By Doug Fabrizio
Salt Lake City, UT – If you had only 10 minutes to dash into your house as flood waters rose - or as flames threatened to consume your possessions - what would you grab? Do you know immediately? What do those things that you would prioritize mean to you? It was a very literal decision people had to make in Louisiana and in Mississippi. As the nation looks back at last year's devastating losses, we're asking you to talk about the "stuff" that means the most to you.
- Link's to Organizations and Resources Mentioned on Today's Program
- Click Here for Diaspora Gumbo and Red Beans and Rice recipes from The Crescent City Farmer's Market and Slow Food New Orleans
- Meet the Utah affiliates of these organizations at Slow Food Utah and Salt Lake Farmer's Market
- Visit Cecile Andrew's Circle of Simplicity
- NPR: Howard Berkes' Making Art from the Wreckage of Katrina
- Visit Beth Hoffman and Melissa Bonds' The New Orleans Project
Purchase a CD of today's RadioWest. Please reference show #1205.
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Visit one of Salt Lake City's independent booksellers:
Ken Sanders Rare Books
The King's English
Sam Weller's Zion Bookstore
Or shop on-line at Amazon.com. A portion of your purchase benefits KUER.
Diaspora Gumbo
Serves 10 - 12
CUP VEGETABLE OIL
1 CUP FLOUR
1 ONION, CHOPPED
1 BELL PEPPER, CHOPPED
3 STALKS CELERY, CHOPPED
2 LBS. OKRA SLICED THINLY (1/8TH INCH)
VEGETABLE OIL FOR FRYING OKRA(APPROXIMATELY CUP OIL)
1 - 1 LB. CAN WHOLE TOMATOES
1 GALLON SHRIMP STOCK, CHICKEN OR VEGETABLE STOCK
1 CLOVE GARLIC
2 T THYME
1 BAY LEAF
1 BUNCH GREEN ONIONS, THINLY SLICED
SALT, PEPPER AND HOT SAUCE TO TASTE
COOKED RICE - 1/4 CUP PER SERVING
Pick your Diaspora by choosing from the following foods, depending on personal preference and availability to obtain ingredients in your evacuation site.
- 4 GUMBO CRABS
2 LBS. SHRIMP
1 PINT OYSTERS
1 LB. SLICED AND BROWNED, SMOKED SAUSAGE (FIRST CHOICE ANDOUILLE)
2 CUPS CHICKEN MEAT
SPRINKLE OF FILE POWDER
Cover bottom of 10 - 12 inch skillet with oil (approximately 1/4 cup.) Fry okra in single layers in very hot oil until lightly browned. Reserve.
In a 10 - 12 qt. dutch oven type pot, make a dark roux by combining cup of the oil with the cup of flour, cooking to the color of milk chocolate brown. Add onions, stirring together until the roux darkens to a bittersweet chocolate brown. Add celery and bell pepper. Cook together for 5 minutes on medium high heat. Add tomatoes, thyme and bay and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Add stock, garlic and any combination of Diaspora ingredients, (EXCEPT FOR RAW SHRIMP AND RAW OYSTERS, WHICH MUST BE ADDED IN THE LAST 5 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING.)
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 45 minutes or so, stirring periodically to be sure there's no sticking. In the last 5 minutes, add raw shrimp or oysters if desired along with green onions. Taste for seasonings and serve over rice with a sprinkle of file powder stirred in if desired.
Red Beans and Rice
1 LB. RED BEANS (preferable Camellia brand)
3 ONIONS, FINELY CHOPPED
1 big HAM BONE
1 1/2 LB. HOT FRESH SAUSAGE
1 1/2 LB. ANDOUILLE or any combination of the above meats
3 BAY LEAVES
2 T THYME
5 CLOVES GARLIC, MASHED
SALT TO TASTE
COOKED RICE
Soak the red beans overnight or at least 3 hours in cold water. Drain off the water and put in a large pot and cover with water. In a skillet, brown the meats then add the onions and continue to cook until the onions are slightly browned. Add the remaining ingredients to the red beans and bring it to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until creamy. Serve with cooked rice and hot sauce.