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 ~ January 2005 ~ My mother comes from Louisiana, so one of my favorite foods is Gumbo. I will admit, my favorite kids is the version you start in the morning and simmers all day until it is perfect. However, the time it takes to make that type of stew is sometimes beyond me with my large family and hectic life. Since I like to enjoy gumbo often, I came up with a quick version. While not quite that "down home" gumbo, it's still very good--in fact, my husband prefers it to the other kind. Plus, it's super quick to make (about a half hour from prep to table), and is a great way to use smaller amounts of leftover meat which may not make another regular full meal. This recipe should feed a family of 8 to 10, with generous portions. This stew freezes well. Ingredients: 1 lg can of diced tomatoes with liquid 1 jar of plain spaghetti sauce 2 cans of chicken broth 1 cup of chopped onion 1 cup of chopped celery 1 cup of chopped green pepper 2 tbsp of minced garlic 2 cups of pre-cooked meat of choice* 2 tbsp butter Salt and pepper to taste cup of corn starch 1 can of kernel corn (optional) 1 cup of frozen chopped okra (optional) Cayenne Pepper or Creole Seasoning (optional) Gumbo File (optional) Directions: Use your big stew pot. Melt the butter and add onion, celery, and green pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are "limp". Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add diced tomatoes (do not drain), spaghetti sauce, and broth. Bring to a rolling boil. Add meat, okra, corn, and salt, pepper, and cayenne/creole seasoning. Lower heat to medium and cook for about 15-20 minutes. Right before serving, mix the cup of cornstarch with cup of water, and mix until fully dissolved. Add the boiling stew and cook for 2-5 minutes more until thickened. Serve in soup bowls or over steamed white rice. If using File, add to each bowl right before serving--not earlier since it may get bitter if added too early. Crockpot version: Follow regular directions. Instead of cooking on the stove, use the crockpot. Times will vary depending on your crockpot, but it should take 2-4 hours on low, 1-2 hours on high. *Diced chicken and smoked sausage (either one or both) is usually what we use, but you can add pretty much any type of meat, including shredded pork, ham, bacon, or do a seafood variety with white-fish chunks, shrimp, scallops, etc. Smoked sausage and shrimp is another popular and yummy variety. Most meat should be pre-cooked, however fish and shrimp can be added without cooking since they will cook in the hot stew. Some notes: To save time, I don't use a regular roux, which thickens the gumbo but also gives it a richer taste. If you want to try different thickeners, you can find a list of them here. Note that the addition of the spaghetti sauce will help thicken the stew during cooking, so you shouldn't need as much roux. Also, there are many good creole seasonings available in the spice aisle. They really add a good flavor to the stew with minimal fuss. Be sure to season to taste, as some versions are spicier than others. |