GUMBO SOUP
Chicken, Turkey or Duck

    Gumbo soup is a well-seasoned Creole dish that receives its name from the African Bantu word for okra.  This soup may be thickened with okra or file' powder.  File' maybe purchased or homemade by drying Sassafras leaves until brown and grinding them to a powder.  Gumbo is semi-thick, somewhere between soup and stew.  This soup is usually served over white rice, but any type will work.  Gumbos are a native American dish born of the meeting of French, Spanish, and African cookery in old New Orleans' kitchens.  This soup is great as it only takes a few ingredients to make it a hit.

   We make this soup by using leftover bones and meat from a chicken that has been previously baked.  Remove the meat from the bones, chop and set aside.  Add skin, cartilage, and bones to 2 quarts of water or chicken/vegetable stock.  Cook this down to a rich stock for about 1 hour. 

Serves about 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken, turkey or duck stock (about 1-1/2 to 2 quarts)
3 medium onions, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 to 1-1/2 cups diced cooked poultry
2-1/2 cups okra, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
salt and crushed red pepper to taste (if chicken was highly seasoned, please check the broth before adding more seasoning)
steamed rice for 6 servings

HOW TO:

1.  To poultry stock add chopped onions, celery, and green peppers.  Boil for 5 minutes.
2.  Add okra and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes until okra is done.
3.  Add poultry and cook another 5 minutes.
4.  Serve over rice.  White rice is traditional, but you can use any type.  Pre-cook the rice.  Add a salad and homemade bread and you are ready to dine Creole style.

Enjoy!

Kathie Palladino
www.kitchen2.com

Photo credit:  Ashley Palladino, 2010