Last year, I posted a video entitled e-piphanies from gumbo. Click to watch!
Tomorrow, clergy colleagues from the Galveston Convocation, Episcopal Diocese of Texas, are coming to eat gumbo, enjoy fellowship, and watch the Krewe d’Esprit Rosaire Parade, which passes by our house in Galveston. So, today I prepared the stock and roux which are the basis of my gumbo. Tomorrow I'll add the shrimp or, for those who can't eat shellfish, chicken and sausage. How about that Episcopal Church Shield pot holder!
Here's how it is going…
First, the stock, which is made with chicken stock (to which stock from seafood may be added) and the "holy trinity," celery, bell peppers, and onions (white and green), plus the main ingredient, okra. Gumbo is okra stew, made from okra, which was introduced into the new world by African slaves. The word "gumbo" is derived from the African word gumba. It may be a great stew, but if there is no okra, it isn't gumbo! I use five cups of liquid, three cups of vegetables, half a teaspoon of minced garlic, and ten ounces of cut okra. Fresh onions, celery, and bell peppers are best, but frozen okra is a good idea. Besides the flavor, okra is a thickening ingredient. When it is time to serve the gumbo, you can also sprinkle some file powder on each serving, or let guests do it for themselves. This ingredient is made from the leaves of the Sassafrass Tree, well known in Southern states where gumbo is popular, and is also a thickening agent.
Next, the roux, which is made from equal parts of vegetable oil (I use corn oil) and flour. The basic recipe I follow uses one-half cup of oil and the same amount of flour. Get the oil hot before adding the flour. It is best cooked 
in a cast iron skillet and stirred with a wooden spoon. If you don't have these implements, get them. They are cheap!
It must be constantly stirred!!!!! The seasoned gumbo cooks say, "never step away!" I place a wooden pepper mill that is about the color of the roux I prefer near the skillet so I have a basis of comparison. See it in the corner?
Take a look at that wooden spoon. See how charred it is? That skillet gets really hot and my special spoon takes a lot of heat.
This part of making gumbo really needs to be done at a time when you are not in a hurry. Put on some quiet music, wear comfortable shoes, and just stir. I tend to stir in a clockwise direction. Some karma people will probably tell you it makes a difference. I doubt it. Don't let the roux burn.
Be sure to have plenty of hot pads on hand because you are going to need them to handle the vessels in which your elixer is prepared.
Now, you combine the stock and the roux. After the roux has reached the right color and I've turned off the fire under the cast iron skillet, I ladle the (hot) stock into the roux to cool it down. Then, I transfer the mixture into the pot that contains the stock.
Let this sit overnight on the stovetop or in the refrigerator. It improves the flavor.
On the second day, add the seafood or meat. For tomorrow's guests, I'll have one large pot that contains shrimp. After peeling the shrimp, I'll boil the shells and heads, then pour that stock into the pot. I find that the shrimp taste better if they are added closer to the time the gumbo is served. We've cooked a chicken and will remove the meat from the bones to add to the second pot for those who don't do shellfish. In addition to the chicken, we'll add some Andouille sausage, a cajun favorite. Use 2 lb. of meat for one recipe.
Sometimes, we add crab and/or other seafood to the gumbo. We don't normally use crawfish, although
they are a very sacred tradition with gumbo, because here on Galveston Island, they have to be imported. Here, we raise our own shrimp, crab, and chicken. The sausage is a concession. One concession is enough when making gumbo.
