This might be the most random intervention of fate, I’ve thus far experienced with this project. I occasionally write articles for Edible East Bay a food magazine in Northern California. My editor sent me a cryptic message, knowing I was going to be in Louisiana in a weeks time. The message said that a woman named Jeanette was looking for tree collards starters, only available in CA — would I be interested in tracking some down and bringing them to her.
When I phoned Jeanette, my ears were greeted with the sweetest, softest voice. She assured me that it would ok if I couldn’t find the collards. And when I broached the subject of this project she said she was willing to host me and share her family’s gumbo recipe. Ten days later, with my friend Mariah Sinclaire in tow, I arrived in Franklin, Louisiana about 2 hours west of New Orleans. Sparsely populated, dotted with cane fields and screaming of beautiful back country.
Franklin and the Polidore Family were everything I was hoping to see and experience.
From the moment we walked in the door, 20 month old Zaré was the center of the universe. A cuter child has never existed. I’m sure of it.
I am still in love with her to this moment. Zaré’s mom, is 25 year old Jessica de Fils who is the daughter of Jeanette Polidore. Both women love to cook and I can see that Zaré and her sister Shay have a long delicious life ahead of them.
“Okra, shrimp, chicken gumbo. We don’t do all that weird chicken feet crap. No alligator here.” – Jessica
Gumbo is very eclectic. It’s a roux based stew and is a simple collection of meats and vegetables that you have readily available. The seasonings are almost usually similar though never exact. The flavors are similar, though never exact. The style can range from red gravy gumbo to white gravy gumbo. From Creole to Cajun.
“Certain families are very secretive. My aunt makes crawfish fettucine that takes first place in the state of Louisiana but she WILL NOT share that recipe with anyone. Maybe when she gets older.” – Jessica
Jeanette comes from a long line of strong women with colorful histories. She has 13 brothers and sisters and it’s rumored her grandfather was struck down by Bonnie and Clyde, in Burwick, LA. Her french lineage keeps her current family stewed in delicious francophile Creole tendencies in the kitchen. It’s a beautiful melding of cultures.
“Creole food is nothing without filé (pronounced Feel-Lay).” – Jeanette
“These sausages are too big. They need to be smaller for my babies.” – Jessica
“They are the perfect size. Why you cutting them?” – Jeanette
“We always argue over the size of the sausage. Always.” – Jessica
And one more thing before we dive into the recipe. The correct way to pronounce the ever present seasoning found all over Louisiana, Tony Chachere is like this …
SAH-Sure-eeE
De Fils Gumbo
Ingredients:
Roux: 1 C. Flour and 3/4 C. Cooking Oil – Cook over medium heat into a thick, creamy gravy-consistency. Keep at the Roux until you have a milk chocolate color. Don’t burn the Roux or you’re gumbo will taste starchy.
1 Bag of Dried Shrimp
1/2 gallon of Water
4 Bouillion cubes
10 Drumsticks
3 lbs Shrimp
2 cups Okra
1 lb of Beef Sausage
2 C. Cooked Rice
Tony Chachere Filé, Cayenne Pepper and Tabasco to taste
“My secret is two pinches of fresh cilantro.” -Jessica
Instructions:
1. Add your finished Roux into a large stockpot with the water and bouillion. Bring to a slow boil on medium-high heat.
2. Toss in the bag of dried shrimp and drumsticks.
3. Meanwhile deslime your okra by heating in 3 TBLSP cooking oil and 2 TSP vinegar and fry it just a few moments, to soften the okra. Then add it to the stockpot, along with pinches to taste of Chachero Filé, Cayenne Pepper, Tabasco, Salt & Pepper.
4. After the Gumbo has cooked for 20 minutes add the sausages and let cook another twenty minutes before adding in your rice. Wait 5 minutes, then add shrimp. Let the gumbo go for another 5-6 minutes and shut off the heat. Let stand for 10 minutes and serve with a big dollop of potato salad, square on top of the gumbo – country style.
Jessica’s Tips
1. Play with your sausages: Use all pork or all beef, or try cajun style sausage which is a blend of the two.
2. Coconut Oil or Olive Oil can be used instead of Cooking Oil, like Vegetable Oil.
3. Be creative when it comes to your seafod. Try crab legs, scallops, almost any kind of seafood can be used to create a more interestingly flavorful dish.
4. Try substituting brown rice for the white rice.
5. Use fresh ingrediants whenever possible to make your gumbo really POP.
As always, Thank You to the Sip Snap Savor wine sponsor, Murphy-Goode. And a special thank you to Mariah Sinclaire, contributing photographer.
Culinary Road Trippin in the U.S.A 
We enjoyed you and Mariah coming in and sharing our story and recipes with you. We hope to see you again!
Awww. Thank you. I think of your quiet place, throughout the week. I wish I could go back and play in the cane field.
Hey Jeanette…my grandfather is Emanuel Polidore from New Iberia and his family passed down a family gumbo rescue that’s very similar (we use chicken wings)….is it possible we’re from the same family?…I’m 55 years young….hanice
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You made the Gumbo come to life!! It looks so good!!
http://www.runtobefit.wordpress.com
oh thank you, thank you.
Run over here and I’ll make you some 🙂
What a wonderful post–and ironic, to me, since I just posted one today entitled “Gumbo for Dumbos” with our family recipe…
http://planejaner.wordpress.com/2010/11/08/gumbo-for-dumbos-or-dont-burn-the-roux/
congrats on Freshly Pressed, and thanks for sharing your experience!
Blessings
jane
we are on a synchronistic plane, my friend.
viva la GUMBO!
Is this De Fils Gumbo a South American recipe?
Great photos! Thanks for the recepy.
Vanessa Rima
http://www.fashionissima.com
What a fabulous post! Congratulations!
I’m the lucky wife of a native New Orleanian and have learned to make his gumbo. As your post implies, there are as many different gumbo recipes as there are Louisianians, which is what I love about the dish! And every recipe comes with a wonderful history, as you’ve shown. Even the roux!
Hmm…I might just have to rethink dinner in light of this!
I love Cajun food, and had it served at my wedding. However, I’ve never tried to make gumbo–thanks for inspiring me to do so!
calogeromira: Actually it’s a Southern recipe in the sense that it’s from the Southern United States, so it’s kinda a South American recipe 🙂
Vanessa: You are so welcome, thank you for stopping by!
Erika: Ooooh, yum. Enjoy. Let me know if you make the gumbo and I’d be delighted to learn how it went in your own kitchen.
Oh, thanks. And where from the Southern United States?
Great blog come check out mine
I love gumbo! The flavours of shrimps, sausages and chicken are just fantastic when combined in your mouth. I should try this one out as its a bit different to my version which I use chorizos, paprika and cumin -> http://angsarap.wordpress.com/2010/09/04/chicken-gumbo/
Raymund
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Looks like a “feijoada” as we say here in Brazil.
That sounds SO TASTY. Also… play with your sausages. Hee.
yes, play NICELY with them ; )
Pretty nice post. Good picture
I’m not sure if the dish displayed on FP is your finished product, but from me being born and raised in Louisiana, that’s not gumbo. Franklin? Burwick? Try some real tried-and-true bayou areas or hit New Orleans, and you’ll find real gumbo. Nice try though.
Black Cat, didn’t your mother teach you to say nothing if you didn’t have anything nice to say? That being said, I’ll be back in New Orleans in March if you’d care to host a dinner 🙂
sorry you feel that way but here in the south, we believe that you dont have to go to the city to get a true taste of Louisiana. You know sometimes going to unknown places is the best places to eat. The dishes are more true to Louisiana tradition.
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Yummmm!!! That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe. I’ll try to experiment this one on different sausages. Cheers!
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Yummmm!!! That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe. I’ll try to experiment this one on different sausages. Cheers!!!
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It looks really tasty.yum yum
I’ve never eaten gumbo but this looks yummy. Great photos as well! 🙂
I have 6 sausages thawed out in the fridge and nothing to do with them! I wouldn’t have thought to put them in a gumbo! Will try this later..
I like the photo montage at the end it looks good 🙂
lovely photos 🙂
thank you so much, I’m really glad you like them
I’m veggie but this gumbo is making me HUNGRY! Time to get the Quorn sausages out and begin some serious cooking. Thanks for the inspiration x
Yes! Try adding stewed/roasted tomato paste to your Roux in lieu of the shrimp. You need umami from someplace to make a good gumbo.
Let me know how it turns out! : )
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Thank you to each and every ONE of you for reading, complimenting and supporting the project. If anyone would like to host a dinner in their own home please, please email us the details:
SipSnapSavor@gmail.com
I am from Louisiana, but now living in Virginia…I miss gumbo and the great creole dishes. This post makes me want to go back “home”. Let the good times roll!
TO GOD BE THE GLORY FOR THE THINGS HE HAS DONE: Would you be so kind to forward this e-mail address to my e-mail address:lindapballou@aol.com. I have found some more cousins in THE POLIDORE’S FAMILY. This is my father side of the family Mr. Alvin Polidore,Sr.(Jambo) is his nickname./Mrs. Linda Polidore-Ballou;901 West 7th Street;Port Arthur,Texas 77640-4957. I am the oldest daughter. You can mail the Recipes to my home address/other family information to my e-mail address. Beautiful pictures, and delicious food/AWESOME With Regards, Mrs. Linda Polidore-Ballou