Okra Gumbo

Okra Gumbo

Published: Saturday, May 01, 2010, 10:37 AM Updated: Wednesday, May 19, 2010, 12:00 PM

By The Times-Picayune

(Editor's note: The following was taken from "The Picayune's Creole Cook Book," circa 1901 and content may be dated)

Okra Gumbo
Gombo Fevi

1 Chicken
1 Onion
6 Large Fresh Tomatoes
2 Pints of Okra, or Fifty Counted.
1/2 Pod of Red Pepper, without the Seeds
2 Large Slices of Ham
1 Bay Leaf
1 Sprig of Thyme or Parsley
1 Tablespoonful of Lard or Two Level Spoons of Butter
Salt and Cayenne to Taste

Clean and cut up the chicken. Cut the ham into small squares or dice and chop the onions, parsley and thyme. Skin the tomatoes, and chop fine, saving the juice. Wash and stem the okra and slice into thin layers of one-half inch each. Put the lard or butter into the soup kettle, and when hot add the chicken and the ham.

Cover closely and let it simmer for about ten minutes. Then add the chopped onions, parsley, thyme and tomatoes, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Then add the okra, and, when well browned, add the juice of the tomatoes, which imparts a superior flavor.

The okra is very delicate and is liable to scorch quickly If not stirred frequently. For this reason many Creole cooks fry the okra separately in a frying pan, seasoning with the pepper, cayenne and salt, and then add to the chicken. But equally good results may be obtained by simply adding the okra to the frying chicken, and watching constantly to prevent scorching.

The least taste of a "scorch" spoils the flavor of the gumbo. When well fried and browned, add the boiling water (about three quarts) and set on a very slow fire, letting it simmer gently for about an hour longer. Serve hot, with nicely boiled rice. The remains of turkey may be utilized in the gumbo, instead of using chicken.

In families where it is not possible to procure a fowl, use a round steak of beef or veal, instead of the chicken, and chop fine. But it must always be borne in mind that the Chicken Gumbo has the best flavor. Much, however, depends upon the seasoning, which is always high, and thus cooked, the Meat Gumbo makes a most nutritious and excellent dish.

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