Jumbo Gumbo

This morning I woke up wanting to eat gumbo. It happens sometimes! I’m a great gumbo fan. Gumbo is a type of spicy stew typical of Louisiana and South Carolina cuisines but also eaten alot on the Gulf of Mexico. The hearty dish consists basically of two ingredients: broth and rice. While this may sound boring and limited to us here in the Pacific Basin gumbo is actually a dish with an extremely large variety of flavors and consistencies depending on how the broth is made.

I wouldn’t consider eating something like gumbo for breakfast an unusual thing to do, I think here in the West, the cereal thing is a bit light on for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love porridge for breakfast but I loved being in Asia where eating Pho (a Vietnamese soup that is a staple of Vietnamese cuisine and culture) for breakfast rather than as an evening meal is so much more appealing to me. I really did feel like it set me up for the day. Never having grown up eating like that, I took to it like a duck to a water.

The main varieties of gumbo broth include seafood, chicken, red meats including sausages and pork. A vegetarian variety also exists and was created for consumption primarily during Lent. Instead of meat, vegetarian gumbo is made using mashed greens that have been thickened with a roux, a mixture of butter or oil and wheat flour.

Gumbo
The word gumbo is a reference to the African word kigombo meaning okra. This referred to the old tradition of using okra to provide a flavor base. The rice used in gumbo is not cooked with the broth but separately and only added to the dish at the time of serving. Once the broth is made, you can then add whatever type of meat and vegetables you feel will complement the dish. You can add smoked pork to pork gumbo or shrimp, crabmeat and oysters to the seafood gumbo. Here in New Zealand we’re spoilt for seafood.

Gumbo is eaten mostly during winter months because of its hearty consistency which makes it a great choice during cold days. Me, I’d eat it year round. There’s always crustaceans and molluscs being caught somewhere or available in fishmarkets. Also, gumbo requires a long cooking time so the broth can be left to simmer for hours to achieve the appropriate thickness.

Creole Gumbo
Creole Gumbo which is eaten a lot in Southern US States is a mix of Spanish, French, and African cuisine. More vegetables are used than in traditional gumbo including green peppers, onions, tomatoes, and herbs. Spices are lightly used as gumbo is supposed to have a subtle flavor rather than a strong one. People who prefer a hot variation often ask for hot sauce on the side.

I have autumnal inklings at the moment, I feel like it’s just around the corner. I think I’m gonna go enjoy that. Autumn and spicy food, it couldn’t get any better than that. My lips have that chilli buzz just thinking about it. Have a great day.