Joergs 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.

GUMBO Z'HERBES

Steps:

• In a stockpot or large saucepan, heat the bacon fat. Add the ham hock and onions and cook for 10 minutes, until onions are softened and slits in ham hock have begun to open up. Add garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and cayenne pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chopped greens, parsley, green onions and cabbage and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until greens are wilted. Add broth or water and increase heat to high. Bring to a boil, skim surface, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 2 1/2 hours, until greens are very tender. Season with salt and pepper and add file, to taste, just before serving in large bowls over hot white rice. (Do not allow gumbo to boil after adding the file.)

WINTZELL'S GUMBO

Steps:

• Sift flour; brown in lard to a golden-brown color, stirring constantly to prevent burning or lumping.
• Add half of the chopped onion, garlic, bell pepper, and celery and saute for one minute. Add this mixture to the boiling water and mix thoroughly.
• Add remaining onion, garlic, bell pepper, celery, and the bouillon cubes, and boil for 10 minutes.
• Add oysters and simmer for at least 30 minutes.
• Add salt and pepper to taste, bring to rapid boil and add filé powder. Mix well and remove from heat. Let sit for at least 15 minutes and serve over rice.

GUMBO JOES

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the soup, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, horseradish, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Spoon onto rolls.

GUMBO SLOPPY JOES

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the soup, ketchup and mustard; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes or until mixture reaches desired thickness. Serve on buns.

JOERG'S GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat a large frying pan and add flour.
• Toast until flour is browned.
• Remove from heat.
• In a large soup pot, add the oil, then sauté the celery, onion, green pepper, carrot, garlic and tomatoes and cook, stirring all the time, until almost tender.
• Stir in the flour to coat the veggies.
• Add the chicken stock and seasonings and simmer a few minutes until vegetables are tender.
• While vegetable mixture is simmering, slice sausage into bite size chunks and brown in skillet.
• When ready, add to vegetable mixture.
• Simmer and stir about 30 minutes until it starts to thicken.
• Add okra and simmer another 10-15 minutes.
• Serve about 1 1/2 cups gumbo over 3/4 cup cooked rice and pass the hot sauce!