The Family Table By Lorie R. Thompson
F
ebruary is a strange month. The weather can be wild, mild, or both in the same week. It always keeps us guessing. The month is full of odd holidays. It starts with a weather-predicting groundhog, followed by a day of candy hearts, and red roses, followed by a celebration of dead presidents. While a little weird, I like February. My son was born in February, and I count that day as one of the best in my life. Mountain Man and I usually take a week off work in February and travel somewhere warm, and I look forward to that Winter break. So, February, with all of its weirdness, ends up being a favorite month for me. If you catch a bad weather day that you are staying home, instead of the traditional milk sammich, buy the ingredients for my delicious Hillbilly Gumbo and make a day at home a celebration. Let me tell you about Hillbilly Gumbo. I put everything in it except the kitchen sink, and it is delicious. This Gumbo is not a traditional recipe. Tomatoes, Kielbasa and Creole Seasoning are my additions. The Creole seasoning is herb-based, and the Cajun seasoning is pepper based. I like them together. I watched many episodes of Justin Wilson’s cooking show, but I know this is like someone from NYC telling me how to make great grits. Oh well, my Hillbilly Gumbo is delicious, if not authentic. Any Gumbo recipe starts with the roux. It requires flour, oil, and lots of time stirring while it melds into a deep, dark base note for the Gumbo. Begin with 2/3 C of vegetable oil and 2/3 C of self-rising flour. Traditional recipes call for all-purpose flour, but the self-rising flour makes a better gravy base. For the Roux: Add the flour and the oil to a heavy pan and cook while stirring over low heat until it reaches a dark caramel color. Plan on 30 minutes or so of stirring. The darker you make the roux, the less thickening power the flour has. While 2/3 C seems like a lot of flour, it will not make the Gumbo too thick. To the dark roux, add 2 C of chopped onions, 1 C each of the following: carrots, celery, and green peppers. Cook until the vegetables are starting to get soft. Add 1 T of diced garlic and cook for 2-3 additional minutes. Clean 3-4 chicken thighs, removing the skin and the meat from the bones. Cut the chicken into small bite-sized pieces and add to the pot of vegetables, browning for a few minutes. You can add the bones in for the flavor. Remove them before serving. Add 1 pound of sliced smoked sausage. Andouille is traditional, but Kielbasa is easy to find and a good choice. Add a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes, a 32 oz bag of diced, frozen okra, a 32 oz box of chicken stock, and 2 C of water. Add 2 T of Cajun Seasoning and if you have it, add 1 T of
22 GML - February 2021
