| Perhaps nothing is better known as a staple of Cajun | | | | Cajun sausage called audouille. There is also duck and |
| cuisine than gumbo, a spicy, hearty stew or soup | | | | oyster gumbo, as well as a variety of gumbos made |
| whose name literally means "okra". Called one of the | | | | with other fowl, such as quail or turkey. Rabbit can be |
| greatest contributions of Louisiana Cajun kitchens to | | | | used for gumbo, as can the Cajun smoked pork |
| American cuisine, it came to that state with the first | | | | known as Tasso. Gumbo z'herbes (from the French |
| French settlers, who loved bouillabaisse, a highly | | | | gumbo aux herbes), gumbo of smothered greens |
| seasoned French stew. Unable to find their usual | | | | thickened with roux, also exists, and was commonly |
| ingredients to make bouillabaisse, they substituted local | | | | eaten during Lent, when meat was traditionally |
| ingredients such as shrimp, fish, and okra. After a | | | | forbidden by the Church. |
| century mixing with Spanish, African, and native cuisine | | | | Gumbo was originally made with okra, and some, |
| in the region, the step was no longer recognizable as | | | | especially in Southeast Louisiana would argue that |
| its French precursor and was instead something | | | | anything made without okra cannot rightly be called |
| completely new - gumbo. | | | | gumbo. Okra gumbos usually feature lighter meats, |
| Still extremely common in Louisiana, gumbo is also | | | | such as chicken or shrimp, and the okra is cut into |
| found all along the Gulf of Mexico, and is often eaten in | | | | pieces and simmered in the pot along with the meat |
| the cooler months, when the extended cooking | | | | and the three spices that form the so-called "Holy |
| required to make the usually large batches of the dish | | | | Trinity" of Cajun cooking - onion, celery, and bell |
| will not heat up the room to uncomfortable levels. | | | | pepper. Other spices, and rarely processed meats |
| Gumbo consists of two main components - rice and | | | | such as sausage, are then added to the mix. Contrary |
| broth. The two are mixed together only for serving, | | | | to popular belief, it is frowned upon for a chef to make |
| and while new rice must be prepared daily, broth can | | | | Cajun cooking overly hot or peppery - these are left |
| be frozen and saved for future consumption. | | | | to the diners themselves if they wish to add more |
| Rice for gumbo is usually white or parboiled rice | | | | spices later. |
| steamed or boiled with salt or a touch of white vinegar | | | | Gumbo can also be made with a roux base, which |
| for flavor. There is some dispute over the proper ratio | | | | has a much stronger taste and takes any sort of |
| of rice to gumbo - "damp rice," for those who like a lot | | | | meat. Roux by itself is often very dark, though it can |
| of rice with their broth, and, on the opposite extreme, | | | | be combined with okra to make a lighter stock. File, a |
| only a modicum of rice. In some areas, it is also | | | | powder made of dried and ground sassafras, can also |
| common to add potato salad to the gumbo, either with | | | | be used as a base for gumbo, though it is never, under |
| or without rice. | | | | any circumstances, combined with okra. Originally, it |
| The broth comes in several varieties. One of the most | | | | was used as a substitute when okra was not in |
| common is seafood, containing crab, oysters and/or | | | | season. In modern times, it is commonly added as a |
| shrimp. Equally common is chicken gumbo with the | | | | powder to a roux based gumbo. |