![Gumbo](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/10/31/multimedia/ND-Gumbo-cmvz/ND-Gumbo-cmvz-mediumThreeByTwo440.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
Gumbo
Naz Deravian
415 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
415
4 hours 15 minutes
Advertisement
Heat oven to 200 degrees. Line a sheet tray with paper towels and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking soda and nutmeg. With a wooden spoon or your hands, mix in just enough milk to create a soft dough, about the same texture of Play-Doh. (The amount you need will depend on the humidity of your kitchen, and the amount of moisture in your flour and cornmeal.)
In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat oil to 365 degrees. While oil heats, using a bench scraper or butter knife, divide dough into 10 pieces. Roll each between your hands or on your counter into cylinders about 3 to 4 inches long and 1 inch thick. (Avoid overworking the dough or the festival may be tough.)
Fry 4 or 5 festival at a time, flipping them after 1 minute, until golden brown on the outside, about 2 minutes total. (Oil temperature will lower once you add festival; they fry best around 330 to 340 degrees. If festival appear to be browning too quickly, lower your burner.) Using a wire spider or slotted spoon, remove festival from oil and transfer to paper towel-lined baking sheet. Cut into one to ensure the inside is cooked all the way through; it should not look wet. If it is not fully cooked, cook each fritter 30 seconds to 1 minute longer. Transfer to oven to keep warm. Fry remaining festival. Serve hot.
I find straining the oil allows me to reuse it to fry other things. As long as you haven't fried fish, fry oil can be reused several times. I found a tip online, on cooksillustrated.com I think, about using cornstarch to assist with straining the oil, but I haven't actually done it.
These were delicious served with jerk chicken and carrot soup. I wanted them a little sweeter, so if we make these again I might double the sugar, but they were very well received by all. I did choose to deep-fry them (figuring if I’m going to use all that oil anyway, I might as well pull out the deep fryer) and the cooking time was spot on.
These are wonderful especially as a side to jerk chicken. I also made a Trinidad Garlic Sauce from a YouTube video - perfect combination.
Has anyone tried skipping the fryer? For a lower calorie option could brush them with oil and bake them?
Can an Air Fryer be used to make these?
um, festival is not "new." maybe new to Americans but this as well as other fry breads have existed for decades.
These remind me of sorullitos, a tasty and popular appetizer in Puerto Rico. Often a dipping sauce akin to Thousand Island dressing is served alongside.
These were delicious served with jerk chicken and carrot soup. I wanted them a little sweeter, so if we make these again I might double the sugar, but they were very well received by all. I did choose to deep-fry them (figuring if I’m going to use all that oil anyway, I might as well pull out the deep fryer) and the cooking time was spot on.
They were pretty dry. I feel like they needed some sort of dipping sauce.
Could I prepare the dough beforehand and freeze it?
What do you do with all that leftover oil?
I find straining the oil allows me to reuse it to fry other things. As long as you haven't fried fish, fry oil can be reused several times. I found a tip online, on cooksillustrated.com I think, about using cornstarch to assist with straining the oil, but I haven't actually done it.
Advertisement