I’ll Have What She’s Having

Remember the infamous Deli scene from “When Harry Met Sally” where the old woman replies to the waitress, “I’ll have what she’s having”?

Well, I had one of those moments myself yesterday.

Relax, this is totally G rated.

It all started with a trip to my local grocery store. In an effort to get people back to the dinner table, this Texas based store has an open area in the deli where you can watch a Chef prepare meals, side dishes, appetizers, etc right before your eyes.

Of course, the BEST part is that you can taste when they’re done.

As I entered the store yesterday, a heavenly aroma caught my attention. They call it the” New Orleans” trinity–onions, bell pepper & celery. Something about that smell make you feel like you’re home. To make it even better, they had thrown in some fresh minced garlic–of which I believe there can NEVER be too much! So I headed straight over there to see what they were cooking.

To my suprise, it was GUMBO–3o minute style! If you’re not familiar with Gumbo, it’s a Cajun soup with a roux (pronounced roo) base where one can find anything from okra to chicken to seafood. Traditionally, it’s slow cooked in a dutch oven and takes several hours to do right. However, with the advancements of our time that slow cooked taste can be had without the slow cooked time!

For example, instead of making his own roux, the chef used a ready-made roux that was added to the trinity. Then he added pre-cooked chicken and sausage (again, help from the deli) to the pot. To save even more time, he utilized a prepared chicken stock (organic) rather than make his own. He threw in some Tony’s (cajun spices) and a little Tobasco for good meaure. He brought it to a boil and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

By the time my shopping was done, I wondered back over to see the finished product. As I walked up to the counter, an elderly woman was gushing over how fabulous the Gumbo was. So, I simply HAD to taste it for myself.

WOW! It’s so SO GOOD that I had to shout YA YA! (anyone familiar with Chef Paul Prudhomme knows what that means). For the rest of y’all, let’s just say that I wanted to shout “BAM!” (like Emeril Lagasse)

So, this week I promise to make this dish myself–30 Minute Style Cajun Gumbo and show y’all how it’s done.