test cook

Kit Wohl is a cookbook author and photographer. These recipes are available for anyone who would like to take them out for a test cook run. "Cooking is an art and a form of creative expression," she says. "Food is distinctive in form, color, texture, and flavor. The selection, preparation, and presentation of a meal are as creative as any art project. Best of all, it nurtures both the body and the spirit."

Sunday, November 01, 2009

Thanksgiving Turkey Gumbo

from New Orleans Classic Gumbos and Soups by Kit Wohl

Chef Robert Barker

Turkey and Andouille Gumbo

My nephew Robert Barker’s cooking career started with potato-peeling duty as a youngster. Later, his skills were honed in New Orleans at Delgado Community College’s Culinary Arts Apprenticeship Program. Every year at Thanksgiving he returns to the city to put those skills to glorious use in my kitchen, supervising the preparation of a multi-course feast. Afterward, Robert makes a stock with the turkey carcasses. Then we feast again, on turkey and andouille gumbo.

Gumbo is one of those exemplary dishes that can be made in any number of ways. The emphasis is on the main ingredients: meats, poultry, seafood or almost any combination of them. Roux and the trinity of seasonings create a smoky, dense taste, rich in texture and full of flavor. In south Louisiana, families get together for holidays and cook up a continuous two- or three-day food fest beginning with visits to the farmers’ markets and grocery stores. Messing around with Mama’s recipe will get almost anyone in trouble.

D I R E C T ION S

Cut the turkey carcass in half and, in a large pot, simmer the halves in water to cover until the

remaining meat falls off the bones.

Drain and reserve the cooking water. Remove the meat from the bones and discard the bones. Shred

the meat. (If this does not yield 2 to 3 cups of turkey, add any poultry meat.)

In a heavy saucepan, make the roux by heating the 2 cups of corn oil over medium heat, adding

the flour and cooking, stirring frequently, until the roux reaches the color of milk chocolate. Be

careful not to let it scorch. (Completing the roux will take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes.

Cooking slowly on low heat is the secret to succeeding with roux.)

Add the chopped onions, peppers and celery to the roux. (This will temporarily stop the cooking

process.) Cook the roux until the vegetables are tender, stirring constantly. As the vegetables cook,

their sugar will be released and the roux will darken even more as the liquid evaporates. Stir in the

beer (or stock or water), the Worcestershire and the hot sauce.

Y I E L D : 2 g a l l o n s S E R V E S : 1 6 t o 2 0

1 whole turkey carcass

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups corn oil, to make roux

2 large yellow onions, chopped

3 green bell peppers, chopped

4 celery stalks, chopped

2 cans your favorite local beer or

an equal amount of stock

or water

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup Tabasco or Crystal hot sauce

1 tablespoon corn oil, to sauté sausage

1 pound andouille or Hillshire Farms

smoked sausage, thinly sliced,

cut crosswise into half-moons

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

1 1/2 gallons chicken and turkey broth,

homemade or canned.

(This should include the liquid in which the turkey carcass was cooked.)

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

cooked rice, for serving

In a large Dutch oven or the original soup pot, sauté the sausage and garlic in one tablespoon of oil until the garlic is translucent and soft. Carefully add the roux mixture to the pot, stirring. (It will spit and sputter.) Add the turkey broth and stir in the basil, oregano, thyme and cayenne pepper. I’ve seen Chef Robert add the leftover turkey gravy to

the gumbo. Simmer, covered, for one hour, then add the shredded turkey and cook for 20 minutes more. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as desired.

Serve in bowls over cooked rice.

You all may want to post this on your e-mail pages or send it out to your pals so people can get an advance taste for Thanksgiving.

From the upcoming P&J Oyster Cookbook by Kit Wohl & the Sunseri Family:

P&J’s Oyster, Sausage and Pecan Dressing

The addition of sausage and pecans to the Sunseri family’s recipe for oyster dressing makes it not only a holiday season treat, but a year-round favorite side dish.

24 shucked fresh oysters

3/4 pound bulk pork sausage

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter

3/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

3/4 cup pecans

5 cups white bread cubes

5 cups crumbled corn bread

salt and freshly ground black pepper,

to taste

1 to 1 1/2 cups chicken stock

YIELD: 2 quarts

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large skillet break up the sausage with a fork and cook it until the pieces are

almost browned. Add the oysters and toss them with the sausage until the oyster

edges begin to curl. Drain the sausage and oysters, and reserve 2 tablespoons of

sausage drippings. Place the sausage and oysters in a bowl and set aside.

In the same pan, melt the butter and add the onion, sweet pepper and celery.

Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes,

Set aside.

In a large bowl beat the eggs with the poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Add

the bread cubes and corn bread to the egg mixture, tossing until the cubes are

nicely coated. Add the cooked onion, sweet pepper and celery, the sausage and

oysters, the reserved drippings, and the pecans, and mix thoroughly again. Finally,

add the chicken stock and mix to moisten the dressing.

Place the dressing in a 2-quart casserole. Bake until crisp and light brown on top,

about 30 to 45 minutes. (Any leftover cornbread is a delightful snack.)

Labels: Thanksgiving Turkey Gumbo

posted by Great Eats # 8:04 PM 0 Comments

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Dem Ersters

Oysters and more oysters. I love'em, and even more so now that we've finished the P&J Oyster Cookbook. Look for it this fall in time for holiday giving and the luscious oyster stuffing recipes to use for your own feast. There are several stuffing recipes included. In the meantime you can check out my website at http://www.kitwohl.com

Labels: Oysters