Gumbo

I got today’s recipe from the Slow Cooker Queen because I didn’t have time to babysit a pot for hours. I did make some tweaks though such as subtracting chicken and adding a beer to the mix. Check out the recipe though!

I know I told y’all that I would do at least one classic preparation of gumbo, but not fried, and the first thing that came to mind was gumbo. Well, it came second after frying because that is usually my first instinct. I was in luck too because I have a friend with family in the bayou and I am sure this gumbo isn’t even on the same level as their authentic stuff, but I tried.

In terms of actually preparing the okra, I cut the little caps off and the tips on the end of each just in case it tastes woody or something. They’re edible but I’m more concerned with getting the seeds than the outer layer. One of my favorite weird snacks (heads up, I have the taste buds of an 80 year old) is pickled okra and a little bit of chocolate milk and sometimes crackers. I have made meals out of this combo and there is something incredibly satisfying about chewing on a slimy little pod and the seeds pop in your mouth.

I somehow found a good example of the slime that comes out of the okra pods. I will admit that there was more slime with the nopales, so my cutting board this time wasn’t a hazardous area. When you’re trying to move a bunch of chopped pieces from point A to point B though it does make you feel like you’re doing a balancing act at times.

I will tell you all of the reasons I don’t believe I’ve made gumbo so much as I made gumbo-inspired stew. I’m ok with that truthfully, but I am disappointed that the okra slightly disintegrated into the mix. I don’t know why I was expecting it to stand up to the test but those beloved little seeds are floating in there like precious poppable jewels. Not much of an okra taste but delicious and I can detect some of the sliminess I love as well.