The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (45 page)

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

With shrimp, sausage, and vegetables in a deeply flavored, rich brown sauce with a touch of heat, gumbo is a unique one-pot meal. We wanted a foolproof, streamlined technique for gumbo that featured a thick, smooth sauce with lots of well-seasoned vegetables, meat, and shrimp. The basis of gumbo is the roux, which is flour cooked in fat. For a deep, dark roux in half the time, we heated the oil before adding the flour. We also added the roux to room-temperature shrimp stock (supplemented with clam juice) to prevent separating. Although tomatoes are traditional in gumbo, our tasters didn’t think they were necessary—but garlic was, and lots of it. Some cayenne pepper added the requisite heat. We also added spicy andouille sausage and tossed in the shrimp only during the last few minutes of cooking.

SERVES 6 TO 8

Making a dark roux can be dangerous, as the mixture reaches temperatures in excess of 400 degrees. Therefore, use a deep pot for cooking the roux and long-handled utensils for stirring it, and be careful not to splash it on yourself. One secret to smooth gumbo is adding shrimp stock that is neither too hot nor too cold to the roux. For a stock that is at the right temperature when the roux is done, start preparing it before you tend to the vegetables and other ingredients, strain it, and then give it a head start on cooling by immediately adding the ice water and clam juice. So that your constant stirring of the roux will not be interrupted, start the roux only after you’ve made the stock. Spicy andouille sausage is a Louisiana specialty that may not be available everywhere; kielbasa or any fully cooked smoked sausage makes a fine substitute. Gumbo is traditionally served over white rice.

1.
Bring reserved shrimp shells and 4¹⁄
₂
cups water to boil in stockpot or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain stock and add ice water and clam juice (you should have about 8 cups of tepid stock, 100 to 110 degrees); discard shells. Set stock aside.

2.
Heat oil in Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat until it registers 200 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 1¹⁄
₂
to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and gradually stir in flour with wooden spatula or spoon, making sure to work out any lumps that may form. Continue stirring constantly, reaching into corners of pan, until mixture has toasty aroma and is deep reddish brown, about 20 minutes. (Roux will thin as it cooks; if it begins to smoke, remove pan from heat and stir roux constantly to cool slightly.)

3.
Add onions, bell pepper, celery, garlic, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¹⁄
₄
teaspoon cayenne to roux and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables soften, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 4 cups reserved stock in slow, steady stream while stirring vigorously. Stir in remaining 4 cups stock. Increase heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, skim foam from the surface with wide spoon, add bay leaves, and simmer, uncovered, about 30 minutes, skimming foam as it rises to surface. (Mixture can be covered and set aside for several hours or refrigerated up to 2 days. Reheat when ready to proceed.)

4.
Stir in sausage and continue simmering to blend flavors, about 30 minutes. Stir in shrimp and simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in parsley and scallions and season with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Discard bay leaves and serve immediately.

Fresh okra may be used in place of frozen, though it tends to be more slippery, a quality that diminishes with increased cooking. Substitute an equal amount of fresh okra for frozen; trim the caps, slice the pods ¹⁄
₄
inch thick, and increase the sautéing time with the onions, bell pepper, and celery to 10 to 15 minutes.

Add 10 ounces thawed frozen cut okra to roux along with onions, bell pepper, and celery.

Add 1¹⁄
₂
teaspoons filé powder along with parsley and scallions in step 4 after gumbo has been removed from heat. Let rest until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings and serve.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

With the goal of developing a no-fuss chili that would taste far better than the sum of its parts, we discovered that adding the spices to the pan with the aromatics boosted their potency. Commercial chili powder, backed by cumin, coriander, cayenne, oregano, and red pepper flakes, provided plenty of spice notes and heat. For the meat, 85 percent lean ground beef gave us full, deep flavor. Using a one-two punch for the tomatoes—diced tomatoes and tomato puree—provided both chunks of tomato and a rich, thick sauce. Adding the beans with the tomatoes ensured that they cooked enough to absorb flavor but not so much that they fell apart. Finally, cooking the chili with the lid on for half the simmering time resulted in a rich, thick consistency.

SERVES 8 TO 10

Good choices for condiments include diced fresh tomatoes, diced avocado, sliced scallions, finely chopped red onion, minced fresh cilantro, sour cream, and/or shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese. If you are a fan of spicy food, consider using a little more of the red pepper flakes or cayenne—or both. The flavor of the chili improves with age; if possible, make it the day before you plan to serve it.

1.
Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, pepper flakes, oregano, and cayenne and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add half of beef. Cook, breaking up pieces with spoon, until no longer pink and just beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add remaining beef and cook, breaking up pieces with spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes.

2.
Add beans, tomatoes, tomato puree, and ¹⁄
₂
teaspoon salt; bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Remove cover and continue to simmer 1 hour longer, stirring occasionally (if chili begins to stick to bottom of pot, stir in ¹⁄
₂
cup water and continue to simmer), until beef is tender and chili is dark, rich, and slightly thickened. Season with salt to taste. Serve with lime wedges and condiments, if desired. (Chili can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

Cook 8 slices bacon, cut into ¹⁄
₂
-inch pieces, in Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring frequently, until browned, about 8 minutes. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat, leaving bacon in pot. Substitute bacon fat in Dutch oven for vegetable oil and canned black beans for canned kidney beans.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

True Texas-style chili is all meat—no beans and minimal additional adornment. For big beefy flavor, we started with a chuck roast, cut into sizable, hefty Texas-size chunks. For the boldest chili flavor, we toasted and ground ancho and New Mexican dried chiles (but store-bought chili powders of the same varieties pack plenty of heat, too). The flavor was also improved by adding bacon, which lent our chili sweetness and smokiness. From among the many recommended liquids to use in chili con carne, we chose water—everything else diluted or competed with the flavor of the chiles. To thicken the sauce to a velvety consistency that would cling to the big chunks of meat, we stirred in masa harina or cornstarch, which made for a smoother, more appealing sauce. Crushed tomatoes provided an underlying tomato flavor and sauciness, and lime juice finished off our chili con carne with a bit of brightness.