Vampin' Up a Storm

We in Louisville have a loving, give-and-take sort of relationship with New Orleans. We have many things in common - French names, for starters, as well as similar architecture. We share things, such our symbol (the fleur de lis) and they send us hurricanes when they are done with them.

So while we enjoyed the remnants of Hurricane Isaac this past weekend, I decided to go full metal NOLA and throw together some gumbo. I was inspired by this lovely purple okra I had picked up at the Phoenix Hill Farmers Market. It was just screaming to be seared and thrown into a pot.

I began with my traditional method of looking at several different recipes, choosing what I liked from each, and then fashioning my own unique creation.

My recipe consisted of

• Two chicken sausages (I love Aidells)
• Some fresh okra (about a pint sized basket full)
• Butter
• The holy trinity (onion, green bell pepper and celery)
• Two tablespoons of flour
• A can of diced tomatoes (and their juice)
• About a cup and a half of broth (chicken is fine but I used veg. because that's what I had open in the fridge)
• Crabmeat (don't freak out, but I used canned. On a whim, I picked it up while I was at our little neighborhood market getting other ingredients.)
• A bay leaf
• Hot paprika
• Tony Chachere's seasoning (the extra spicy kind)
• White rice

Mark Bittman's right; you need to sear the okra before starting on the rest of the ingredients. You'll get the best and least slimy texture that way. I had started by slicing the sausage and cooking it up in the skillet, and it left behind such tasty drippings that I popped the okra in right after it. That method is a two-fer: one less pan to clean up, and extra tasty okra. Just for good measure, I sloshed in a bit of the bourbon I was nursing, to deglaze the pan and get all those yummy bits up of the bottom. I'm a big fan of deglazing the pan with whatever I happen to be drinking while I'm cooking.

After the sausage and okra have been cooked and set aside, you start in on the holy trinity. Once again, same pan, duh. Cook the onion first (in the butter), till it's translucent, and then pop the pepper and celery in for several minutes.

Once the vegetables are cooked, you add in the flour and make your roux. That takes about two minutes. Next go the spices - and this is where you can follow your own preferences. I like things super spicy, so I use the spicy Chachere's and the hot paprika. Next time, I'll probably add in some cayenne, because this batch could've used a higher octane level.

Stir that around till everything's coated, and then dump in your can of tomatoes, your broth and your bay leaf. Simmer for awhile - 15-20 minutes - to incorporate all the flavors and tenderize the vegetables even further. Add in the okra and sausage, give them a few minutes to settle in - et voila! Gumbo.

Ideally, while all this has been going on, you've been preparing some white rice to ladle over your helping of gumbo. Spoon you some gumbo into your bowl, serve with rice, and enjoy.

My husband, Mr. Hits, DJs my cooking. This recipe was accompanied by

T. Rex: The Slider
Holy Ghost!: I Know, I Hear (single + remixes)
Rolling Stones: Let it Bleed