Sausage in a gumbo usually means smoked sausage. Sometimes Louisiana smoked ham, called tasso, is also added or is used in place of the sausage. A roux (a mixture of flour and fat) is the traditional thickener, usually augmented with filé powder (ground dried sassafras leaves) or okra. In keeping with today’s taste for lighter fare, I swap the smoked sausage and/or ham for my homemade sausage and eliminate the roux. The okra alone does the thickening, and the step of soaking the okra pods in a salt-and-vinegar bath before adding them to the pot ensures they won’t be overly viscous. It is important to use dried herbs and canned tomatoes to produce the distinguishing flavors of this dish from a cuisine built around preserved goods. Make sure the okra is fresh, however. I like to use shrimp in the shell because they enrich the broth. That does make for somewhat messy eating, however. If you want to save your guests the trouble of peeling their own shrimp, remove the shells and simmer them in 1 cup of the broth, then strain the liquid into the pot when adding the remainder of the broth. Shell-on shrimp are easy enough to devein, if it’s necessary to do so, by simply cutting through the shell along the back of each shrimp with a sharp paring knife.
Ingredients
serves 4
Step 1
In a medium bowl, toss together the okra, vinegar, and salt. Set aside for about 30 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic and sauté until well wilted but not browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in the bay leaf, thyme, oregano, cayenne, and tomatoes. Add the broth, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to maintain a brisk simmer and cook for 30 minutes to blend the flavors.
Step 3
While the broth simmers, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, brown the sausage balls on all sides, 7 to 8 minutes per batch. As each batch is finished, transfer the balls to the simmering broth mixture.
Step 4
When all the balls have been added, rinse the okra and add it to the pot. Continue simmering for 15 minutes. Add the shrimp and the oysters and their liquor, cover the pot, and remove from the heat. Let stand until the shrimp are barely pink and the oysters are slightly plump, about 5 minutes.
Step 5
Serve right away, accompanied with the corn bread.
