It’s hard to find a dish in the South that is more celebratedor debated than gumbo.
Southerners like to argue about food.
But gumbo is a particularly controversial subject, especially among Louisianans.
Credit: Cedric Angeles
Although it’s just two ingredients, the color of a roux is fiercely debated among gumbo aficionados.
Many say a proper gumbo roux should be chocolate brown, for the richest flavor.
Our Test Kitchen prefers butter over oil for the rich, nutty flavor.
But butter burns easily, making a lighter golden brown roux.
This aromatic trio is also a source of debatesome use green bell peppers, others favor red.
And some cooks add garlic to the mix, which we entirely approve of.
Go Low and Slow
Gumbo is a project.
And you’ve got the option to’t rush it.
Slow cooking allows all of the flavors to marry together and keeps the gumbo from burning or over-reducing.
Finish with File
Gumbo is traditionally served over steamed white rice (and sometimes potato salad!
), with sliced scallions and hot sauce on the side.
It is typically sprinkled on individual servings to thicken and season gumbo.
If it’s possible for you to’t findfile powderat a supermarket or gourmet store, order it from penzeys.com.
But don’t get too hung up on what’s “right” and “wrong.”
We’re not saying that you should go wild and addkale and quinoato gumbo.
Start with a fairlyclassic recipe, learn the fundamentals, then tinker with it to make it your own.
It should be thicker than a soup.
That’s where thickeners like roux, okra, and file powder come in.
They also add flavor, but you don’t need all three.
For the roux, verify to add enough flour so it’s similar to a paste.
If your roux is too thin, your gumbo will be thin.
Also, pay attention to when to add your ingredients.
Shrimp should be added at the end of cooking so it doesn’t get rubbery.
Once you try a bowl of comforting gumbo, you’ll make this staple again and again.
