Well Fed Network

Posted by Todd M Johns on The Cook’s Kitchen.

Like most sports fans, I try to make something special to enjoy during the big game. Maybe it’s the proximity in date to Mardi Gras, but Cajun has been a favorite most years. We’ve done a lot of jambalaya over the years, but never a gumbo. A great gumbo starts with a great roux.

The roux started with a 3/4 cup of bacon fat, 3 tablespoons of chicken fat reserved from last night’s roasted chicken, and 3/4 cup of veggie oil. The first picture was taken about 15 minutes into the process. The second picture was after 40 minutes, and the last picture was about an hour when pulled off of the heat. It actually got darker than that from the residual heat. Once it turns dark, it darkens fast.

When they say that a dark roux has a nutty taste, it’s very true. It tastes like an overcooked cookie, which makes a lot of sense since cookies are primarily fat, flour, and sugar. The roux, obviously, doesn’t have sugar.

One large onion, one red bell pepper, and one yellow bell pepper were diced, sauteed and added to the pot. More than two cups of chicken were added as well. I substituted fresh, ground italian sausage for the traditional andouille, simply because that’s what I had on hand. File and shrimp were added toward the end. File adds a wonderful richness to gumbo. No Okra. Wife and I love okra, but the kids don’t.