Picking Ingredientsfor GUMBO
About Gumbo  How  To Make Roux  Ingredients  Layering Gumbo  Making Stock  Recipes

There are no rules in Gumbo, except ONE:  You gotta have a Roux,  or it aint Gumbo.
Roux Instructions
But there ARE a few highly suggestables for ingredients.

The Holy Trinity as it is known in Acadia (very catholic)  IS....

Onions
Bell Peppers
Celery

It just aint hardly Gumbo without these included.
(I'd go ahead and include garlic in there too as a must)

Fil'e Powder, a thickener made from sasafras root can be added to the bowl, but isnt necessary.
"Kicker Meats" are also used commoly to enhance the meat flavor of Gumbo.
(Some would say it isnt Gumbo without Andouilli in it or some other kicker)

After that, the sky is the limit, and that is one reason why Gumbo can be so amazingly diverse.
Cajuns do not eat food as hot as many people think, that is a commercail version of Cajun.
They like Hot, but not like New Orleans pused it....

Here are a few  lists of things I have used myself in Gumbo over time, but dont be confined to these.
If  you can think it up, then Gumbo can deliver.

MEATS
 
Duck  Deer Snapper
Chicken Goat Crabs
Phesant Coon Shrimp
Quail Otter Clams
Goose Rabbit Porgy
Turkey Flounder Oysters
Dove Frog Turtle
Squirrel Ling Crawfish

"KICKER MEATS"
 
Andouille Sausage Smoked Pork Sausage Smoked Hocks
Tasso Smoked Ham Hillshire Farm Smoked

VEGGIES & SPICES
 
Garlic Mushrooms Oyster Mushrooms
Parsley Pecans Lemons
Chives Water Chestnuts Chopped Leeks
Oregano Bean Sprouts Raddish
Thyme Jalapeno Red Onions
Basil Cayanne, (preferred) White Onions
Pepper Corns Pimento Sage
White  Pepper Black Olives Bay Leaf
Allspice Mace Tomato Puree
Worstershire Okra Tomato Sauce
Honey Artichoke Hearts Tomatoes

I probably forgot a few, in fact I'm sure of it....

LIQUORS:
 
White Wine, (The best) Beer Burbon or Sherry

RICE:
Rice is the main staple upon which Gumbo is poured over to eat.
WHite rice is preferred by Cajuns, but wild and darks are also good.


Gumbo Z'herbes
There IS one version of Gumbo called Gumbo Z'herbes, which is a vegetarian gumbo
created to honor the Good Friday and not eating meat on that day by the catholics.
It is quite good and a concoction of many greens. Here is a list of greens you may use  and a quick recipe.
Choose no less than 5 of the greens for real Gumbo Z'herbes.
 

          1 bunch mustard greens 
          1 bunch turnip greens 
          1 bunch spinach 
          1 bunch watercress 
          1 bunch beet tops 
          1 bunch carrot tops 
          1 bunch radish tops 
          1 bunch flat-leaf parsley 
          1 bunch chicory 
          1 bunch pepper grass (if you can find it) 
          1 bunch arugula 
          1 bunch sorrel 
          1 bunch dandelion greens 
          8 or 10 sprigs of tarragon 
          1 green cabbage 
          1/2 bunch green onions 
          1 bunch collard greens 
          1 gallon water, salted 
          1 large smoked ham hock 
          4 tablespoons flour 
          4 tablespoons shortening 
          1 large white onion, chopped 
          1 bell pepper, chopped 
          3 ribs celery, chopped 
          1 tablespoon parsley, chopped 
          2 bay leaves 
          4 sprigs thyme 
          2 whole cloves 
          2 whole allspice 
          Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 
          Cayenne pepper to taste 

          6 cups cooked long-grain white rice 

 Wash all greens thoroughly and remove all stems or hard centers. Boil them all together in the water for about two  hours. Strain the greens and reserve the water. Chop the greens finely and reserve.

 In a large, heavy-bottomed stock pot make a brown roux of the flour and shortening. Add the onion, bell pepper
 and celery and sauté for 10 minutes. Add the chopped parsley and sauté 5 more minutes.

 Add the reserved cooking water, greens, herbs, spices, and seasonings. Simmer on low heat for 1 hour. Adjust
 seasonings as necessary.

 Serve in large gumbo bowls. Put 1/2 cup of rice in each bowl, and ladle generous quantities of gumbo over it.
 Optionally, you may season each bowl with gumbo filé.

About Gumbo  How  To Make Roux  Ingredients  Layering Gumbo  Making Stock  Recipes