The search for Gumbo

As I mentioned in the previous post, I had been listening to the Splendid Table podcast (this one, in particular: http://www.splendidtable.org/episode/517) and it was all about New Orleans cooking.  Gumbo was mentioned several times and I realized that I'd never made it, even though I know I like it. The Splendid Table website has a nice collection of recipes from the show, including a Gumbo recipe from this show (http://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/okra-gumbo-with-blue-crabs-and-shrimp).  A quick look at the ingredients and I realize this isn't a good one to start with.  Not sure I can find blue crabs and I'm not wild about okra though maybe I'll develop a taste at some point.  The other ingredients are all quite straightforward though and it will be interesting to see what other recipes have in common with this.

Next stop is Epicurious.com.  A search brings up 25 hits.  There is a lot of variation.  There are some seafood gumbos, some sausage and chicken gumbos, some with duck and then combinations of all of these.  The constants seem to be the seasonings (with that I include the onion, garlic, carrot plus spices) and OKRA.  So, okra it is.

I think I'll start with a shrimp and Andouille sausage gumbo (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Shrimp-and-Andouille-Sausage-Gumbo-2662)  It's just for my wife and myself so I'll halve the recipe.  Now it's a shopping list and off to the store.

Getting Started

I was listening to The Splendid Table, a podcast about cooking and food.  It was a special show about New Orleans.  The whole show was interesting but gumbo was mentioned a number of times and I realized that I had never tried making it.  It's one of the classic dishes, with spice and seafood, and one that lends itself to infinite interpretation.  Time to start searching.