After-Thanksgiving Hangover: Smoked Gumbo

Oh lord. This was so good. We always make gumbo just after Thanksgiving. I mean, what better way to use up turkey leftovers? There's only so many turkey sandwiches a person can love. If that's your thing, more power to ya.

In this family, though, we usually have leftovers that could easily feed a small village and that's after everyone who joined in has taken home their share of the leftover loot. So naturally, just like everyone else, we cook like our lives depended on it and we cook to ensure that not only is there enough for everyone, but enough for everyone for days and days. That's why we call it After-Thanksgiving Hangover. So appropriate for so many reasons!

But I love it because no matter how well intentioned you are to make use of Thanksgiving leftovers, there is usually still more than what you can feasibly eat without getting bored with the same old thing. One of the reasons why we cook a bit much is because after all of these years, we've figured out how to make the most of this awesome abundance. In fact, it's all part of the plan for the family clan. And we milk it for all it's worth. That means, we cook so we don't have to cook for at least a week. No lie. :)

This year, I really went all out and decided to make the roux ahead of time. The week before Thanksgiving, I made buttermilk fried chicken and intentionally saved the frying oil for making roux the next day. I've used the oil from fried chicken before and made mayo with the salvaged oil that just made the most awesome mayo in the world. Tasted like fried chicken and was so delicious. This awesomeness inspired me to use the leftover oil from the fried chicken in order to prepare my make-ahead roux for the after-Thanksgiving food hangover I had planned. And boy, did that turn out to be a good decision.

My batch of frying oil produced enough roux for two huge batches of gumbo. Not sure if you know this or not but roux will keep indefinitely in the fridge if stored in a sealed jar or container. That's another reason I will make a big batch of roux at a time because I know it keeps and makes for a very quick batch of gumbo when you are feeling in the mood. Since roux is a foodie's labor of love, why not make enough for several meals while you are at it?

When my family saw me making roux this year, they knew exactly what it was for and my brother-in-law just smiled approvingly. In fact he said it was the best gumbo he'd ever had and later complained he stuffed himself on it, it was that good. Ah, the joys of cooking for family. That, never gets old.

Ingredients:

• Leftover turkey (my brother in law's smoked, fried turkey is my favorite)
• Smoked sausage (we had venison, jalapeno; awesome!)
• Gulf shrimp (or crawfish), peeled deveined and butterflied
• 1 each yellow, red and orange bell pepper chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 stalks of celery with tops, chopped
• 1 whole jalapeno, halved and sliced
• 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic, about 4 cloves
• 4 or 5 carrots, sliced (add at the end)
• 2 cups frozen okra, optional (add at the end)
• About 1-2 c of roux
• 1 10 oz can of tomato paste
• 4 litres of organic chicken stock or homemade if you happen to have it
• salt to taste

Now, gumbo isn't an exact recipe, as you probably know and of course that is what makes it so wonderful for leftovers because that is exactly how it used to be prepared. If you prefer Andouille sausage, and who could blame ya, go ahead and use that. I am in a family of hunters and fishermen so I use what bounty they bring home. That happens to be a lot of venison and a lot of trout. So with a beautiful abundance of smoked venison and jalapeno sausage on hand, that is what I chose to use. Likewise, if you have crawfish and no shrimp, use that and vice versa. It's all about what's on hand and gumbo is a perfect dish for creativity and flexibility.

1. In a very large pot, start the base by adding the onions, bell peppers, celery, jalapeno, garlic and a little grease from the roux. (**Roux will usually separate creating a solid of roux with excess oil on top. This is great. The excess oil is what will keep the roux preserved nicely in the fridge. I will usually pour mine off and then pour it back over the remaining roux that I will use at a later time. And instead of using fresh oil or butter, I just use the roux oil to saute my veggies because it has great flavor too.)
2. Once the onions are slightly translucent, you can slowly add the tomato paste, making sure to stir constantly so it doesn't caramelize and burn on the bottom. But don't worry if it does, you can quickly add in a little chicken stock to loosen it and clean the bottom.
3. Once the tomato paste has been mixed in, start adding in the roux, followed by a little chicken stock to incorporate the roux. You do this a little at at time because otherwise, it is difficult to get the roux to be smooth if you add the chicken stock first. To avoid lumps, alternate between a spoonful of roux and a cup of chicken stock. Keep stirring the roux until it is incorporated before adding the next spoonful.
4. Once roux has been added, add the remaining chicken stock if you haven't done so already. 
5. Add the leftover smoked turkey and smoked sausage. (Get it? Smoked Gumbo..?)
6. Let the gumbo simmer on med low for about 20-30 minutes while you prepare the rice, stirring occasionally to make sure it isn't sticking or burning on the bottom. If it is boiling, the heat is too hot. Low simmer will work well.
7. Salt to taste. I usually wait to season until just before serving as we are using leftover turkey and sausage so you might forget they are already seasoned. 
8. About 20 minutes before serving, I add the carrots, shrimp and frozen okra. This is to prevent the carrots and shrimp from overcooking and getting mushy and the okra may also thicken the gumbo a bit more so I add this at the end as well.

Since roux is a thickening agent for gumbo, it's important not to overdo it but you do want the right balance of flavors. As a guide, we do use about a 1/3 more of roux to tomato paste, if that helps give you an idea of where to start but it's entirely up to you. If you ever find the texture too thick or intense, just add more chicken stock. Conversely if you find the texture too thin, add a bit more roux.

Gumbo can simmer or stay warm on the stove until you are ready to serve, just make sure you cover it and turn the heat all the way down to avoid it thickening too much or sticking and burning on the bottom of the pot. I usually let mine simmer while I cook the rice, which we serve on the side as not everyone likes rice in their gumbo. It's more of a personal preference kind of thing. 

Serve with rice and hot sauce.

Thai-licious Mango Papaya Salad

One of my favorite salads to make, especially during mango season, is Thai mango salad. But despite the abundance of ripe mangos available in both Florida and Hawaii, in order to make this salad, you need unripe green mangos. Which is pretty perfect because that means you can pretty much have this salad year round where I live. And also, pretty likely you can get it where you live too as mangos are usually available in most grocery stores or at Costco and they are almost always under ripe.

In Hawaii, mangos practically grow wild and you can find them in abundance at the farmer's markets or at the grocery stores or if you are lucky enough like I am, in your yard. I love these big beautiful trees and there is something pretty magical about picking mangos, hanging like gorgeous jewels, whether ripe or unripe.

I've been to Thailand and had this recipe numerous times at various restaurants as well and what I know is that it can be made a number of ways. My recipe is pretty simple and that makes it a perfect vessel for suiting it to your own tastes. Feel free to make it your own by adjusting the dressing or adding some of your favorite ingredients.

It should also be noted that this salad is also extremely popular when made with green papaya, which I often do as well, having a papaya tree in the backyard. Part of the fun living in the tropics is being able to use fruit and produce you grow yourself. Nothing is more rewarding than that except for maybe seeing your bulldog trying to get a bite of your collard greens when no one is looking.

Ingredients:

• Green mango or papaya, peeled and grated (or julienned) with a mango grater or cheese grater
• Red or green jalapeno or Thai chili, diced, to taste
• Red cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• Red onion, sliced thin
• Cilantro
• Fish sauce
• Fresh limes
• Palm sugar, grated
• Korean or Thai chili powder (I prefer Korean, used in Kimchi because it is milder with a great flavor)
• Peanuts, crushed, as a garnish, also optional

Make the dressing:

1. I don't provide measurements because it is as easy as this: equal parts of fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar and chili powder. Make as little or as much as you like. 
2. Make the dressing and set aside.

If you don't have palm sugar, use castor sugar or whatever you have on hand. Palm sugar is easy to find at any Asian grocery store and will keep indefinitely in your pantry if sealed in a ziplock bag or airtight container. It is similar to light brown sugar but has a lovely flavor and is usually sold in little pucks which you just grate with a cheese or microplane grater.

The beauty of this salad is the fresh ingredients and super simple dressing you can make ahead of time. I usually make a large batch and then use what I need as it will keep in the fridge for a good long while. I don't know how long because we always eat it all pretty quick. Dress the salad just before serving or within an hour. This keeps the mango or papaya crunchy, which is the right texture, although if you have leftovers, it will keep for a day or two before starting to go a bit limp. Doesn't really matter in our house since it never seems to get that far before it is devoured.

Make the salad:

1. Grate the papaya or mango using a mango grater, which really just creates matchsticks or julienned slices.
2. Slice your onion into similar, thin slices.
3. Cut your cherry tomatoes in half.
4. Chop cilantro, to taste.
5. Chop, dice or slice your chili pepper, whichever ones you prefer.
6. Mix all sliced salad fixings in a bowl, then dress with the dressing you made previously, tossing to coat evenly.

As I mentioned before you can make the dressing ahead or go ahead and dress the salad before serving and refrigerate if you like a crisp, cold salad.

Optional ideas:

We often have this salad with grilled shrimp or octopus, which we love. I will also eat this with leftover baked salmon or tuna, which I also enjoy and usually have on hand. But really, I can eat this salad all on its own as it has the perfect balance of sweet, salty, sour, spicy that I absolutely love.

Thai salads can also be served with a platter of optional add-on ingredients so that everyone can "dress" their salad themselves. This is a fun way to serve it if entertaining or for family Thai night.

Here is what we do:

• Crushed peanuts
• Toasted coconut
• Lime wedges
• Chopped thai chilis in fish sauce (nam pla)
• Finely shredded carrots
• Finely shredded cabbage
• Julienned green onions
• Thinly sliced red onion
• Dried baby shrimp
• Finely julienned Hawaiian or Tahitian ginger (grows in our yard, but any fresh ginger will do)
• Chopped cilantro
• Chopped mint
• Extra Korean or Thai chili powder
• Grilled seafood
• Fresh bean sprouts

This salad is all about flavor and what speaks to you. By providing a serving platter with lots of options, it encourages everyone to make their own dish to their tastes and I think that's a lot of fun when trying to feed a lot of people. When doing it this way, it simplifies the dish and all you need to do is make the basic mango or papaya salad tossed with the dressing and allow your family or guests to finish the dish their way. Fancy, but super simple and yummy.

You Say Tomahhh-toe, I Say Sous Vide Tomato Soup

Super duper yummy and oh so fun and easy. Yep, another awesome idea I got from my Anovo app that comes with my sous vide thingy... I have no idea what to really call it. Is it a device? A utensil? An appliance? Yes, probably an appliance as it's too specialized and expensive for a mere gadget. But oh how I do love it.

I happen to have a FoodSaver vacuum sealer which I've had for years and now, combined with this new BMW of kitchen toys, I can easily prepare plan ahead, as well as cook ahead meals.

One of my favorite quick meals happens to be tomato soup, with or without a scrumptious grilled cheese sandwich.  We are a family of soup lovers and this happens to be a favorite for many reasons. For one, it makes use of one of my all time favorite ingredients: the humble garden tomato.

For another, I can prep several meals at once and even cook them all at once, which I have found is the best way to do it. Once cooked, they will easily freeze in their vacuumed sous vide bags until ready to use.

On this particular sous vide night, I made two batches of tomato soup and a couple of servings of rosemary balsamic poached tomato confit (peeled and poached). The poached tomatoes I will serve as a side or even Caprese salad.

But as you can see, both recipes are pretty simple so why not make a couple of batches?

By the looks of it, seems I also made some poached vanilla, cinnamon and rum spiced apples and pears. Oh yea, fun was had by all.

For the tomato soup:

3-5 lbs of tomatoes, quartered

5-6 cloves of garlic

3 stems of basil

2-3 tbsp of olive oil

salt, pepper to taste (you can wait and season once it's finished)

Finish with heavy cream and parmesan, if you like

Sous Vide on 140 degrees F for 40 minutes.

Once the sous vide cycle completes, either refrigerate, freeze or prepare. 

To prepare, I usually blend this in a blender or use my immersion blender after dumping all the contents in a deep pot. I almost feel guilty posting this because it feels like the ultimate guilty kitchen pleasure, like some sort of high-end tv dinner. Awesome, right? It really is. But really, serve it how you normally would, a good splash of heavy cream, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, parmesan, homemade garlic croutons or all of the above, paired with a smoked gouda with caramelized onions  toasted sandwich... whatever floats your tomato soup boat.

Such a beautiful way to use up the summer abundance of heirloom beefsteak tomatoes.

Best part is it will keep in the sous vide bath almost indefinitely without overcooking so if serving more than a few warm, loving bodies, then it's the perfect culinary taskmaster for a super busy bee like me. And did I mention, it can cook many things at once? As long as the temperature suits everything you are cooking together, then it will work perfectly.

I did the poached apples and pears, which are more for the adults and a separate non-Rum soaked version for the underage in our party. These, we served with caramel and homemade cinnamon ice cream later after dinner.

Dinner and dessert, anyone?

Rockin' Fresh Radish Sprouts!

So I can get super crazy gushy over fresh sprouts. I mean, I can literally have a couple of sprout trays going at any given time. But when you grow fresh sprouts, you can prepare batches over the course of a few days or all at once, to ensure a stable and consistent supply of sprouts for the family that will last at least a week. Depending on how crazy your family is about sprouts. Mine, eh, not as much as I, but then again, it's a bit of a food-scientist, self-sustaining hobby for me; growing your own food isn't something most people think about on a daily basis. But I do. :)

That's why I usually keep my gardening style posts for RoofGrown, but I find this topic sorta belongs right here, too.

I mean, growing sprouts can actually fulfill two passions at once in that you are growing for near-immediate consumption something that you might pay a pretty penny for in an organic grocery store and the instant gratification comes with the added bonus that you know what you are eating and can do it organically for next to nothing. For the whole family. No shortage of fresh greens when you can do the same with baby lettuces, broccoli, mung bean, all manner of peas and herbs, as well as onions.

Instead of paying a pretty penny, why not do it yourself for pennies? For one, one of the easiest sprouts in the world to grow are radish sprouts and they also tend to be one of the quickest to sprout. A handful of sprouts on a sandwich or salad cannot be beat as it still adds the same type of radish heat from fully grown radishes but in a compact form of a nutritious sprout.

A half tablespoon of radish seeds or less will yield an entire litre size container of fresh radish sprouts that are grown so compactly together that you can "harvest" sprouts right out of the batch while the others continue to grow, filling in the space you just harvested with new sprouts.

I buy organic sprout seeds from Amazon. There are a lot of great options for purchasing seeds for sprouting online. I also get them from my favorite seed catalogs if I see a good deal.

Some of my favorites:
Mix baby lettuces
Radish
Split peas
Mung beans
Fenugreek
Alfalfa
Onions
Kale
Sunflower
Wheat

Since I began growing sprouts, I've experimented with various sprouting gadgets and devices. My all time favorite depends on what type of sprout I'm growing. For everyday use and single batches, I have two of the cup sprouters I bought a zillion years ago on Amazon.  And for larger seeds or multiple batches of wheat grass, mung or sunflower, I will always opt for my FreshLife sprouter.

Classic Vlassic. But Better...

Made Ball Dill Pickles tonight because Tsunami wanted a very vinegar pickle like we grew up with. Classic Vlassic.  So I bought a boatload of Kirby cukes, some Ball Dill Pickle mix and gave it a whirl. 

I put most of them in a huge kombucha jar I use for making kombucha tea and it looks so pretty. I also made whole pickles, spears, chips.

My Classic Vlassic Better Dill Pickle:

• caseload of fresh kirby cukes (I started with a case from Maria's Market, my local farm fresh green grocer)
• 2 cups of water
• 1 cup of vinegar
• 1/4 cup of the Ball Quick pickle mix (it smelled just like dill pickle juice)

Optional:

• 1-2 red onions sliced
• Peeled, while garlic cloves as many as you like

*Cut blossom ends of cukes off as blossom end contains an enzyme that makes pickles soft.

I added red onion and garlic cloves as well because that is what was wanted and politely requested. 2 whole heads of garlic to be exact and 2 red onions, using the slivered onions to wedge into air pockets between the whole cukes. These are supposed to be ready overnight, according to the recipe and instructions on the back of the pickle mix. It turned out amazing. 

I did not brine them beforehand as this recipe is a quick refrigerator pickle and it isn’t necessary because of the pickle crisp that is also in the mix.

This rocked on so many levels and the flavor was outstanding, but most importantly they are super crunchy! So successful, I made dill spears, whole pickles, hamburger chips/slices and added garlic to every batch. Just so yummy. Halfway through my pickle marathon, I ran out of my dill pickle mix. 

Hm, what to do? I was so enthusiastic with my pickle achievement, I didn't calculate exceptionally well. But I had also ordered the Ball salsa mix. It occurred to me that this might work in a pinch and well, what the heck, it was what I had on-hand and I needed to finish the mission. I didn't really believe it would make good salsa anyway so I used it to replace the dill mix in a batch of tomatillos and onions. Damn.  It was so tasty! Almost prefer it to the dills. It gave such a great savory, salsa flavor that when combined with the tomatillos and onions, it made for a superb pickled tomatillo.

Everyone in the family loves these pickles. Definitely, a keeper because it makes great garlic dills, can't keep em around. And I think the tomatillos will be awesome I suspect. And yes, I was right. These tomatillos are just freaking awesome. May never be able to eat another tomatillo any other way again. Just bet it would make perfect tomatillo salsa just put into the blender or food processor.

**These pickles or even just the juice from the dills and the tomatillos make an outstanding infused vodka for bloody mary's, FYI.