In a post from yesterday, a commenter observes:
I always thought that sassafras went in … file gumbo in the gumbo?
Filet (fee-lay) is nothing more than ground sassafras leaves It is a thickening agent that imparts a vegetal flavor. We keep filet on the table to add as a condiment. The guest can add it as they like. Some cooks add filet as part of the cooking process and the result is what we call filet gumbo.
In the African/Creole tradition, the word gumbo comes from the vegetable we call okra. Some people believe that it is not truly gumbo unless okra is included in the bowl, but I eschew okra as well.
My maternal grandmother, who spoke Cajun French as her first language, told us that the only people who needed filet or okra in their gumbo were those who could not cook a competent roux. Also, my first father-in-law, also believed that the roux carries the gumbo.
Use filet or okra as you like. I'll never tell you it is wrong. Gumbo is as individual as the person stirring the pot.
4 comments:
LOL, always has been, always will be!
File' does not go in the gumbo while it's cooking. It goes on the individual bowl of gumbo at serving, subject to individual taste.
Since gumbo around my family was a traditional cold weather dish (hence the term 'gumbo weather') and okra is a summer crop, okra wasn't in most gumbos Mom (or grandmother or great grandmother) made unless it was a rare summer gumbo, which might be an okra gumbo.
And NEVER tomatoes.
My family (Aunts,Uncle's Grandparents,ETC.) was spread out all over Louisiana. I personally was born in Alexandria, as a child my family seamed to live somewhere else in Louisiana every 7 years. First Gumbo I remember eating was my uncle from Shreveport. It was clear base chicken and sausage with a lot of okra very (I like okra so I liked this form of gumbo) different to what I now know as roux gumbo of today. Having in Adult life living between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. I have noticed that when in N.O. and asked if you want gumbo it is understood to be roux seafood gumbo and in B.R. when asked it is understood as roux chicken and sausage gumbo. Also a lot of times in N.O. and A few Times in B.R. one will ask to put the soup over potato salad instead of rice. Bob in B.R.
I love pickled okra, especially with a few hot red peppers in the jar.
Boiled…meh. Cook too long and they turn into giant boogers.
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