Gumbo Portions

True Southern gumbo is a magical dish. Consider the sheer pleasure of ladling the thick, aromatic brew out of a steaming pot, then savoring it with friends around the table. New Year’s is the perfect occasion. Of course, part of the gumbo mystique is in the alchemy of making it. It seems as if there are as many gumbo recipes--most of them closely guarded family secrets--as there are gumbo pots.

Hazel Landry of Lake Charles, La., got her gumbo recipe from her mother’s cook. She’s since prepared it a thousand times, making her an excellent teacher for those of us who want to make gumbo successfully the first time. The basic gumbo can be made a day in advance, with the seafood added just before serving.

Fresh crab meat, shrimp and oysters cost plenty; since there are so many kinds of gumbo in the world, you can vary the seafood according to taste and budget.

But every gumbo uses the same fundamental cooking techniques: First, each has a roux base, a mixture of fat (butter, oil or Crisco) and flour slowly cooked to a rich brown color, giving the gumbo its characteristic thick texture and smoky taste. All gumbos are thickened with either file powder or okra. In fact, okra gave gumbo its name-- gombo being an African word for okra. Landry’s trick is to cook the okra slowly before adding it to the gumbo; this step eliminates okra’s characteristic sliminess.

If you have a great-looking tureen, serve the steaming gumbo at the table, then ladle into large, heated shallow soup dishes. Hot chive bread and a lively green salad are all that’s needed to complete this festive meal along with a slightly chilled light red wine.

For dessert, Landry traditionally serves brownies a la mode with chocolate ice cream. For a more refreshing conclusion, you can place a bowl of chilled seasonal fruit--grapes, mandarins, pears and apples--on the table. Let the guests help themselves. Or serve both.

For a perfect finish, serve New Orleans chicory coffee, a rich, very strong dark roasted blend of different beans mixed with roasted ground chicory root.

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Gumbo seems to please everyone, perhaps because it blends so many ethnic influences. Here, the seafood mix is extraordinarily luxurious. But you can use all shrimp or even chicken and/or sausage instead. The base of the gumbo determines the bottom - line taste. Landry recommends using homemade chicken stock; cooking the chicken in light - salt chicken broth instead of water makes the brew rich and full - tasting. (She uses the cooked chicken for salad or spaghetti on New Year’s Day--or you could use it in the gumbo.) To make the roux, she uses Crisco, but the recipe works well with canola or safflower oil. Finish seasoning the base after it’s completely cooked to avoid over-salting.

HAZEL LANDRY’S LOUISIANA GUMBO

2/3 cup canola or safflower oil

1 1/2 pounds okra, stems and tips removed, cut into 3/8-inch slices

2 medium onions, minced

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

6 to 7 cups rich chicken stock, skimmed of fat

3 ribs celery, cut into fine dice

1/2 large green pepper, cut into fine dice

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 to 3 teaspoons seasoned salt

1 to 3 teaspoons seasoned pepper

1 pound large peeled shrimp

2 cups fresh oysters

1 1/2 pounds fresh crab meat

Few drops hot pepper sauce or dash cayenne pepper

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot, add okra and 1 minced onion. Cook, uncovered, until all slime has disappeared, about 30 minutes, stirring often. (Okra will become lightly browned, including seeds, which in gumbo look like lentils.) Set aside.

Heat remaining oil in 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over medium heat. When hot, slowly add flour to make roux, stirring constantly. Cook until medium-brown, or color of pecan shells, 7 to 10 minutes. Add remaining minced onion and cook 10 minutes, stirring almost constantly.

Stir 6 cups stock into roux along with celery, green pepper, cooked okra, Worcestershire, 1 teaspoon seasoned salt and 1 teaspoon seasoned pepper. Cook, uncovered, until fragrant and thick, 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining stock as needed, if gumbo is too thick. (Can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated, or frozen as long as 3 months. Gently reheat before adding seafood.)

About 15 minutes before serving, add shrimp, oysters and crab meat to hot base. Simmer gently, stirring around edges of pot to avoid scorching. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add hot sauce to taste. Serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

466 calories; 1,162 mg sodium; 147 mg cholesterol; 22 grams fat; 30 grams carbohydrates; 36 grams protein; 1.49 grams fiber.

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This is a simple mix of greens cut to fork-size, chilled, crisped and tossed with cherry tomatoes and a lemon-thyme vinaigrette. Serve after the gumbo, so nothing interferes with the soup’s smoky good flavors.

MIXED GREENS WITH CHERRY TOMATOES, LEMON-THYME VINAIGRETTE

10 cups mixed greens, chilled and crisped

24 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette

Freshly cracked pepper

Put greens and tomatoes in large bowl several hours before serving. Cover airtight. Refrigerate until serving time.

To serve, toss greens with 1/2 Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette. Add remaining vinaigrette as desired. Season to taste with pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

88 calories; 93 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 1 grams protein; 0.91 grams fiber.

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Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette

1 clove garlic, minced

1 large shallot, minced

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard

1/2 cup canola or safflower oil

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup cold water

Mix garlic, shallot, lemon zest and juice, vinegar, mustard, oil, thyme, sugar, salt and pepper in processor or blender. Add water slowly. Mix well.

Can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Let come to room temperature before using. Makes 1 1/4 cups.

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This bread has mild flavor, which makes it perfect to go with the full-flavored gumbo. You may want to double the recipe so there’s enough bread to go along with the salad.

HOT CHIVE BREAD

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 1/2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Few drops hot pepper sauce or dash cayenne pepper

1 large baguette loaf, split horizontally

Combine butter, chives, cumin, black pepper and hot pepper sauce in small dish.

Spread thin layer of flavored butter over cut surfaces of baguette. Cut baguette halves into 3-inch-wide serving pieces. Arrange single layer, cut-side-up, on baking sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees until sizzling hot, about 10 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

153 calories; 262 mg sodium; 17 mg cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 0.13 grams fiber.