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(Cajun accent) MMM-MMM-MMM.
NOW THEY AIN'T MANY THINGS IN THIS WORLD
THAT SPEAK TO ME, BUT ONE OF THEM IS GUMBO,
AND THAT THERE IS SOME MMM-MMM-MMM GOOD GUMBO.
NOW TELL ME ABOUT IT, FRIEND. COME ON, XAVIER.
GET A BIG BITE OF THIS GUMBO, NOW. COME ON, NOW.
HAVE A BIG BITE NOW. COME ON, XAVIER.
CUT, CUT, CUT. CUT.
GET ME THE ALLIGATOR PEOPLE NOW.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS THING?
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS THING, TODD?
WHY CAN'T WE HAVE THAT RACCOON FROM LAST SEASON?
I KNOW, I KNOW.
I KNOW, I KNOW.
HOW ABOUT THAT?
WE'LL GET IT. WE'LL GET IT.
HOW ABOUT LIKE A CATFISH OR A MUDBUG
OR MAYBE AN EGRET OR SOMETHING?
SOMETHING THAT AIN'T GONNA SMOKE UP THE PLACE
LIKE THAT THING DOES ALL THE--
(coughing)
HI.
HI.
I'M ALTON BROWN.
I HAVE THE COOKING SHOW JUST NEXT DOOR THERE.
WELL, IS THAT A FACT?
WELL, WE'S JUST GONNA HAVE TO HAVE OURSELVES
A PICNIC THEN. I'LL BRING THE GUMBO.
OKAY.
COME ON. HAVE A LITTLE TASTE. SHE AIN'T GONNA BITE.
COME ON NOW. (chuckles)
AIN'T GONNA BITE... MUCH!
OOH!
WHOO! SHE GOT A LITTLE KICK TO IT, DON'T SHE?
(coughing)
YEAH--(cough)-- A LITTLE KICK.
YEAH, THAT'S CAJUN, BOY.
SPI-I-I-I-CY! WHOO!
HUH. YOU KNOW, THAT--
THAT OLD SPICY THING'S REALLY JUST A MYTH
PERPETUATED BY THE GLOBAL RESTAURANT INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
TO SELL SPICY RIBS AND, I DON'T KNOW,
GATOR BITS.
YOU CALLIN' MY FOOD GLOBAL, BOY?
(chuckling)
NO.
NO, IT'S JUST THAT IT--
AAH! I'M JUST MESSIN' WITH YOU.
YEAH, YEAH, BUT YOU KNOW,
BESIDES, GUMBO IT'S JUST A--
IT'S A STATE OF MIND.
YEAH?
UM, WELL, I'VE KIND OF ALWAYS THOUGHT OF GUMBO
AS THE REAL FOUNDATION OF CAJUN CUISINE, YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE IT SO PERFECTLY REFLECTS
THE POLYCULTURAL RAMBLINGS
OF THE ACADIAN PEOPLE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
IN FACT, I WOULD SAY THAT GUMBO
IS MORE INDICATIVE OF AMERICAN CUISINE
THAN EVEN APPLE PIE, PROBABLY.
YOU CAJUN?
NO.
YOU CREOLE?
NO.
WELL, THEN, WHY DON'T YOU JUST LEAVE GUMBO
TO THOSE OF US WHO KNOW,
AND YOU STICK TO WHAT IT IS YOU KNOW...
I MEAN, WHATEVER THAT IS.
WHAT'S THE NAME OF YOUR LITTLE OL' COOKIN' SHOW
OVER THERE, ANY WHO, HUH?
WE LIKE TO CALL IT...
♪♪
♪ GOOD EATS ♪
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.
Captioned by Closed Captioning Services, Inc.
OOH.
(Cajun accent) HOW'S ABOUT YOU LEAVE THE GUMBO TO US THAT KNOWS.
(normal voice) WHY, I OUGHT A...
I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW. THAT MAN IS NO MORE CAJUN
THAN CAPITAN KANGAROO.
GUMBO, CREOLE...
I'LL GRANT YOU, CREOLE AND CAJUN CUISINES
SHARE MANY ELEMENTS,
BUT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES.
I MEAN, CREOLE'S A CUISINE OF NEW ORLEANS.
IT WAS TOWN FOOD, GENTEEL,
AND IN THE BEGINNING AT LEAST, SLAVE PRODUCED.
IT'S FAIRLY REFINED AND RICH WITH CREAM AND BUTTER,
LIGHT ROUX WERE USED,
AND A LOT MORE TOMATOES THAN IN CAJUN CUISINE,
WHICH IS ROUGH AND RURAL,
AND HAS MORE TO DO WITH, WELL, YOU KNOW,
CANADA THAN NEW ORLEANS.
YEAH. WELL, WHERE DO YOU THINK CAJUNS ARE FROM, ANYWAY?
BACK IN 1755, THE BRITISH FORCED THE FRENCH POPULATION
OF WHAT WAS THEN ACADIA IN NOVA SCOTIA
TO TAKE AN OATH OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE BRITISH CROWN,
WHICH HAD FINAGLED THEIR WAY INTO THE LAND.
BEING FRENCH, THEY SAID...
(French accent) WE THROW ROTTING SKUNKS IN YOUR GENERAL DIRECTION.
(normal voice) WHAT FOLLOWED WAS AN ETHNIC CLEANSING
KNOWN AS THE GREAT UPHEAVAL.
6,000 TO 7,000 ACADIANS
WERE FORCED FROM THEIR HOMES AND THEIR LAND.
SOME WERE SHIPPED TO PLACES
AS FAR AWAY AS THE FALKLAND ISLANDS.
SOME WERE SHIPPED BACK TO FRANCE,
AND OTHERS WERE BOOTED INTO BRITISH PRISONS.
ABOUT 1,600 OR SO MADE THEIR WAY TO LOUISIANA,
MARKING THE FIRST MASS IMMIGRATION
WITHIN THE UNITED STATES,
OR AT LEAST WHAT WAS GOING TO EVENTUALLY BE THE UNITED STATES.
NOW THE REGION'S SPANISH RULERS WELCOMED THESE IMMIGRANTS,
PARTLY BECAUSE THEY HOPED TO BOLSTER
THE CATHOLIC POPULATION OF THE REGION.
OVER THE FOLLOWING DECADES,
THE ACADIANS INTERMARRIED WITH LOCALS,
INCLUDING MEMBERS OF SEVERAL NATIVE AMERICAN NATIONS.
EVENTUALLY, BECAUSE OF A TWIST OF THE LOCAL TONGUE,
THE WORD "ACADIAN" BECAME "CAJUN."
OKAY. THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN THIS.
I SPEAK, OF COURSE, OF THE FOOD.
BECAUSE OF THEIR WANDERINGS, CAJUN CUISINE CONTAINS FOODS
FROM JUST ABOUT EVERY POSSIBLE CULTURE YOU CAN IMAGINE--
FROM EUROPE, AFRICA,
THE ISLANDS, YOU NAME IT.
NO DISH SUMS THIS UP MORE THAN GUMBO, OKAY?
GUMBO--THE SINGLE-POT STEW THAT SUPPOSEDLY CAN CONTAIN
ANYTHING THAT CRAWLS, FLIES, SWIMS OR WALKS.
I SAY ONE POT, BUT NOT JUST ANY ONE POT WILL DO, NO.
WE NEED SOMETHING IN THE 128-OUNCE RANGE,
AND IT NEEDS TO BE MADE OUT OF A METAL HEAVY ENOUGH
TO CONDUCT HEAT EFFICIENTLY.
I SPEAK, OF COURSE, OF CAST IRON,
AND THIS LITTLE BLUE ENAMEL NUMBER IS MY VERY FAVORITE.
FIRST THING TO GO IN... A ROUX.
THAT IS THE FIRST STEP OF JUST ABOUT ANY BIT OF CAJUN COOKING.
NOW A ROUX, OF COURSE, IS A TRADITIONAL FRENCH THICKENER
COMPOSED OF EQUAL PORTIONS OF FAT AND FLOUR.
THE FRENCH WOULD USUALLY USE BUTTER,
BUT THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE RICH FOR THE TRADITIONAL CAJUN,
SO WE'LL GO WITH 4 OUNCES OF VEGETABLE OIL.
NOW THE NUMBER ONE "ROUX-DIMENTARY" MISTAKE--
AH, THAT'S FUNNY--THAT THE AVERAGE COOK WOULD MAKE
WOULD BE USING EQUAL PORTIONS BY VOLUME OF FLOUR,
BUT WEIGHT IS ACTUALLY WHAT WE WANT,
SO WE'RE GONNA GO FOR 4 OUNCES BY WEIGHT OF FLOUR.
THIS IS JUST ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR. THERE WE GO.
NOW THIS GETS WHISKED DIRECTLY INTO THE POT,
CREATING SOMETHING THAT LOOKS AMAZINGLY LIKE LIBRARY PASTE.
THERE. I'M GONNA TURN THIS ON TO MEDIUM HEAT.
THERE WE GO.
NOW THIS WILL THICKEN JUST ABOUT ANYTHING,
WHICH IS WHY THE FRENCH USE IT
IN JUST ABOUT EVERY SOUP AND SAUCE THAT I CAN THINK OF.
WHAT DOES A ROUX ACTUALLY DO? WELL, IT WOULD BE--WELL...
OH, COME HERE.
OKAY, LET'S SAY THAT THIS IS A GRAIN OF FLOUR.
I KNOW. LAST TIME WE SAW HIM, HE WAS A GRAIN OF RICE,
BUT WORK WITH ME HERE, OKAY?
NOW WHEN THIS GRANULE COOKS IN LIQUID,
IT SWELLS AND EVENTUALLY BURSTS--
(whispering) BURST.
(normal voice) SENDING TANGLES OF STARCH MOLECULES
OUT INTO THE LIQUID, THUS THICKENING IT.
HOWEVER, WHEN YOU HAVE TWO OR MORE OF THESE GUYS--
TWO OR MORE OF THESE GUYS--
AND HOT LIQUID IS INTRODUCED,
THEY TEND TO STICK TO EACH OTHER--
(whispering) GO AHEAD--
(normal voice) FORMING NASTY CLUMPS IN YOUR SOUP, SAUCE OR STEW.
BY COOKING THEM IN FAT, EACH GRANULE IS ESSENTIALLY COATED
AND PROTECTED FROM WATER,
AT LEAST UNTIL YOU'VE HAD TIME TO THOROUGHLY WHISK THEM
INTO THE LIQUID OF YOUR CHOICE.
AS A RESULT, THERE WILL BE NO CLUMPING.
(whispering) GET AWAY. GET AWAY.
(normal voice) BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE.
ANOTHER BENEFIT OF COOKING THE FLOUR IN HOT FAT
IS THAT YOU ESSENTIALLY FRY THE GRANULES.
OOH, OOH, HOT!
OOH, HOT, HOT!
OKAY, OKAY, GOOD, GOOD, GOOD.
THIS HIGH HEAT WILL HELP THE GRANULES
TO REPLACE THEIR RAW CEREAL FLAVOR
WITH ROASTY, TOASTY NUTTY GOODNESS.
WHOO-HOO.
(laughing)
WHOO-HOO.
(laughing)
WELL, I AM--I'M STILL WHISKING,
BUT THAT'S OKAY. ROUX TAKE A GOOD BIT OF TIME.
WE'LL TAKE A MOMENT TO EXAMINE
THE DEGREES OF "ROUX-DOM," SHALL WE?
WHEN A ROUX FIRST COMES TOGETHER,
IT IS REFERRED TO AS A WHITE ROUX,
WHICH HAS A GOOD BIT OF THICKENING POWER,
BUT VERY LITTLE FLAVOR.
AS IT COOKS FOR A FEW MORE MINUTES,
IT BECOMES A BLOND ROUX, LITTLE DARKER,
LITTLE LESS THICKENING POWER, LITTLE MORE FLAVOR.
THEN IT MOVES INTO WHAT WE CALL THE BROWN ROUX STAGE,
WHICH IS WHERE WE ARE OVER HERE, A LITTLE LESS THICKENING POWER,
BUT REALLY STARTING TO DEVELOP
SOME NICE NUTTY NOTES, IF YOU WOULD
EVENTUALLY WE WILL COME TO WHERE WE ARE LOOKING TO GO,
THE DARK OR BRICK ROUX.
NOW THE DARK OR BRICK ROUX HAS FOUR TIMES LESS THICKENING POWER
THAN THE ORIGINAL WHITE ROUX,
BUT WHAT IT LACKS IN THICKENING POWER,
IT MORE THAN MAKES UP FOR IN AN AMAZING DEPTH
AND A SMOKY GOODNESS OF FLAVOR.
OF COURSE, THE TRICK IS THAT GETTING TO THAT STAGE
TAKES A GOOD BIT OF TIME, 30 OR 40 MINUTES EASY.
NOW WE CAN GET AROUND THAT BY BOOSTING THE HEAT,
BUT THEN WE RUN INTO THE DANGER
OF GETTING STRAIGHT TO THE BLACK ROUX,
WHICH MEANS IT'S COMPLETELY... (sniffing)
OH...
OH, DOUBLE BOTHER.
IT APPEARS THAT I'VE MOVED
DIRECTLY FROM THE BROWN ROUX STAGE
TO THE BLACK ROUX STAGE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S ALMOST BRICK IN A FEW PLACES,
BUT THE LITTLE BLACK SPECKS-- YEAH, THAT'S RUINED.
WELL, THAT'S OKAY.
IT'S THE LAST ONE OF THOSE YOU'LL SEE TODAY.
I'LL JUST MAKE ANOTHER.
♪ FRèRE JACQUES FRèRE JACQUES ♪
♪ I SMELL ROUX SMELLS LIKE ♪
OOH. WHOA. I'M AFRAID YOU HAVE TO THROW THIS OUT,
'LESS YOU GOT A HOLE IN YOUR ROOF YOU WANT TO PATCH.
SEE YOU IN THE BAYOU.
YEAH, BYE-BYE TO YOU, TOO, YOU BAYOU BUM.
AARG.
WELL, WHAT DID WE LEARN, KIDS?
WELL, WE LEARNED THAT IF WE WANT TO MAKE
A DECENT DARK ROUX WITHOUT BURNING IT,
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIND A METHOD OF COOKING
THAT DOESN'T INVOLVE DIRECT HEAT,
DOESN'T INVOLVE CONSTANT TENDING,
AND DOESN'T INVOLVE THE CONSTANT THREAT
OF DISASTER AT EVERY MOMENT,
AND WE NEED--I...
DIRECT HEAT MAKING YOU "ROUX" THE DAY?
(chuckles) ROUX-- THAT'S GOOD.
UH, THEN JUST USE THE INDIRECT METHOD.
PLACE YOUR POT IN A 350-DEGREE OVEN,
ADD YOUR...
YOUR 4 OUNCES BY WEIGHT OF ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR,
AND WHISK INTO A NICE PASTE.
OH, HERE WE GO. AND LET THIS COOK.
NOW YOU'RE GONNA WANT TO LET IT GO FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF,
YOU KNOW, GIVE OR TAKE 15 MINUTES OR SO.
YOU WANT IT TO LOOK BASICALLY, UH, THE COLOR OF BRICK,
A VERY, VERY DARK RED.
THERE WE GO.
NOW, THING, I'VE GOT TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE.
I WANT YOU TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON THIS.
ANYTHING THAT CRAWLS, SLITHERS, SWIMS OR FLIES
IS HOW THE SAYING GOES.
BUT OF ALL THE POSSIBLE GUMBO CRITTER SCENARIOS,
THE ONE THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE TO ME IS SEAFOOD.
AFTER ALL, THERE'S LITTLE DOUBT THAT BOUILLABAISSE,
THE CLASSIC PROVINCIAL FISH STEW,
INFLUENCED GUMBO'S CONCEPTION, AND TO ME,
NOTHING SAYS BORN ON THE BAYOU, NOT JUST PRETENDING,
LIKE A GOOD SHRIMP GUMBO.
NOW IF WE WERE IN CAJUN COUNTRY,
WE'D PROBABLY GO WITH CRAWFISH OR FROG LEGS OR BOTH.
BUT FOR MOST FOLKS, 1 1/2 POUNDS OF RAW,
MEDIUM-SIZED, HEAD-ON SHRIMP, LIKE THESE GULF WHITES,
WOULD DO NICELY.
AND YES, BE SURE TO PURCHASE
WHOLE, HEAD-ON IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
THE HEADS ARE FULL OF GOODNESS, AND WE DO NOT WANT TO WASTE IT.
OF COURSE, THE GOODNESS OF WHICH I SPEAK IS,
WELL, THE GUTS, WHICH IS WHY WHOLE SHRIMP
TEND TO GO SOUTH QUICKER THAN TAILS ONLY,
SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE WARNING SIGNS OF BAD SHRIMP,
SUCH AS BLACK STREAKS, PITTED SHELLS OR SOUR SMELLS.
AND PLEASE, ONLY PURCHASE FROM A REPUTABLE VENDOR.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT COMMITTED OUR CLASSIC EPISODE
"CRUSTACEAN NATION I" TO MEMORY,
LET US REVIEW SHRIMP DISASSEMBLY.
NUMBER ONE, GRASP THE SHRIMP.
NUMBER TWO, RIP HIS WEE HEAD OFF.
IN MANY CULTURES, THIS WOULD SIMPLE GO TO THE TRASH CAN,
BUT IN CAJUN CUISINE, THIS IS SERIOUS CURRENCY,
SO IT GOES INTO THE STOCKPOT THUSLY.
NOW AS FOR THE REST OF THE SHRIMP,
WE WILL TAKE A LITTLE PAIR OF NAIL SCISSORS HERE,
AND I LIKE TO JUST CUT RIGHT DOWN THE BACK.
I GOT A COUPLE OF REASONS FOR DOING THIS.
ONE, IS IT'S GOING TO MAKE PEELING OFF THE SHELL
AND THE LEGS VERY, VERY SIMPLE.
EVERYTHING SHOULD KIND OF COME OFF IN ONE FELL SWOOP,
ANTENNAS INCLUDED.
AND THAT ALSO OPENS UP THIS AREA, WHICH REVEALS--
AH, THERE IT IS, BOYS AND GIRLS--THE VEIN.
NOW GUESS WHAT? THIS ISN'T A VEIN.
IT'S A DIGESTIVE TRACT,
AND THAT MEANS THAT THE DARK STUFF INSIDE ISN'T BLOOD,
SO WE'RE GONNA WANT TO, UH, RINSE THAT OUT.
THE EASIEST WAY TO GET IT OUT
IS JUST TO PUT THAT DOWN UNDERWATER,
AND IT SHOULD FLOAT OUT VERY NICELY,
AND ONCE THAT IS OUT OF THE WAY,
WE WILL MOVE OUR SHRIMP TO A CLEAN CONTAINMENT VESSEL.
FOR NOW, WE WILL STASH OUR NEWLY NAKED SHRIMP
IN THE CHILL CHEST.
THESE HEADS, TAILS AND VARIOUS EXOSKELETAL REMAINS
ARE PACKED WITH SHRIMPY GOODNESS.
WE ONLY NEED TO EXTRACT THEM WITH THE PROPER APPLICATION
OF TIME, HEAT AND WATER.
I'D SAY ABOUT 2 QUARTS SHOULD DO THE JOB.
BRING THIS TO A BOIL, AND THEN LOWER THE HEAT
AND MAINTAIN A SIMMER FOR ABOUT AN HOUR,
OR UNTIL THE LIQUID HAS REDUCED BY HALF.
HAVING SURRENDERED THEIR SHRIMPY ESSENCE,
THE SPENT HEADS, TAILS AND WHATNOT ARE STRAINED OUT.
NOW THE REMAINING STOCK CAN BE USED IMMEDIATELY
OR COOLED AND FROZEN FOR UP TO SIX MONTHS.
(timer buzzing)
AH, THERE WE HAVE IT, A PERFECT BRICK ROUX,
AND WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO SUFFER.
NOW DO REMEMBER,
THIS STUFF IS NOT CALLED CAJUN *** FOR NOTHING.
IT IS HOT. IT IS VISCOUS, AND IF IT GETS ON YOU,
IT BITES, SO BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL.
NOW I'M GONNA PUT THIS STRAIGHT OVER MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT,
AND THEN ADD...
AND WE WILL STIR THAT IN.
NOW CAJUNS AND CREOLES CALL THIS THE TRINITY,
A NATURAL MUTATION OF THE FRENCH MIREPOIX,
THAT COMBINATION OF ONE PART-- TWO PARTS ONION
AND ONE PART CARROT AND CELERY
THAT FORMS THE BACKBONE OF FRENCH CUISINE.
OH, AND AT THIS POINT, GO AHEAD AND ADD...
THERE. WE'RE GONNA COOK THIS FOR SEVEN TO EIGHT MINUTES.
AND YOU WANT TO KEEP IT MOVING
TO AVOID OVERHEATING THE VEGGIES, SO NO SHORTCUTS.
NOW I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
I DON'T WANT TO ENDLESSLY STIR A ROUX,
BUT STANDING AROUND A POT OF GUMBO,
IT'S PART OF CAJUN CULTURE,
WHERE FOOD IS REALLY AN EVENT MEANT TO BE SHARED
WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY ALIKE.
IN FACT, SOME GUMBOS ARE ACTUALLY MEANT TO BE SHARED
WITH AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
CONSIDER THE COURIR DU MARDI GRAS.
THIS PECULIAR CAJUN MARDI GRAS TRADITION
INVOLVES A BUNCH OF GUYS
DRESSING UP IN COLORFUL MASKS AND COSTUMES,
RIDING AROUND THE COUNTRYSIDE ON HORSEBACK,
BEGGING FOR GUMBO INGREDIENTS.
THEY DANCE AND SING IN HOPES OF RECEIVING
CHICKEN, SAUSAGE, RICE OR ONIONS FOR THEIR POT,
WHICH AT THE END OF THE EVENING
IS SERVED TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
NOW THAT THE ONIONS ARE NICE AND TENDER,
WE ADD THE REST OF THE SOFTWARE...
...CANNED OR FRESH.
...WHICH WE WILL FISH OUT LATER.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, A WEE BIT OF SPICE, IN THE FORM OF...
(men and women) BAM!
DID YOU HEAR SOMETHING?
OH, I DON'T KNOW. ANYWAY...
TIME TO ADD THE SHRIMP STOCK.
NOW THERE'S A LOT OF FAT DOWN HERE.
THIS IS ALL WATER. SO THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME HISSING,
SO GO SLOWLY.
JUST POUR IN THE STOCK,
WHISKING CONTINUOUSLY.
THERE YOU GO. EVERYTHING'S IN. GOOD.
NOW DECREASE THE HEAT TO LOW, COVER,
AND WE'RE GOING TO COOK THAT FOR 35 MINUTES.
AND IN THE MEANTIME, WE WILL DISCUSS SAUSAGE.
NOW NO GOOD GUMBO IS COMPLETE WITHOUT A HEARTY SAUSAGE.
TRADITIONALLY, OF COURSE, A CAJUN SAUSAGE WOULD BE USED.
SOME FOLKS LIKE A BOUDIN,
WHICH IS A SAUSAGE STUFFED WITH SEASONED PORK AND RICE.
BUT I'M A PURIST, AND THAT MEANS ANDOUILLE,
A HIGHLY SEASONED AND VERY SMOKY SAUSAGE
MADE WITH HAM INSTEAD OF PLAIN OLD...
OH, HECK. I'M OUT.
WAIT A SECOND.
I'M NOT OUT OF NOTHING YET.
(whispering) I RAN THE ALLIGATOR LAST TIME. IT IS YOUR TURN.
(whispering) YOU'RE LIKE SUCH A LITTLE GIRL. YOU KNOW THAT?
DON'T MESS WITH ME. I'M TRAINED...
CAGE FIGHTER.
OOH, I'M SCARED NOW.
NOW RUN THE ALLIGATOR.
OKAY.
(Cajun accent) I DECLARE, MONSIEUR, WHAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW
IS SOME GOOD OLD-FASHIONED MAYONNAISE. THAT'S RIGHT.
OH, GRACIOUS ME. I FORGOT MY ANDOUILLE.
WHOA. WHAT?
(man) CUT!!
AMATEURS.
...SLICED THIN, WILL DO VERY, VERY NICELY.
NOW THIS COULD GO STRAIGHT INTO THE GUMBO,
BUT I PREFER TO BROWN IT FIRST--
A LITTLE EXTRA FLAVOR FOR THE PRICE OF,
I DON'T KNOW, A DIRTY PAN. NOW, EVERYBODY, IN THE POOL.
SAUSAGE--IN,
AND THE SHRIMP--IN,
AND KILL THE HEAT.
OH, DON'T WORRY. THERE'S ENOUGH RESIDUAL HEAT IN HERE
TO COOK THAT SHRIMP THROUGH.
NOW SINCE WE OPTED FOR A BRICK ROUX EARLY ON,
WE ARE GOING TO REQUIRE SOME ASSISTANCE
IN THE THICKENING DEPARTMENT, BUT DON'T WORRY.
HELP IS CLOSE AT HAND.
THOSE WHO SAW OUR OKRA SHOW,
KNOW THAT THIS POPULAR SOUTHERN SEEDPOD
HAS A CERTAIN SLIMINESS ON THE INSIDE
THAT WHEN COOKED CAN THICKEN THE SURROUNDING LIQUID.
NOW THE FACT THAT GUMBO SHARES MORE THAN A FEW LETTERS
WITH THE WEST AFRICAN WORD FOR OKRA--
GUINGOMBO, I THINK IT IS--
SHOULD PRETTY MUCH CINCH OKRA'S FATE
AS THE SOLE GUMBO THICKENER OF CHOICE,
BUT THERE IS ANOTHER.
FILé POWDER COMES FROM THE SASSAFRAS TREE.
IT IS THE SAME TREE WHOSE ROOTS HAVE BEEN USED
AT VARIOUS TIMES AS A MEDICINAL CURE,
A TEA SUBSTITUTE, A LEATHER CURING AGENT,
AND A FLAVORING AGENT FOR ROOT BEER.
NOW FILé IS NOT MADE FROM THE ROOTS OF THE SASSAFRAS,
BUT RATHER THE YOUNG LEAVES
THAT HAVE BEEN DRIED AND GROUND INTO A FINE POWDER.
SO THE QUESTION IS, "WHAT WORKS BEST, OKRA OR FILé?"
WELL, EITHER WILL WORK HERE, BUT CONSIDER THIS.
FILé POWDER WAS INTRODUCED TO THE ACADIANS
BY THEIR NEW SOUTHERN NEIGHBORS, THE CHOCTAW INDIANS,
SO IT WAS A LOCAL INGREDIENT
PROBABLY LONG BEFORE OKRA
EVEN REACHED AMERICAN SHORES.
PLUS, THIS POWDER HAS A FLAVOR THAT, UH...
MANY--MANY GUMBO PURISTS, MYSELF INCLUDED,
WOULD CONSIDER TO BE INDISPENSABLE TO GUMBO.
OH, SORRY, OKRA.
WE'LL HAVE TO PLAY ANOTHER DAY.
BUT... I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING.
YOU'RE WONDERING, WELL, WHY DON'T YOU JUST USE BOTH,
FILé AND OKRA? WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHY.
'CAUSE WE'RE MAKING SOUP, NOT A TRIPLE-THICK SHAKE.
ODDLY ENOUGH,
FILé POWDER GETS ITS THICKENING POWER
FROM THE VERY SAME PLACE AS OKRA, MUCILAGE.
THE YOUNG SASSAFRAS LEAVES ARE FULL OF THIS STUFF,
WHICH IS WHY IT ONLY TAKES A TABLESPOON
TO THICKEN THIS WHOLE POT.
NOW SOME MORE TRADITIONAL COOKS
LIKE TO PUT THE FILé ON THE TABLE
AND ALLOW THE GUESTS TO ADD IT ON THEIR OWN,
BUT I LIKE TO GIVE IT A BIT OF A CHANCE
TO THICKEN UP THE WHOLE POT.
I ALSO LIKE TO PUT IT IN EARLY SO THAT THE SASSAFRAS FLAVOR
WILL HAVE A LITTLE TIME TO INTEGRATE IN AND MELLOW A BIT.
SO WE'RE GONNA STIR THAT IN,
THEN COVER AND LET IT SIT FOR TEN MINUTES BEFORE SERVING.
OH, AND DON'T FORGET TO TAKE OUT THOSE BAY LEAVES. OKAY.
NOW I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE CAJUNS OUT THERE
WHO LIKE THEIR GUMBO ON POTATO SALAD.
ME, I JUST LIKE PLAIN OLD RICE.
MR. B., I GOTTA TELL YOU.
THIS IS SOME MIGHTY FINE STEW YOU GOT HERE.
WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR VOICE?
OH, THAT? THAT'S A SHOW BIZ THING.
HECK, I'M FROM "BOS-TON."
YOU'RE NOT CAJUN?
NAH.
YOU'RE NOT CREOLE?
NO, I'M IRISH.
(Cajun accent) WELL, WE GOT OURSELVES
A LITTLE WORD DOWN ON THE BAYOU--
"AHNVEE" MEANS A LOVE OF COOKIN'
AND A JOY OF EATIN', AND WE GOT OURSELVES
A HEAPIN' HELPIN' OF THAT RIGHT HERE, DON'T YOU KNOW?
(Cajun accent) OH, YEAH. OH, YEAH.
YEAH.
ANYWAY YOU SAY IT...
WHOO.
THIS IS JUST SOME PLAIN GOOD EATS.
UH-HUH.
HEY, XAVIER, GET YOURSELF
A BIG OLD SPOONFUL OF THIS, BOY.
COME ON. DON'T BE BASHFUL.
GO ON, XAVIER.
GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD.
(normal voice) I THINK YOU'D BE BETTER OFF WITH A MUDSKIPPER.
A MUDSKIPPER, I LIKE THAT, YEAH.
YEAH, IT COULD JUST FLOP RIGHT UP THERE AND...
THE YOUNG LEAVES ARE--
(crew laughing)
CUT.