A mixture of gray, brown and tan, Louisiana winter is when the miserable damp cold seeps through your clothes into your bones. For the darkest, wettest of those days, there is a special name: Gumbo weather.
Louisiana residents have used gumbo to combat the gloom for decades, but the origins of gumbo are as murky as the dish itself. Thought to be a combination of African, Native American, French and Caribbean cuisine, the first documented reference to gumbo appeared in the early 19th century. But agreement ends there. Regional and cultural differences across the state have created a dish with a few uniform ingredients and a lot of variety. Check out LEGACY’s list of gumbo essentials and variations.
The Trinity
In an area that worships food like religion, it’s no surprise the essential trio of Louisiana cooking – onions, bell peppers and celery – has a holy title. Chopped and cooked down until soft, the combination of vegetables creates complex layers of flavor in a variety of Cajun and Creole dishes, including étoufée, jambalaya, sauce piquant and, of course, gumbo. In addition to onions, bell peppers and celery, some cooks add garlic, parsley or shallots for extra flavor.
The Base
All gumbos include a thickener, an ingredient or technique that binds the rest of the dish together. Gumbo lovers can pick one of three flavors: okra, file or a roux.
1. Okra: The word “gumbo” stems from the rough, green vegetable, roughly translating to okra in West African dialect. Sliced and sautéed, okra transforms into a slimy, thick base traditionally used in seafood gumbos.
2. Filé: Characterized by its earthy flavor, filé comprises dried, finely ground sassafras leaves. Choctaw Indians first used it as seasoning, but Cajun and Creole cooks added the spice to their pots as a thickener when okra was not in season. Filé is sprinkled into gumbo right before it is served.
3. Roux: A combination of flour and fat over high heat, rouxs vary extremely. In north Louisiana, cooks create a rich, deep roux that complements smoked sausages prevalent in the area. Southern Louisianans traditionally make lighter, sometimes flourless rouxs to complement more delicate seafood.
The Protein
While thickeners and the trinity are gumbo constants, proteins reflect Louisiana’s reputation as a diverse sportsman’s paradise.
1. Seafood: Residents along the coasts of the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico harvested fresh shrimp, oysters, crab and catfish for their gumbos. Typically paired with an okra or roux base, seafood gumbos are known for their lighter, cleaner flavors.
2. Meat: Chicken and turkey might be the most familiar gumbo combination, but the Louisiana culinary staple doesn’t discriminate. Creole and Cajun cooks have added a mix of game to the pot, including venison, squirrel, duck and quail. Long cooking times over low heat breaks down the meat until tender.
3. Sausage: While meat and seafood gumbos typically don’t mix, spicy Louisiana sausage straddles the line. Andouille, a smoked pork sausage with German origins, originally flavored Cajun pots, but now appears in Creole dishes. Likewise, the Creole Chaurice sausage, similar to Spanish chorizo, is now used across the state.