Fumbo Faux Gumbo Recipes

VALERIE'S VERY BEST GUMBO

Steps:

• Warm 1 cup oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven until hot. Add the flour to the pot all at once, whisking until the consistency is uniform. Cook the roux, whisking occasionally, until it is the color of a tarnished penny, about 20 minutes. Do not let it darken any further. Carefully add the celery, bell peppers, onion, chopped scallions and garlic to the pot, working away from you as the hot roux may spatter. Stir with a wooden spoon until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Add enough stock to just cover the vegetables, about 1 quart, and stir to combine. The roux may separate. Add the tomatoes with their juices, andouille and smoked sausages, cayenne, bay leaves, 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper and the remaining stock, about 1 more quart. Partially cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Add the okra and cook, stirring, until the gel dries out slightly, about 3 minutes. Add to the Dutch oven.
• Taste the gumbo for seasoning and adjust as desired. Add the chicken, cook until warmed through and serve, or simmer up to 2 hours more to concentrate the flavors, adding the chicken 20 minutes before serving.
• Sprinkle with the reserved sliced scallions and serve over rice. Serve with hot sauce and file powder if using.

CAJUN CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, whisk in flour. Continue whisking until the roux has cooked to the color of chocolate milk, 8 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn the roux. If you see black specks in the mixture, start over.
• Stir onion, bell pepper, celery, and sausage into the roux; cook 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook another 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning; blend thoroughly. Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in the chicken, and simmer 1 hour more. Skim off any foam that floats to the top during the last hour.

FUMBO (FAUX-GUMBO)

Steps:

• Saute onion, peppers and celery for 3 minutes.
• Add garlic and sautee 1 more minute.
• Pour in diced tomatoes, chicken broth and potatoes. Stir, bring to a low boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add chicken, rice, cayenne pepper (the amount you use depends on your family's tolerance for spicy food - I usually give about 4 dashes), salt & pepper and sugar.
• Let cook for another 20-30 minutes to bring flavors together. Enjoy!

ROBIN'S FAUX GUMBO (SPICY)

Steps:

• 1. In a large pot or kettle, sauté the bacon, butter, onion, and garlic together until the onion is translucent.
• 2. Add in the canned Rotel (tomatoes, chiles), frozen okra, broth, tomato paste, Worchestershire, and stir until the paste is dissolved.
• 3. Add in the sliced sausages, seasoning, and Thyme. Stir and bring to a boil over medium heat.
• 4. Add in the bay leaves. Reduce to simmer and set the timer for an hour.
• 5. When the timer is up, remove the bay leaves, add in the seafood and bring back to a boil (about 10 minutes).
• 6. Turn off heat and serve hot - either plain or over cooked rice. Enjoy! Note: The flavors develop overnight for a richer taste. So make this the day before and warm it in a crockpot for supper the next day!

GOOD NEW ORLEANS CREOLE GUMBO

Steps:

• Make a roux by whisking the flour and 3/4 cup bacon drippings together in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat to form a smooth mixture. Cook the roux, whisking constantly, until it turns a rich mahogany brown color. This can take 20 to 30 minutes; watch heat carefully and whisk constantly or roux will burn. Remove from heat; continue whisking until mixture stops cooking.
• Place the celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into the work bowl of a food processor, and pulse until the vegetables are very finely chopped. Stir the vegetables into the roux, and mix in the sausage. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
• Bring the water and beef bouillon cubes to a boil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Stir until the bouillon cubes dissolve, and whisk the roux mixture into the boiling water. Reduce heat to a simmer, and mix in the sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, thyme, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer the soup over low heat for 1 hour; mix in 2 teaspoons of file gumbo powder at the 45-minute mark.
• Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in a skillet, and cook the okra with vinegar over medium heat for 15 minutes; remove okra with slotted spoon, and stir into the simmering gumbo. Mix in crabmeat, shrimp, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmer until flavors have blended, 45 more minutes. Just before serving, stir in 2 more teaspoons of file gumbo powder.

ROUXLESS GUMBO

Steps:

• Place chicken in a large pot; add enough water to cover. Cover pot and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until meat falls off the bone, about 90 minutes. Remove chicken, let cool, and shred meat; skim broth and reserve.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onions, bell pepper, and celery until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes, tomatoes with green chilies, andouille sausage, okra, corn, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and reserved broth; bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 30 minutes.
• Mix shredded chicken and shrimp into skillet; simmer until shrimp turns bright pink and okra is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in file powder. Serve with rice.