Quick and Dirty Gumbo

Enough people asked about the use of Gumbo File’ last Thursday that I decided I better provide a recipe today.  This is my way of doing Gumbo, not the “real” way.  Real gumbo can take a lot of work and fair amount of time.  This won’t taste the same, but it’ll fill the void.

In a medium sized sauce pan toss in the following:

a handful of ham
a hand full of chicken
a little less sausage. – I’ve used bratwurst for this.  Italian sausage also works well. Summer sausage gets a weird sour taste, so I don’t recommend it.
onion
tomato  – could be fresh cut or canned.  Whatever you have laying around
corn nibblets – I use the frozen kind
1 bay leaf
thyme
black pepper
red pepper
maybe some marjoram or basil, depending on my mood.
Shrimp
File’ which I’ll add right before I turn off the heat

Put everything but the file in the pot.  Add enough water to cover it all.  Bring it to a boil.  Let it simmer a few minutes.  With the water still bubbling add the file.  Turn off the heat, but leave the pot on the burner a few minutes.  

bon appétit