MudBug Stew for Two (recipics)

Mud-Bug Stew (for two – recipics)

I’ve learned to make a mean gumbo, my favorite a seafood version, but rarely make it anymore. It’s too much work – and by the time I’m done I don’t want to eat it.

So here’s my version of crawfish gumbo filè, quick enough for a weekday meal, that I call Mud-Bug Stew.

for the roux
¼C olive oil
½C flour

for mise en place
1C chopped onion
¼C chopped bell pepper
¼C chopped celery
¼C chopped Italian parsley
1t chopped garlic

liquids and proteins
2C stock(1)
½C white wine
1lb cooked/shelled/deveined crawfish tails(2)


for service
crusty bread and butter
more parsely
filé powder(3)

__________

I. Start *get organized*

Have mise en place ready to go. Everything can be in a big pile, but keep the garlic separate, and reserve some parsley for garnish.

(parsley and garlic not shown)

II. Roux (4)*danger will robinson*

Here is the key and some caution. If you haven’t made a roux before now is the time to learn. It is considered the mother of all French sauces. Here, we’re going to make a small amount of dark roux in the microwave.

Mix the olive oil and flour in a Pyrex measuring cup with handle. Nuke two minutes. Remove and stir completely. Microwave more in increments approximately 15 seconds more, stirring each time, until desired color – a bit darker than milk chocolate. This is an art, and all microwaves are different, be careful. After the first two minutes, don’t try to multi-task. This gets really m-f-ing hot. (I once tried to do this in official microwave safe Tupperware and melted right through the bottom).

This shouldn’t take more than ten minutes. It takes me over an hour to do this on the stove top (though a chef can do it much quicker). Here’s the color I look for:

(well maybe a little darker)

If you burn it (and you’ll know if you burned it) start over. No big deal. Very big deal if you’ve been stirring for an hour at a hot stove.

III. Make it *almost there*

Transfer the roux into a dutch oven on medium heat. Add the onion, celery, green pepper, and parsley. Stir with flat bottom spoon, scraping the bottom, still being careful not to burn.

When the onion has turned translucent, stir in 1C of stock to form a thick paste.


Adjust heat to medium high. Add the garlic, hot sauce, wine, and the rest of the stock. Bring to a simmer, taste, add salt, pepper, and more hot sauce as dictated. Taste and adjust seasonings again.

Add crawfish tails being sure to use all the included liquid, heat through. Leave on low heat, covered, until ready to eat.

IV. Service *mmm*

Off the heat, stir in some fresh parsely. Add a generous amount of filé. Let it sit on the top for a couple of minutes and then stir through. Serve over rice (5) if desired, but I prefer to eat with just buttered baguette, dropping individually buttered chunks right into the bowl. Add more hot sauce as your palate prefers.


V. Notes *hey, I’m busy eating over here*

Add andouille and okra(6), leave out the filé, and you have a more classic gumbo. Vary the protein for whatever type of gumbo you want. It tastes even better after a couple days in the fridge, if it lasts that long.

VI. More notes *shut up already*

Rumor: I slip in the contents of half an orange foil packet that might be labeled Sazòn.

(1) I’ve made plenty of stocks, but for this I usually use half commercial chicken stock and half clam juice. (Don’t tell Mrs Ramon, she’s not eating meat.)

(2) I’ve seen these packages, variously labeled, at many different stores sporadically. You can also purchase them at Hagen’s (but call ahead anyways, maybe I just bought the last one).

(3) Filé powder is made from sassafrass leaves. It adds a distinct flavor and some thickening. It’s easy to find, even at Dominix or Jewels. And it’s fun to say sassafrass. Go ahead, say it and smile! Almost as much fun as saying caribou or Dikembe Mutombo.

(4) Roux is usually an equal amount of flour and fat. I find no difference in taste or consistency by cutting the fat in half in this application. Also, I don’t bother using my good olive oil here.

(5) I hate rice. Future post coming, beware.

(6) I don’t like okra either, it reminds me too much of Oprah.

edited for damn typos

-ramon

Wow, awesome. I'm inspired.

And I can't wait to hear about the rice thing...

Ramon wrote:for the roux
¼C olive oil

Olive oil?! I've always used regular ol' vegetable oil. Does the olive add anything to it?

Ramon wrote:filé powder(3)


(3) Filé powder is made from sassafrass leaves. It adds a distinctive flavor and some thickening. It’s easy to find, even at Dominix or Jewels.

Spice House has the best file around. One day I asked if they carried it, and the woman, without missing a beat, said 'Actually, I think we've got a fresh batch coming out right now.' She disappeared for a minute and came back with a jar of it. Fantastic stuff.

Also, RE: those crawfish. Not to be all "boooo, China" and get into politics, but are they from Louisiana, or China? On principal, and taste, I buy Louisiana crawfish. Imported tails seem to be a bit tougher and fishy. The package says "wild caught", which seems like one of those virtually meaningless terms because it's not regulated. How were they? And where'd you get 'em?

Now I've got a hankering.

germuska wrote:And I can't wait to hear about the rice thing...

Don't hold your breath, Joe, I've been threatening this for quite some time. I believe it goes kinda like

ramon wrote:search Gooffle's future caching pre-archives for my award winning post "I Hate Rice©" on this forum

-ramon

Lose the wine and the file powder (sorry, too lazy to go look for accents), add a large helping of pepper powders (red, black and white) plus, iirc, thyme, and you've got etouffee. Hmm... probably some salt too.

ccrush wrote: Olive oil?! I've always used regular ol' vegetable oil. Does the olive add anything to it?

‘Cause that’s what Justin Wilson tole me on the TeeVee some twenty some years ago. Besides, do you think I’m going to waste my good deep frying oil?

ccrush wrote: Spice House has the best file around. One day I asked if they carried it, and the woman, without missing a beat, said 'Actually, I think we've got a fresh batch coming out right now.' She disappeared for a minute and came back with a jar of it. Fantastic stuff.

Excellent suggestion and obviously my stash of filé is too old. This dish is an example where a fresh, quality dry spice will make a huge difference. Still, I hate throwing out things, and I really like this little spice box. Those old metal spice containers are a thing of the past.

ccrush wrote: Also, RE: those crawfish. Not to be all "boooo, China" and get into politics, but are they from Louisiana, or China? On principal, and taste, I buy Louisiana crawfish. Imported tails seem to be a bit tougher and fishy. The package says "wild caught", which seems like one of those virtually meaningless terms because it's not regulated. How were they? And where'd you get 'em?

This bag of frozen crawfish tails were purchased at Hagen’s for around $8.59 (for along time they were $10.99). They’ve had them reliably over the last decade plus. I’ve also seen them at Produce World off and on for $5.99. The wording on the package often changes, but the actual packaging and product are very consistent. They are extremely convenient and store flat and compact in the freezer (a big bonus as compared to a bag of frozen shrimp).

Sure, they come out a bit tough. Heck, they’re precooked and then I’m cooking them again! I don’t mind them this way in this application. They are kinda pretty fishy, but not in any off kind of way.

Yes, these say they are from China, though over the years I’ve purchase similar that have claimed different Asian countries. In my experience, crayfish from Louisiana are better (in many ways), but this was merely a workable weekday meal. Part convenience, part proper technique.

-ramon

JoelF wrote:Lose the wine and the file powder (sorry, too lazy to go look for accents), add a large helping of pepper powders (red, black and white) plus, iirc, thyme, and you've got etouffee. Hmm... probably some salt too.

While many ingredients are similar, a proper étouffèe (:))does not start with a roux.

-ramon

Ramon wrote:While many ingredients are similar, a proper étouffèe (:))does not start with a roux.

Really? Nobody told Paul Prudhomme, whose recipe I use.

JoelF wrote:

Ramon wrote:While many ingredients are similar, a proper étouffèe (:))does not start with a roux.

Really? Nobody told Paul Prudhomme, whose recipe I use.

Damn, I started an argument. I hate that .

I'd always thought of étouffèe as a dish for times when there is no time to make a proper roux. Before I posted, to be sure, I checked three different étouffèe recipes in my library (all by Justin Wilson, so limited sourcing), none of which had flour in it. When I googled, wiki came up first and specifically said étouffèe is similar to gumbo without the roux. The next recipe searched on line had no flour in it. So I posted confidantly.

But Paul Prudhomme is quite an authority and you, JoelF no shakes yourself, so lets find out what the true story is! I'm too tired to do more tonight.

-ramon

bit of a tangent... but WOW! thanks for posting that pic of the burma brand file powder. i was instantly thrown back to my childhood in the late 70s. my mom would always have ground pepper in those distinct blue tiger tins. is that stuff even sold anymore? i'm pretty sure i've never noticed them at the local jewel/dominicks. unfortunately my parents have graduated from small tins/glass bottles to those gargantuan tones brand plastic bottles from the warehouse places. god those things last forever. i'm pretty sure we've had that half full basil one since '93. that's the last time my mom was heavily into italian cooking.

Ramon wrote:(all by Justin Wilson

I'm just sayin'...

I didn't mean to argue, I'm more curious than anything else.

I went and dragged up the book. From "Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen" (ISBN 0688028470 copyright 1984), pg 17 under "Louisiana Language and Ingredients" (emphasis mine)

Etoufée: "Etoufée" literally means "smothered"; in Louisian cooking it signifies covered with a liquid. In my family it refers to a dish with a cooked roux in the etoufée sauce. (In French Louisiana we don't put the accent on the first "e." That would mean to smother a person!)

So it appears to be a personal, or at least familial, preference. Looking at the ingredient list I quoted above, add dried basil (I found that a bit surprising). And yes, he serves it over rice (sorry).

Hmm. I can find no consensus. I've seen if definied specifically as both having a roux and definitely not having a roux. Emeril doesn't use one. Most of the other random recipes I find on the net do not use a roux but many do.

I'd say Paul Prudhomme is a better authority than Justin Wilson (I bought the books along time ago, Ccrush!) and Emeril put together. Also, I read the wiki poorly (?) -- it says to use a blonde roux.

So it seems to to a legitimate controversy, but I'm now on the "with roux" side, for whatever that's worth.

-ramon

My friend growing up was straight out of the bayou. At their house the etoufee was made mostly with a blonde roux, and a little dark roux added for color. The gumbo used only dark roux.

Later, I learned a possible reason for this: As you cook the flour, making a roux, you destroy some of the thickening powers. So, if using a dark roux in an etoufee, you'd need a large quantity, effectively ruining the background flavors.

Then when working at a "Cajun Themed" restaurant, we used equal parts dark and blonde roux in the etoufee. I dunno, but sometimes the flavor of the dark roux would overwhelm the dish, not that they were being very authentic in anything else, though.

Flip

Funny, I just had a conversation last week in Louisiana with my mother and my aunt (both Louisiana-raised) about roux and etouffe. My aunt makes her etouffe with a butter and flour roux that goes no darker than a very light brown, while my mother's has no flour (but does use corn starch as a thickener). And they grew up in the same home.

Ramon wrote:I'd always thought of étouffèe as a dish for times when there is no time to make a proper roux...

But Paul Prudhomme is quite an authority...

Actually, Paul Prudhomme's innovation for making roux calls for blazing high heat and a short cooking time, as opposed to the long cooking time of normal roux.

I made his roux while making gumbo the other day, and it's downright dangerous. He calls it Cajun Napalm. If you make it, wear long pants, long sleeves, and sturdy shoes.