Gumbo, by gum!

This blog is supposed to be for cooking successes, but I'll include the gumbo anyway. Not that it was bad, but I just didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped and I had to eat almost the whole pot over the course of this past week. My husband liked it but had only one bowl. :-(

I basically followed Emeril Lagasse's recipe for Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo, roux and all (available at http://www.foodnetwork.com/), but I used boneless chicken thighs and modified the proceedings accordingly (cut up and browned chicken, added it back later and cooked for 30-45 minutes). I also used okra instead of file powder, and added it with the chicken. I only had three cans of chicken broth, so I cut back most ingredients by about one third. However, I used full amounts of the veggies. Also, I used kielbasa to please my husband who hates spicy foods. It would be much better with andouille.

If I make gumbo again, it won't be authentic. In other words, no way am I making a roux again. Not that it's difficult, but the result is just way too greasy. I took off a ton of fat, but it was still far too rich for my taste. Too rich, because it's poor people's food. Flour and fat are cheap calories. But I sure don't need the calories and I would like my soup lighter.

For the last bowl of leftovers, I cooked myself some extra okra. A little butter (1 tsp) in a nonstick pan. Throw in a couple of handfuls of whole fresh baby okra and squeeze a little lemon on top. Saute on med-high heat until lightly browned. Sprinkle lightly with salt and enjoy.

I have some better things to add, but it's bedtime.