Still in a New Orleans haze, Mom made Gumbo this week. In every restaurant we went to in New Orleans, gumbo and jumbalaya were staples. Both use a meat (and/or shrimp), rice, and veggie combination… but Gumbo is more soup/stew like and Jumbalaya is primarily a rice dish. Both use a unique Cajun or Creole spice combination.
Gumbo begins with a roux, a butter and flour combination. Not very Lauren friendly. However, using a butter substitute and rice flour did the trick (thank you, Earth Balance and Bob’s Red Mill). The roux didn’t come out as dark as it should in true Gumbo fare, but the taste was still there. We made a roux with one cup of rice flour and one cup of butter substitute, mixing constantly for about 45 minutes over medium heat.
When the roux is ready, add one orange pepper and two green peppers that are sliced. Stir a few times. Then add one diced onion and two diced celery stalks. Continue to stir while also incorporating one 28 ounce can of drained diced tomatoes and one carton of chicken broth (gluten free of course). Next, add the meat… one package (4 small links) of Andouille sausage and one pound of diced chicken breast. To season, add a few shakes each of paprika, cumin, garlic powder, chile powder, oregano, thyme, basil, salt, and pepper. We don’t know the secret Creole or Cajun spice combination or proportion, but can season to taste. Cover and let the gumbo simmer for another 45 minutes to cook through. Meanwhile, cook one box of your favorite rice. When ready to serve, incorporate the cooked rice into the gumbo and enjoy!
Happy Allergy Free Eating!
Balanced Fork, Healthy Life 
This looks really good! I’ve been wanting to make gumbo or jambalaya ever since I got back from New Orleans, so I will have to use your guide as a starting point if I make some homemade gumbo.