PASSION PROJECT: Tiana’s Gumbo

One of my favorite movies growing up has been Princess and the Frog, because of its wonderful songs, and food being a main discussion topic. When I think of foods to recreate, Tiana and her father’s Gumbo is a given. The process of making Gumbo starts with a deep roux, flour and butter, stirred and cooked slowly for around 40 minuets. Definitely start the roux first. The recipe I used was an authentic New Orleans Style Gumbo with chicken, chicken sausage and shrimp. Brown the sausage, cook the vegetables in broth, simmer, add meat. The broth was very thick and it was quite interesting. It was a simple recipe but what made it complicated was the complexity of the flavors going into the dish. I served the Gumbo with white rice and homemade cornbread. It was absolutely delicious. The aroma of this meal spread throughout my house and it was warm, complex, and had a wonderful deep flavor. My only note is that next time I make Gumbo I plan on using more cajun seasoning as apposed to old bay.