October 24, 2006

As I promised you on the air this morning, here's all you need to know to produce a perfect roux...everytime! Forget all this half oil, half flour stuff. Do this: (1) In a heavy cast iron or aluminum skillet (I like the 12" size) pour in a couple of tablespoons, or a quarter cup, or a half cup or whatever (or however much you want to pour) of either peanut oil or Canola oil. Then bring the oil up to heat so that it is just barely smoking. (2) Now begin sprinkling in all purpose flour a little at a time, whisking continuously as you sprinkle. DON'T STOP WHISKING--THE FLOUR WILL BURN! (3) Keep adding flour until the mixture in a skillet closely resembles pancake batter, slightly thick but not pasty and certainly not runny. That's the point at which you stop adding flour! (4) And NOW is when you whisk and whisk and whisk. . ."in figure 8s." This breaks apart the flour granules, allows for the absorption of the oil, and makes the roux nice and smooth.
All this time the fire is set at medium to medium high. But you can work with it there because you are not going to walk off from the pot!
Notice that as the roux develops it changes colors--from white (which is commonly referred to by the French as a "bechemel" and by the hillbillies as the fixins for a "white flour gravy") to a light tan to beige to dark tan to light brown to medium brown to deep chocolate to dark brown to black (which Paul Prudhomme once called "Cajun Napalm"). What you do is take the roux to the color you'll need, depending upon the dish you're making.
So how do you stop the cooking? Throw water or chicken stock into the pot. NO! NEVER! Liquid hitting superheated roux can cause an intense explosion. So instead of using liquid itself, use something that has liquid in it--chopped onions, celery, bell pepper, parsley, mushrooms and garlic. So the correct procedure is...when the roux reaches the color you want, turn off the fire, take the pot off the burner, and whisk in the veggies. The heat will force out the liquids in the produce and in turn will lower the temperature of the roux, thereby stopping an further browning.
And that's all you have to do! At this point, you have a perfect roux! And it can be put into a Mason jar and kept in the bottom of your refrigeration for over 2 weeks. Then when you're ready to cook brown gravy, gumbo, etouffee, sauce piquante, or a chuck roast, you already have the gravy makin's. It's now just a matter of adding stock, beer, wine, or even--God forbid!--water!
Now keep all this a secret, okay? ---Chef Frank

Posted by Frank Davis at October 24, 2006 02:23 PM

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Way to go Frank! That's the only way I ever make my roux...been following your advice for years...and my Mama's..LOL

YEP, SHAR! BE SURE TO GIVE MAMA CREDIT (ESPECIALLY IF YOU EVER INTEND TO EAT ANYTHING AT HER HOUSE EVER AGAIN)! --FRANK D

Posted by: shar at October 25, 2006 08:43 AM

I concoct my roux just like you say...but when I add it to the stock (to make gumbo), the roux separated from the liquid. Yikes! What is wrong? Please help me. This has happened before. Why did it happen & is there any thing to do to correct it.....or just start all over? Thanks, Judy

WAIT A MINUTE, JUDY! I DON'T UNDERSTAND. WHAT IS SEPARATING? WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEROUX SEPARATED FROM THE LIQUID? WHAT LIQUID? AND HOW IS IT SEPARATING? WHEN YOU ADD A BIG OL' SPOONFUL OF THE ROUX TO A STOCK, IT SHOULD DISSOLVE SLOWLY AND BECOME PART OF THE STOCK. THEN AFTER IT COMES TO A BOIL, WITHIN A FEW MINUTES AT BOILING TEMPERATURE IT SHOULD THICKEN UP! IF IT'S NOT DOING THAT, I DON'T KNOW THAT LAW OF THE UNIVERSE YOU'VE NEGATED! :>))----FRANK D

Posted by: Judy at November 2, 2006 06:58 PM

Hello Frank. I love to cook. I was first inspired by you when you had your show in the 80s on WWL Radio. I will be making a hudge amount of roux next week for a 20 GALLON pot of gumbo. I have never cooked this much gumbo at one time. I am considering cooking it in a crawfish bioling pot. My concern is, will 20 gallons of gumbo cook evenly enough, or should I attempt to cook this gumbo in two or three pots. Do you have any suggesions or tips on cooking this much gumbo?

BRIAN...IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE QUANTITY COOKING EQUIPMENT, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO IT IN SMALLER BATCHES SO THAT IT DOESN'T SOUR (WHICH LARGE BATCHES OF GUMBO HAVE A HABIT OF DOING IF THEY AREN'T COOLED DOWN TO ROOM TEMPERATURE RIGHT AFTER COOKING. SO DO SMALLER BATCHES AND COOL THEM QUICKLY. ---FRANK D

Posted by: Brian at November 13, 2006 01:02 PM

Re. separated roux, I occupy the same universe as Judy and share her pain. Made my roux with 50/50 oil/flour, used it to cook my vegetables, and added hot water to it. The flour solids in the roux do not blend with the liquid, despite much boiling and stirring. Was my mistake adding water to roux vs. vice versa, even though both were hot?
Any way to rescue it?
THIS SHOULD HAVE WORKED!! ONLY IF THE FLOUR WASN'T COOKED LONG ENOUGH WOULD IT FORM GLOBULES WHICH WOULDN'T DISSOLVE. AND ADDING ROUX TO WATER OR WATER TO ROUX MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE. IS YOUR KITCHEN HAUNTED????? --FRANK D

Posted by: Pat on Sullivan's Island, SC at December 17, 2006 07:48 PM

Re: Franks's Back-A-Town Chicken
How many servings to this recipe?

DEAR MARY J....IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHO'S COMIN' TO DINNER. IF YOU GOT A BUNCH OF BIG EATERS, PLAN TO BARELY SERVE 4. IF THEY HAVE AN APPETITE WHICH IS MORE SUBDUED, YOU COULD POSSIBLY GET 6 OR MORE. --FRANK D

Posted by: Mary J. at January 29, 2007 08:47 AM

Hello Frank. I was wondering if you had a recipe for carrot souffle? I've had it before at Picadilly's (pre-katrina) and it was very good. I would like to try and make it myself, but I don't know where to start. Can you please help.

Okay, Keiva...here's the recipe:
Piccadilly Carrot Soufflé
==================
Take 1-1/2 pounds of carrots, peel them, and cut them into small pieces. Then boil them in a 4-quart Dutch oven or steam them on the stovetop until they become soft and tender. Then mash the pieces with a potato masher until smooth and creamy. Set aside for a moment. When you’re ready to put the soufflé together, collect the following ingredients.
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup all purpose flour
½ Tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. pure vanilla
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 stick butter
3 whole eggs
Now cream all the above ingredients together in an electric mixer until smooth. Then, again in the electric mixer, whip in the carrots until fully incorporated, pour the mixture into a 10 x 10-inch casserole dish, and bake at 350-degrees on the center rack of the oven for 1 hour. Top with powdered sugar and chopped nuts. Just don’t tell anybody where you got this recipe from!
FD

Posted by: keiva at February 1, 2007 04:07 PM

A Perfect, Never-Fail Cajun Roux!

October 24, 2006

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