2 dozen medium-sized oysters, ½ pound lean boneless fully cooked
shucked, with all their liquor smoked ham, cut into ¼-inch cubes
preserved 1 dried hot red chili, about
4 to 5 c water 1½ incheslong, washed, stemmed,
1½ pounds squirrel meat, cut into seeded and finely chopped
6 serving pieces ¼ tsp ground hot red pepper(cayenne)
½ tsp salt ¼ tsp crumbled dried thyme
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 medium-sized bay leaf, crumbled
¼ c flour ¼ c finely chopped fresh parsley,
¼ c vegetable oil preferably the flat-leaf Italian
6 T brown roux (See "Louisiana variety
Cooking Essentials" in the Index) 2 tsp filé powder
½ c finely chopped onions 6 c freshly cooked long-grain white
½ c finely chopped scallions, rice
including 3 inches of the green tops
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Drain the oysters through a fine sieve set over a bowl. Set the oysters
aside, then measure the oyster liquor into a saucepan and add enough water
to make 6 cups. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, remove the pan
from the heat and cover to keep it warm.Pat the pieces of squirrel dry with paper towels and season them with the salt and pepper. One at a time, turn the pieces about in the flour to coat them lightly on all sides and vigorously shake off the excess flour.
In a heavy 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over high heat until a light haze forms above it. Brown the pieces of squirrel in the hot oil, turning them frequently with tongs and regulating the heat so that they color richly and evenly without burning. As they brown, transfer the pieces to a plate.
Stirring constantly, warm the brown roux in a heavy 4- to 5-quart casserole set over low heat. Add the onions and scallions and, stirring frequently, cook over moderate heat until the vegetables are soft but not brown. Add the ham and turn it about with a spoon to mix it in well. Then, stirring constantly, pour in the warm oyster-liquor mixture in a slow, thin stream. Add the pieces of squirrel and the liquid that has accumulated around them, the chili, red pepper, thyme and bay leaf.
Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly, then reduce the heat to low and partially cover the casserole. Simmer the stew for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the squirrel is tender and shows no resistance when pierced deeply with the point of a small, sharp knife.
Add the reserved oysters and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes longer, or until the oysters plump up and their edges begin to curl. Remove the pot from the heat and immediately stir in the parsley and 2 teaspoons of filé powder. Taste for seasoning; the gumbo should be hotly spiced and may require more red pepper.
Ladle the gumbo into a heated tureen and serve at once, accompanied by the rice in a separate bowl. Traditionally, a cupful of the rice is mounded in a heated soup plate and the gumbo spooned around it. Present additional filé powder for those who prefer gumbo with a stronger flavor. Serves 6.
1 pound uncooked medium-sized shrimp ounces
(about 20 to 24 to the pound) 4 T brown roux
7 quarts water ½ c coarsely chopped onions
5 dried hot red chilies, each about 1½ tsp finely chopped garlic
2 inches long ½ pound fresh okra, trimmed,
1 lemon, cut crosswise into ¼-inch- washed and cut into 1-inch chunks
thick slices ¾ c coarsely chopped green pepper
3 large bay leaves 1 tsp ground hot red pepper(cayenne)
1½ tsp crumbled, dried thyme ½ tsp Tabasco sauce
1 T plus 1 tsp salt 4 to 6 c freshly cooked long-grain
10 live blue crabs, each about 8 white rice
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Shell the shrimp. Devein them by making a shallow incision down their
backs with a small knife and lifting out the intestinal vein with the point
of the knife. Wash the shrimp briefly and set them aside.In a 10- to 12-quart pot, bring the water, chilies, lemon slices, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp thyme and 1 T of salt to a boil over high heat. Drop in the crabs and boil briskly, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove the crabs from the stock with tongs, and set them aside to cool.
Drop the shrimp into the stock remaining in the pot and cook uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they are pink and firm to the touch. With tongs, transfer the shrimp to a plate. Then boil the stock, uncovered, until it is reduced to 3 quarts. Strain the stock through a fine sieve set over a large pot, and discard the seasonings. Cover the pot to keep the stock warm until you are ready to use it.
When the crabs are cool enough to handle, shell them in the following fashion: Grasping the body of the crab firmly in one hand, break off the large claws and legs close to the body. With the point of a small, sharp knife, pry off the pointed shell, or apron, and loosen the large bottom shell from around the meat and cartilage, cutting near the edges where the legs are joined to the shell. Lift the body of the crab, break it in half lengthwise, then with the knife pick out the firm white pieces of meat. Discard the gray featherlike gills and tough bits of cartilage but save the morsels of yellow liver and "fat" as well as any pieces of orange roe. Leave the large claws in their shells, but crack the legs lengthwise with a cleaver and pick out the meat. Reserve the meat, claws and roe (if any).
In a heavy 5- to 6-quart casserole, warm the roux over low heat, stirring constantly. Add the onions and garlic and stir for about 5 minutes, or until they are soft. Add the okra and green peppers and mix well.
Stirring constantly, pour in the reserved warm stock in a slow, thin stream and bring to a boil over high heat. (If the stock has cooled, reheat before adding it.) Add the red pepper, Tabasco, the remaining bay leaf, ½ tsp thyme and 1 tsp of salt. Stir in the crabmeat and claws, reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour.
Add the shrimp and simmer a few minutes longer, then taste for seasoning. The gumbo may require more Tabasco or red pepper.
Ladle the gumbo into a heated tureen and serve at once, accompanied by the rice in a separate bowl. Traditionally, a cupful of rice is mounded in a heated soup plate and the gumbo spooned around it. Give each diner a nutcracker so that the claws can be cracked easily at the table. Serves 4.
