Alligator is Delicious

New Orleans cuisine might be among the most storied in North America. In addition to the ubiquitous gator (like most unfamiliar meats, it really does taste like chicken), the beignets, chicory coffee, Po’ Boys, fried chicken, and voodoo spices packaged for tourists did not disappoint. We also sampled Vietnamese food in the international district, and made a pilgrimage to Jacques Imo, where we learned about and tasted the region’s Cajun history.

The expeditionary highlight was a gumbo cooking lesson, with guest chef and sister extraordinaire, Martina Russial. Her recipe is below.

Gumbo

Ingredients (Serves 20):

• 1 cup flour

• 3/4 cup high temp oil/ or bacon grease

• 2 cups celery, 1/2" dice 

• 2 yellow or white onions, diced 

• 2 large green bell pepper, diced 

• 5 cloves garlic

• 1 pound andouille sausage- cut (we also used gator sausage!)

• 1# chicken thighs- cut into large cubes 

• 3 quarts chicken or veg stock 

• salt to taste

• 2 tbsp Tabasco 

• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning 

• 4 bay leaves

• ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves

• 1 can crushed tomatoes

• 1 can diced tomatoes 

• 4 teaspoons gumbo file 

• 1# fresh or frozen okra

• 2 tbsp lemon juice 

• 1# shrimp, cleaned 

• 2 tbsp Worcestershire

Instructions:

Make a roux by whisking the flour and the oil/fat in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until it turns a dark brown color and smells like toasted popcorn-- 20-30 minutes. Watch it carefully and take it off the heat. Continue whisking until it stops cooking, otherwise it can burn. Set aside. Use a little more oil to sear chicken thigh pieces, in batches, in oil in a big pot. Place in a bowl and set aside-- They shouldn't be fully cooked, just browned on outside.

 Add celery, onion, green bell pepper, and garlic into the same big ass pot over med-low heat, and cook for a few minutes. Add Cajun spice, thyme, bay leaves, tomatoes, 2 tsp file powder, and cook for 1 minute. 

 Add in stock and immediately whisk in roux until all clumps are gone. 

 Add chicken and andouille and low simmer until veg are soft, chicken is cooked, and flavors have melded (~30-40 minutes). Stir regularly to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom and burn. 

 Add in Tabasco, the rest of the file powder, lemon juice, and Worcestershire. 

 Add okra (if raw cook until tender, if frozen cook until thawed). 

 Taste and adjust seasoning. 

 Add shrimp and once it's cooked-- it's good to go! 
Serve with rice! Yum!