The temperatures are cooling off, so we can finally turn up the heat in the kitchen! It's officially gumbo weather. I thought I'd post this cajun gumbo recipe with potato salad as an ode to our family in Lake Charles who are still struggling to put their lives back together after Hurricane Laura hit almost 6 weeks ago.
My wife's family is from Lake Charles and so she helped me pull together all the essential ingredients and steps. This special compilation of rice, gumbo and potato salad will be sure all four burners are going for maximum kitchen coziness.
Get your gumbo started first, it will need to simmer the longest. Per my wife, "this is a pretty legit recipe from a well known Lafayette cajun" posted on the Louisiana Travel website.
Get your rice started at the same time you start boiling your potatoes so everything's hot and ready around the same time. We like to keep it local, and used Cajun Country Long Grain Rice that's grown here in Crowley, LA and available at most Rouses and online at Cajun Grocer.
Potato Salad Recipe:
makes about 4-6 servings
* 5 medium russet potatoes - peeled & chopped (halved & then quartered)
* 3 hard boiled eggs
* Blue Plate mayonnaise to taste - 1/2 cup to 1 cup
* Tony's & pepper to taste
* Green Onions - chopped (garnish)
Get your remaining two burners working... Hard boil your eggs per your preferred timing - we bring water to boil with eggs, leave at a rolling boil for 5 minutes and then turn off the burner while letting the eggs sit for 5-10 minutes. Boil your potatoes until fork tender (about 15-20 minutes).
Once eggs are finished boiled, peel and toss into a large bowl with the boiled & strained potatoes. Take a knife and roughly chop altogether ("hack it all up").
Add mayonnaise to the egg/potato bowl. My wife suggests to add scoops of mayonnaise and stir until moist. "Some people like it to be beacoup mayo-y", so definitely keep adding until you reach your desired consistency.
Season with Tony's & pepper to taste.
Assembling your Cajun Gumbo:
Add a scoop of cooked rice into the bottom of a bowl. Ladel a generous helping of gumbo over the rice. Top with a large dollop of potato salad, and sprinkle with a big pinch of shopped green onion.
Serve Hot & Enjoy!
And because we were really in the mood for fall (AND had a can of pumpkin sitting in our cupboard for one year too many), we made this pumpkin bread from Smitten Kitchen's recipe for dessert. Fall never tasted so good!
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