Thursday, July 15, 2010

Gumbo


Any creole diet must include gumbo, and La Cuisine Creole offers several traditional types. Here's a simple recipe with shrimp or crab. We'd say it's worth at least a New Orleans ten-spot.

1 lb beef
1 lb ham knuckle
4 large crabs OR 1 lb shrimp
4 dozen okra pods
1 large onion
red pepper
salt

"To a pound of beef add half a pound knuckle of ham; chop up both in inch pieces and fry them brown in two tablespoonfuls of boiling lard [or equivalent]; add to them four large crabs cut up, or a pound of peeled shrimps, or both if desired; cut into this four dozen small okra pods, one large onion, a little red pepper, and salt to taste. Let all simmer on a slow fire for about twenty minutes; then fill up with warm water, enough to cover the contents two inches deep. Let this boil for two hours. If it becomes too thick, add as much water as required.


"If preferred a chicken can be used instead of the beef."

Photo courtesy Photos8.com