Originally native to Africa, okra has been embraced by the American South. In the Cajun country of Louisiana, it picked up the French accent you’ll enjoy in this thick spicy stew with a tomato base. Foraging for a living in their swampy homeland, Cajuns would traditionally have used vegetables in their gumbo plus whatever they could catch…chicken, duck, shrimp, crawfish, fish, pork or sausage, even alligator. (We’ll skip the gator for our gumbo.) Under Cajun influence, okra gumbo has become a byword for joie d’vivre…eat it over rice, with some cornbread on the side.
SERVES 4
1 T. oil
3 T. flour
salt, pepper to taste
In the bottom of a large soup pot, stir together flour and oil with a whisk or a fork. Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the roux is a rich brown. DO NOT BURN. Remove the roux to a bowl; set aside.
3 T. oil
4 pound okra, rinsed, trimmed, and cut into ¼˝ slices
2 medium onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
In the same pot, heat oil and sauté the okra, onions, garlic, and celery over medium high heat until well-browned. Reduce heat; add peppers, seasonings, and the tomatoes. Simmer for 15 minutes.
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 (28 OZ.) can tomatoes, drained, coarsely chopped, and juice reserved
dash of Tabasco
dash of Worchestershire
2 bay leaves
1 t. thyme
salt to taste
lots of black pepper
2 cups boiling water or vegetable stock
Whisk together water, reserved juice from tomatoes, and the roux, until smooth. Mix thoroughly with the vegetables. Cover. Over low heat, simmer the stew for 30 minutes, adding additional water if needed. Taste and adjust seasonings (should be bold, flavourful, and peppery). Serve hot over rice, and pass extra Tabasco for those souls brave enough to like their gumbo extra hot.
TO MAKE A ROUX.
A roux is a mixture of flour and oil or butter browned together and used to thicken sauces. The secret to a succesful roux is to slowly cook the flour and oil in a heavy skillet, so that it very gradually browns without burning; the darker brown the roux, the richer the flavour. Once the roux is cooked, it can be whisked into stock, sauces or stews as a thickener. Rouxs cooked with oil can be stored for several weeks in a sealed container in the refrigerator, to be used a spoonful at a time as needed.