Gumbo Filé

Gumbo Filé / NOLA.COM

Published: Saturday, May 01, 2010, 10:22 AM     
Updated: Wednesday, May 19, 2010, 12:00 PM

 By The Times-Picayune 

*See note at end about Filé powder.

To make a good "Gumbo File" use the following ingredients:

1  Large Tender Chicken

2  Large Slices or 1/2 Pound Lean Ham

2  Tablespoonfuls of Butter or 1 of Lard

1  Bay Leaf

3  Sprigs of Parsley

3  Dozen Oysters

1  Large Onion

1  Sprig of Thyme

2  Quarts of Oyster Water

2  Quarts of Boiling Water

1  Half Pod of Red Pepper, without the Seed  
   Salt and Pepper and Cayenne to taste.

Clean and cut up the chicken as for a fricassee. Dredge with salt and black pepper, judging according to taste. Cut the ham into dice shapes and chop the onion, parsley and thyme very fine. Put the lard or butter into the soup kettle or deep stewing pot, and when hot, put in the ham and chicken.

Cover closely and fry for about five or ten minutes. Then add the onion and parsley and thyme, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. When nicely browned add the boiling water and throw in the oyster stock, which has been thoroughly heated. Add the bay leaf chopped very fine, and the pepper pod, cut in two, and set the Gumbo back to simmer for about an hour longer. When nearly ready to serve dinner and while the Gumbo is boiling add the fresh oysters.

Let the Gumbo remain on the stove for about three minutes longer, and then remove the pot from the fire. Have ready the tureens, set in a "bainmarle." or hot water bath, for once the File is added the Gumbo must never be warmed over.

Take two tablespoonfuls of the File and drop gradually into the pot of boiling hot Gumbo, stirring slowly to mix thoroughly; pour into the tureen or tureens, if there should be a second demand and serve with boiled rice. (See recipe.) The rice, it should be remarked, must be boiled so that the grains stand quite apart, and brought t o the table in a separate dish, covered. Serve about two spoonfuls of rice to one plate of Gumbo.

The above recipe is for a family of six. Increased quantities in proportion as required. Never boil the Gumbo with the rice, and never add the File while the Gumbo is on the fire, as boiling after the File is added tends to make the Gumbo stringy and unfit for use, else the File is precipitated to the bottom of the pot, which is equally to be avoided.

Where families cannot afford a fowl, a good Gumbo may be made by substituting the round of the beef for the chicken.

*NOTE:   (Editor's note: The following was taken from "The Picayune's Creole Cook Book," circa 1901 and content may be dated)

First, it will be necessary to explain here, for the benefit of many, that "File" is a powder, first manufactured by tribes of Choctaw Indians in Louisiana, from the young and tender leaves of the sassafras.

The Indian squaws gathered the leaves and spread them on a stone mortar to dry. When thoroughly dried, they pounded them into a fine powder, passed them through a hair sieve, and then brought the File to New Orleans to sell, coming twice a week to the famous French Market, from the reservation set aside for their home on Bayou Lacombe, near Mandeville. La.

The Indians used sassafras leaves and the sassafras for many medicinal purposes, and the Creoles, quick to discover and apply, found the possibilities of the powdered sassafras, or "Filé," and originated the well-known dish. "Gumbo Filé."

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