0 - The Fool: Gumbo
Because of The Fool’s manta in treasuring the journey, and all of the infinite possibilities found along the way, it is fitting that this card be represented by none other than a dish whose potential is equally limitless: Gumbo
Ingredients
ROUX
- 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1.5 Cups Vegetable Oil
GUMBO
- 4 Sticks Celery
- 1 Yello Onion
- 2 Green Bell Pepper
- 1 Red Bell Pepper
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- 2 12oz Cans of Diced Tomatoes
- 1 12oz Can of Stewed Tomatoes
- 3 Qt Chicken Stock
- 2 Rotisserie Chickens
- 3 Packs of Sausage
- 4 Bay Leaves
- Okra (Canned, Fresh or Frozen-Optional)
SEASONINGS
- Cayenne Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Basil
- Season All
- Black Pepper
- Cajun Seasoning
- Crystal Hot Sauce
Instructions
ROUX
- In a bowl, mix your flour and vegetable oil together. I use more flour than oil because it lends a nuttier flavor and aroma to the gumbo than if they were in equal parts.
- Set your oven to medium and preheat a large cast iron pan. With no distractions and approximately one hour of your time, pour the Roux mixture into the hot pan.
- With a long wooden spoon, begin to stir your Roux. By constantly stirring your Roux, you are ensuring that it cooks evenly and that it does not burn.
- Continue stirring, making sure to scrape the edges and sides of the pan, as well.
- At about the half-hour mark, you will begin to see the Roux darken. At this stage, you can begin to alternate between one minute of medium-high heat and five minutes of medium. This increase in temperature will lend a nuttier aroma to the Roux and, in turn, to the gumbo. (Feel free to remain at a lower temperature your first few times. It’s more crucial that you do not burn the Roux. If you burn it, you have to toss it and start all over. Remember that part of the journey is accepting your mistakes and learning from them–don’t be afraid!)
- At this stage, your Roux will develop into a shade of mahogany. Most people stop here, but more experienced cooks will keep going until they achieve a rich, chocolatey color.
- From this point on, you must cook purely on instinct, relying on your sense of sight and smell. Once satisfied, turn off the heat and continue stirring.
GUMBO
- While your Roux is still hot, throw in your diced celery, bell peppers, and onions; this is known as the Holy Trinity of vegetables (plus garlic ;]). When you do this, the Roux will react to the water in the vegetables and create a thick, dark blob. Don’t panic!
- Once the Roux sautes the vegetables, you will notice that it has cooled significantly. At this point, transfer the mixture into a pot and add your chicken stock, stirring for a few minutes and homogenizing the mixture as best as you can on a medium-low heat. Let it sit for about ten minutes.
- Stir it again and add all of your spices and bay leaves–allow yourself to cook intuitively, adding the spices and additional flavors as you see fit; be sure not to overspice it, though, as the flavors will marry and intensify over the course of the cooking process.
- It’s at this point the dish becomes a free-for-all, and the reason why I feel it best represents the infinite possibilities of The Fool. Though I did add a list of ingredients that I personally use in my gumbo, the nature of this dish allows you to use whatever you see fit; chicken and sausage, seafood, andouille–gumbo is a dish meant to utilize whatever ingredients you have lying around.
- Add in your meat slowly, being careful not to splash yourself with the liquid. Stir, then add your tomatoes. Add 6 cups of water.
- Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Uncover and skim the grease off the top of the gumbo (alternatively, you can gently pat the grease and absorb it with a paper towel). At this point, add your okra. If canned, rinse HEAVILY before adding. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- *At this point, it is all up to you. You can stop and serve it now or you can keep cooking it.Traditionally served thicked, you can increase the size of the gumbo by simply adding more water, allowing yourself to feed larger groups for no additional cost. This gumbo makes a fantastic option for lower-income households or larger familites. The more water you add, the longer you should allow it to simmer.
- *Throughout this process, you should be constantly tasting the gumbo, adding spices as you see fit. The longer you allow the gumbo to simmer and the flavors to marry, the more rich and intense the gumbo will become. I typically cook mine for about six hours–gumbo is not a last-minute dish, for sure!
- Once satisfied with the consistency and flavor, you're ready to eat your gumbo. Serve over rice and argue with your friends on Facebook about whether or not you put potato salad in it. Enjoy!