and cut up. In a large soup pot heat:

1 tablespoon olive and add

1 package Cajun sausage, sliced

2 large onions, chopped

1 large bell pepper, chopped

3 large ribs celery chopped.

Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes and Add: 2 quarts pureed tomatoes and Chicken Broth.

Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 25 minutes. Add 2 cups sliced okra. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 25 minutes. Add chicken and 1 pound cleaned and deveined shrimp. Adjust seasonings and cook until shrimp is pink… being careful not to overcook. Remove from heat, place a serving of cooked white rice in a soup bowl and spoon gumbo over rice.

Gumbo with a Roux (Gravy) Base

4 chicken breast halves (Use bone in)

2 T chicken bouillon granules

1 Quart water

Mix in a pot, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook until done. Cool meat in broth, remove meat from broth, de-bone, skin, and cut up. In a large soup pot heat:

½ cup Vegetable oil and add

1 package Cajun sausage, sliced. Sauté until sausage begins to change color and stir in ½ cup flour. Cook, stirring and being careful not to scorch. Stir in:

2 large onions, chopped

1 large bell pepper, chopped

3 large ribs celery chopped.

Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes and Add: 3 quarts liquid. (Chicken Broth, water and/or stock) Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 25 minutes. Add 2 cups sliced okra. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 25 minutes. Add chicken and 1 pound cleaned and deveined shrimp. Adjust seasonings and cook until shrimp is pink. Will take a few minutes…do not overcook. Remove from heat, place a serving of cooked white rice in a soup bowl and spoon gumbo over rice.

Recipe for Laughter:

A Great Lesson on Stress: (Thanks Pete) A young lady confidently walked around the room with a raised glass of water   while leading a seminar and explaining stress management to her audience.  Everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, ‘Half empty or half full?’  She fooled them all. “How heavy is this glass of water?” she inquired with a smile.   Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. To 20 oz.  She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter.  It depends on how long I hold it.    If I hold it for a minute, that’s not a problem.  If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my right arm.  If I hold it for a day, you’ll have to call an ambulance.  In each case it’s the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.”  She continued, “And that’s the way it is with stress.  If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won’t be able to carry on.”  “As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again.  When we’re refreshed, we can carry on with the burden – holding stress longer and better each time practiced.”  So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don’t carry them through the evening and into the night.  Pick them up again tomorrow if you must.

Be the kind of person that when your feet hit the floor each morning the Devil says,  “Oh Crap, he/she is up!” …take care…I’ll be seeing you around…Agnes