Gumbo Secrets Exposed!!

The unique food of New Orleans’ locals is a virtual melting pot of worldwide cultures. The big easy has used recipes from all parts of the world. French, Indian, Southern American, Mexican and even African influences can be found in a lot of New Orleans dishes. When you think about food from New Orleans two terms probably pop up, Creole and Cajun. Although these terms are thrown around loosely, especially with a popular chicken franchise, there is a distinct difference between the two styles of cooking.

Cajun dishes refer to a very rustic, almost hotpot style of cooking. Flavors are typically put together in stews or other heavy sauces. This type of cooking is heavily influenced by not only French, but African campfire cooking techniques. In one word Cajun = Hearty.

Creole food on the other hand is “city food”. Creole food is a little more refined than its Cajun cousin. Typically these dishes were historically serviced to the businessmen and prominent members of pre-industrial era New Orleans. This type of cooking is primarily French with small Spanish and Mediterranean influences, especially on seafood. Original New Orleans French settlers borrowed several preparations of local ingredients from Spanish and southern Island travelers

There are some dishes that nicely pair both Cajun and Creole cooking both into the preparation. Gumbo is a great example as it pairs both classical French Creole roux making techniques and rustic Cajun ingredients.

There are some key steps to making a good gumbo.

The roux

A traditional New Orleans gumbo is made with a very dark roux. A roux is simply 1 part clarified butter to 1 part flour. This will give the gumbo not only that tell tale New Orleans Smokey flavor but is also necessary to thicken the gumbo.

The ingredients.

Fresh ingredients are must for Gumbo. Typical ingredients include celery, green bell pepper, garlic, onion, spicy sausage, shrimp, crawfish and okra.

Time and preparation.

Although I suppose it’s possible to make something close, good, authentic gumbo can’t be made in an hour. Heck it would be tough to make the roux in an hour! Good gumbo is a day long preparation. The best and most authentic way to make it is in a large cast-iron pot over an open outdoor fire. I’m not sure what it is but there’s something about cooking gumbo over an open fire that just screams rural Cajun.