Gumbo cravings

I've been craving gumbo since last week - I do the craving thing all the time!!! Anyone here have a very good gumbo recipe and don't mind sharing? Would prefer seafood gumbos but would also appreciate meaty-type gumbos as well (husband is allergic to seafood, along with almost everything )

Hopefully the craving would go after I've eaten some.

I did a big ole' pot of Jambalaya this past Sunday.  It was nice. 

here's a web site I like with a fab sounding seafood gumbo recipe
http://www.gumbopages.com/food/soups/seafood-gumbo.html

Thanks for the link Douglas - much appreciated  . Mind sharing that delicious Jambalaya recipe, Caitlinn?

My mother used to receive ground up sassafrass (? no dictionary right at hand, not bothering with a spell check) root as the base stock for her gumbo from my grandmother in Louisiana, and nothing could beat it.

Leyna, I tend to snag recipies off the net.  I'm not sure how authentic this is, but it turned out rather nice:

http://southernfood.about.com/od/jambalayarecipes/r/blbb269.htm

My mother used to receive ground up sassafrass (? no dictionary right at hand, not bothering with a spell check) root as the base stock for her gumbo from my grandmother in Louisiana, and nothing could beat it.

That's called "gumbo file" (with an accent on the e) and it is indeed the spice base for all truly excellent gumbos-so much so that t was immortalized in song ("Jumbalaya" by Hank Williams includes the line "Jumbalaya/crawfish pie/file gumbo").

The real base of gumbo is roux, a flour/oil combo that thickens and adds a depth of flavor.

Here's another gumbo recipe-I actually am not a big gumbo fan, because I am violently allergic to bell peppers and don't like shrimp.  This one is from an old Southern Junior League Cookbook:

(Note-yield of this recipe is 3 gallons!  So you could use it as more of a guidline if you like.  There are tons of different gumbo recipes.)

3 cups bacon fat (I assume you could use lard or veg shortening instead)
1 cup flour
4 lbs. sliced okra
3 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped green pepper
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped parsley
4  8 oz cans tomato sauce
4  10 oz cans tomatoes with green chilis
2 gallons chicken stock
4 bay leaves
4 tsp thyme
1/4 cup ground pepper
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp oregano
Tabasco
dry white wine
4-5 lbs. peeled clean shrimp
2-3 lbs crabmeat
4 lbs. oysters
gumbo file
cooked rice

Heat 2 cups drippings, add flour in a heavy 12-14 qt pot.  Stir together over low heat to make a roux.  (You must stir constantly.  Eventually the flour will turn a golden brown.  You want it to look like almost like the bottom of a well-baked chocolate chip cooke.)  Add okra and paprika and cook over low heat until okra is brown and ropey. Remove from heat.

In a large skillet, heat remaining cup of fat and sautee onions, pepper, and celery (they call this the "trinity" of Cajun cooking) and parsley until onion is clear.  Add mixture to roux, return roux to heat.  Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, stock, and seasonings (including file to taste-usually a tbsp or so is good) and simmer for *5* hours.  Check liquid levels-maintain by adding wine or water, whichever you prefer.

About 30 minutes before serving, add seafood.

Serve in large deep bowls over white rice.

You can do another variation by omitting the seafood and using several pounds each of chicken, ham, and beef.

From my friend, the pressure cooker Queen! 
 
This stuff is WONDERFUL!
 
Jambalaya
 
10 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast cut into 3/4" thick strips
1/2 lb andouille or other spicy smoked sausage, sliced
1/2 pound peeled, deviened shrimp
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne to taste
1 large ham steak, cubed
1/2ld bacon, cut into small pieces
1 med onion chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 cup converted white rice
1 can (16 ounces) crushed tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock or canned broth
 
Heat the bacon in the pressure cooker over mediou high heat. Add the chicken,
sausage, ham and shrimp. Season with a small amount of cayenne. Cook uncovered,
stirring often, until the meat is partially cooked, 3 to 4 minutes, removed with
a slotted spoon and set aside.
 
Cooked the onion, bell pepper, celery, thyme and cayenne in the pressure cooked
stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the
rice, crushed tomatoes, meat and stock.
 
Cover and bring to high pressure. Reduce heat to stabilize pressure and cook 15
minutes. Release pressure. Season with salt and more cayenne to taste.
 
Makes about 10 servings.
---------------------------------
Now here's a real easy one I started using when I was cruising and now that I'm
working full time, I make this more often than the "real" recipe above:
 
Spambalaya:
 
2 cans SPAM (can you get that in England, Soph?)
1 box Zatarain's Jamabalaya mix (I may need to mail you a box)
extra seasonings or whatever you may have.
(If you've got fresh veggies and the time to cut them up, just add them in with
the meat or the rice.)
 
Cut up the spam and heat it over medium heat in the pressure cooker until it
starts to get a little crispy, add the mix, water (I'm at work can't remember
the amount, but just use twice as much water to your rice... I sometimes add
more rice so long as there is 2x the amount of water for rice, you'll be good.)
 
Put on the lid and bring to pressure, reduce heat to stabilize pressure and cook
for 7 minutes. Release pressure. Season with more cayenne if needed.

OMG, I don't even like Gumbo or Jambalaya but this stuff looks amazing!

Thanks all! ... and Saucywitch for your ever delicious recipes 

Hehe you guys have no idea how much food means the world to me, especially when it satisfies my cravings!