Food
and cooking tips and techniques:
Gumbo
Gumbo.
Derived from various Bantu dialects (Southern &
Central Africa) terms for okra (i.e. quingumbo, grugombo,
gumbo, gombo, ngombo gomboaud, ngumbo, ochinggombo).
(The word is one of very few African language words
brought over by slaves which have entered the English
language. Some of the others are goober or goober
pea (peanut) also of Bantu dialect origin, Yam from
West Africa, and cooter (turtle) of Bantu and Mandingo
origin.)
 Today,
gumbo is, generally, a southern U.S. regional term for
stew-like dishes with meat or seafood, tomatoes and
sweet bell peppers, but more specifically it is a Créole
dish whose characteristic ingredients are okra and filé
powder (although some gumbos do not have okra, and are
thickened only with filé powder after removing from
the heat). Okra has a mucilaginous quality which thickens
and gives body to the gumbo. I agree with those who
say "if it ain't got okra, it ain't gumbo!"
Créole
Gumbo is a stew-like dish made with brown roux, okra,
filé powder, onions, green peppers, tomatoes and seafood,
chicken and/or meat. Gumbo has an incomparably rich
flavor and texture, and derives from the cooking traditions
of the French, Spanish, Indian and African residents
of the area. Ingredients can vary widely (there are
literally hundreds of different gumbos). Seafood (especially
shrimp) is common to many gumbos, and there is a special
gumbo z'herbes (or gumbo maigre) made with herbs and
greens (usually seven or more) such as collard greens,
mustard greens, and spinach, which was traditionally
served on Good Friday. Gumbo should never be over spiced,
it should have a subtle flavor. Tabasco sauce is always
served with gumbo so those with a penchant for spicy
foods can be accommodated. Gumbo is always served with
rice.
 This
article is from Chef James Ehler of Key West, Florida.
James
is a webmaster, cook, chef, writer and (like me) a self-confessed
computer nerd. He is the former executive chef of Martha's
Steak & Seafood Restaurant and the former Reach Hotel
(both in Key West), the Hilton Hotel in Fayetteville,
Arkansas, and the New Bern Golf and Country Club, North
Carolina.
He
is now webmaster and cook at the Blue Heaven Restaurant
in Key West while he works on his Food Encyclopedia
(five years so far). It is well worth paying a visit
to James' food reference website which is a useful resource
well worth Bookmarking - to visit either website just
click on their title:
The
Food Reference Website
The
Blue Heaven Restaurant, Key West, Florida
If
you want to contact James just email him by clicking
here.
©
James T. Ehler, 2001
All rights reserved
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