My Grandmothers Gumbo As Near As I Can Remember Recipes

HUSBAND'S GRANDMOTHER'S SHRIMP GUMBO

Steps:

• Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium heat, discard the fat in the skillet, and drain the sausage slices on paper towels to absorb any excess grease. Set the sausage aside. Cook and stir the chopped bacon in the skillet until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes, remove the bacon, and set aside. Stir the okra into the hot bacon drippings, and cook and stir until the okra is tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the okra in a colander, and discard bacon drippings.
• Place the okra and diced tomatoes in a saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer the okra mixture for about 10 minutes.
• In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat, and cook and stir the onion, green onions, green pepper, celery, parsley, and garlic until the onion begins to turn brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the vegetables but leave the butter in the pot. Stir in the flour, reduce heat to low, and cook the roux, stirring constantly, until it turns the color of milk chocolate, 30 to 45 minutes. Do not let the roux burn.
• When the roux reaches its correct color, whisk in 2 cups of water. Raise the heat to medium; stir in salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, thyme, and bay leaves, bring the mixture to a boil, and stir in the sausage, bacon, okra-tomato mixture, and 6 more cups of water. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer the gumbo, stirring occasionally, until the soup has thickened and the flavors are blended, about 45 minutes. Stir in the shrimp, and simmer until they turn pink and opaque, 6 to 8 more minutes. Discard bay leaves and adjust the seasonings, if desired, before serving.

MY GRANDMOTHER'S GUMBO - AS NEAR AS I CAN REMEMBER

Steps:

• Place the Chicken, water, onion, celery, carrot, parsley, bay leaves and salt and pepper into a large stock pot. Bring almost to a boil. Cover and turn the temperature very low. Allow to cook, skimming off the froth occasionally, for about an hour.
• Cool the broth slightly and then strain - pressing out as much water from the meat as possible. Remove the chicken meat and reserve for later. Set the broth aside for later. Discard all of the remaining solids. These steps can be done early in the day or the day ahead.
• Make a roux: Melt the 5 tablespoons of butter in a very large soup pot over medium low heat. Stir in the flour and continue stirring until the roux is a deep coppery color - this takes up to 15 minutes. If you burn it, throw it away and begin again. The scorched taste will ruin your gumbo.
• Add the onion to the roux. Cook 2-3 minutes until soft, stirring almost constantly.
• Add the green pepper and celery. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring almost constantly.
• Add the okra and parsley. Cook 3 - 5 minutes, stirring frequently. If it sticks to the pan too much, toss in 1/4 of water.
• Add the tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper, and bay leaves.
• Add the reserved chicken broth back to the pot. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Lower the temperature and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
• At this point I let the gumbo cool down and then set the whole thing in the fridge at least over night.
• Return the soup to the stove top. Add in the reserved chicken and the shrimp. Heat through and serve over rice.

MY LOUISIANA GRANDMOTHER'S GUMBO (MY VERSION)

Steps:

• Take a thigh/leg portion and separate the drumstick from the thigh.
• Skin all or half of the chicken pieces.
• Broil off the chicken and sausage until well-browned.
• Cut the sausages into 1/2" slices.
• Add olive oil and butter to a 5 to 6 quart pot on low heat.
• Add 1/3 c flour, the cayenne, nutmeg and wisk gently and quickly until it begins to thicken.
• Add enough juice from the tomatoes to stop the thickening and add the chicken and sausage pieces to the pot.
• Add all the tomatoes, the okra and the rough cut onions .
• Use the tomato can to add water to the pot to just cover the contents of the pot and bring to a boil.
• Using a wooden or plastic spoon that reaches the bottom of the pot and gently loosen any flour which begins to stick to the bottom.
• Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is almost falling off the bone.
• Adjust seasonings to taste and stir occasionally.
• Serve in big bowls and top with boiled rice.
• NOTE: SMALL BONE FRAGMENTS will be present so take care to screen each mouthful before chewing! Nice to have bread plates or saucers for each guest so that they can discard any bones.
• Great with a crispy warm, buttered baguette or garlic bread.
• VARIATIONS:.
• You can pull the chicken off the bone after broiling and cooling and add to the simmering pot until fully cooked and tender.
• We frequently add shelled, jumbo deveined shrimp to the ingredient list.
• Would translate to a slow-cooker easily if you don't require the meats to be broiled first.