Gluten-free Roux

Gluten-free roux made from rice flour, vegetable oil, and paprika.

"Roux" is the brown sauce that is used to thicken gumbo and other dishes typical of New Orleans.  Normally it is made with white wheat flour.  We have made a gluten-free version with rice flour, and have heightened the flavor with browned paprika.

Gluten-free roux just started

3/8 c. flour
2/8 c. oil
1 Tb. paprika
2 cups chicken stock (or water)

Mix oil and flour in a frying pan and brown over medium heat, stirring.  Brown the rice flour to medium honey shade - not as dark as you would brown wheat flour for roux.  Do it slowly, stirring, so as not to scorch.

Add paprika, stirring vigorously.  The paprika will immediately turn dark brown.  Liquid must now be added to stop the paprika from browning any more.

Add stock or water 1/2 c. at a time, stirring.  Lower heat.

Stir constantly while slowly adding liquid to prevent lumps.

When all the liquid is added, bring it slowly to a boil and cook, stirring, until the mixture is well thickened.

When it is done, the roux will be very thick.  It is now ready to be added to a recipe.

Roux, not quite done yet

Roux can be packaged in convenient quantities and stored in the freezer.

To see a full set of photographs showing how this dish was made, go to this set on flickr.   (It will open in a new tab or window; to return to this page, just close it.) The small pictures are thumbnails; click on each one to see it full-size, and to read the comments under it.  If you prefer to use the slideshow feature, you won't see the captions unless you click on "show info" (top right).

Fried Okra

Fried Okra

"Fried Okra" covers a range of treatments.  It can be sauteed unseasoned, it can be battered and deep-fried, or anything in between.  I've never seen it fried whole, but can see no reason why not.  However, usually fried okra is sliced and the stem part discarded.

Fried Okra as a snack food is usually battered.  As a side dish, it's best (in my view) dredged in seasoned cornmeal so that the cornmeal clings but the okra is also visible.

For use in soup or gumbo, frying okra reduces the moisture and gives it a good flavor.  Once fried, it can be stored in refrigerator or freezer and used as needed.  A little bit of okra goes a long way in soup and in gumbo, because okra is famously slimy; without it, gumbo does not have the characteristic gumbo texture.  Okra has a wonderful flavor which, I suspect, is high on the "umami"  ("deliciousness") scale.

To saute:

Slice fresh okra and discard the stems
Add enough oil to a hot pan to coat the bottom
Add the okra
Reduce heat to medium and allow okra to brown slowly
Turn with a spatula and brown the other side

Alternatively, salt and pepper the slices, then dredge in cornmeal before cooking.

I've been told that frozen okra can be thawed, sliced, battered and deep fried and it comes out all right.  Never tried it though.

To see a full set of photographs showing how this dish was made, go to this set on flickr.   (It will open in a new tab or window; to return to this page, just close it.) The small pictures are thumbnails; click on each one to see it full-size, and to read the comments under it.  If you prefer to use the slideshow feature, you won't see the captions unless you click on "show info" (top right).