Char's Louisiana Okra Gumbo Recipe

Submitted by Louise Hall of Gold Hill, Oregon USA

Char's Louisiana Okra Gumbo

Things you will need:

2 (1-quart) bags of smothered okra*
16 to 24 ounces of tomato sauce
1 (10-ounce) can RoTel brand stewed tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic (if desired)
Cajun Seasoning to taste
Salt to taste (if needed)
Meat of choice - deboned chicken (preboiled), shrimp (peeled), sausage (cubed), tasso**, or browned and drained ground beef. My personal choice is shrimp (TONS of it). Sausage and chicken is next!
4 to 5 quarts of water
An 8-quart stock pot

Directions:

Add all ingredients in the stock pot and bring to boil. Simmer for about an hour or until meat is tender.

*"Smothered Okra" is okra cooked with onions, bell pepper, tomato, and seasonings; if not available in your area you can make your own and freeze for use in recipes. See Smothered Okra I.

**Much to the disappointment of anyone who's tasted it, this Cajun specialty is generally hard to find outside Louisiana. Tasso is a lean chunk of cured pork or beef that's been richly seasoned with ingredients such as red pepper, garlic, file powder and any of several other herbs or spices. It's then smoked for about 2 days. The result is a firm, smoky and flavorfully tangy meat that is principally used for seasoning. Outside of Cajun country, tasso is available in some specialty gourmet shops and by mail order. It can be refrigerated, tightly wrapped, for up to a week.