Trail Blog
August 11, 2010
Like a Local: Roux La La
There are several different kinds of roux—blond, medium and dark brown—and the colors vary with the amount of heat and cooking time. “When you make your own roux from scratch, you can control the flavor, consistency and color, which are very important parts of a roux,” says Shonda Zaunbrecher, owner of Frey’s Crawfish House in Jennings. They use a homemade dark roux with their gumbos, and a medium roux with their corn and shrimp bisque and crawfish bisque. The key to a good roux? “Make sure you cook your roux on a slow simmer with continuous stirring, and patience, patience, patience is the key,” says Shonda.
Holly Clegg, author of the trim&TERRIFIC cookbook series, offers her own take on creating a healthier roux. “Is healthy Louisiana cooking an oxymoron? Absolutely not!” she says. “With my trim&TERRIFIC approach, one of my first challenges was to create a good-for-you roux, ask how can you enjoy gumbo, étouffée and many other Louisiana specialties without a roux? I brown my flour in an oven to create a roux that still gives your recipe the rich, nutty flavor, deep brown color and thickness needed in your dish. You can use a little oil, but your recipe has all the qualities of a traditional roux without all the fat —but with the flavor.
“By browning your flour in the oven for the roux, it actually is a time saver and is easier. No need to stand over a stove stirring and stirring, as when you add the browned flour, it already is that nutty color. Also, I have people tell me they brown the flour ahead of time and keep it in a jar to have on hand when needed. My goal in cooking is to create easy, healthier Louisiana recipes—you don't have to change what you eat just how you prepare it!”
Now that you’ve got the scoop on roux, try making one yourself. Holly shares her chicken and sausage gumbo recipe with us—using her healthy, oven-cooked roux. The recipe can be found from her trim&TERRIFIC Gulf Coast Favorites cookbook.
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