Love the Okra, Respect the Jalepeño

Few things get you amped up for eating some old-fashioned southern coastal cuisine like spending a weekend in historic, romantic, beautiful Charleston, SC. Combine the experiences of eating at a few delectable restaurants and the purchase of a particularly well-written cookbook on southern cooking, and you've got one foodie who's ready to make some real low country grub.

Instantly my mind turned to two things - shellfish (of course) and okra. For those of you in the North, this humble vegetable is an essential element for establishing cooking cred here in the South. I've impressed more than one old southern lady in the supermarket by reaching past the instant grits (horrible) and snagging a handful of okra. A quick bit of research unearthed the fact that chopped okra exudes a substance that thickens liquids like a roux or starch. Liquids like, say, gumbo.

Little did I know that my simple basket of okra would soon snowball into a flurry of chopping, sweating and cursing. In the end I managed to wrangle a couple chunks of chicken, several lonely shrimp and a heaping cooker-full of white rice into something passing for a decent gumbo.
I didn't have any source for the recipe, just instinct and dumb luck.

The sensation I was after is that sort of hot, humid, nose-running experience that comes from eating spicy food in the heat of summer. You know - the kind of meal that clears up sinuses and makes you break into a sweat for no good reason. A solid hour of boiling gumbo provided the heat and humidity, and a solitary jalepeño provided the rest - in more ways than one.

I've been seriously digging Guy Fieri's show on the Food Network, and his take no prisoners approach to cooking has inspired me to experiment with the otherwise innocent looking pepper bomb. Yesterday I learned an important culinary lesson. Jalepeño burns...bad.

In my zeal to incorporate some heat, I removed the evil seeds by hand, which promptly got jalepeño juice all over my fingers. Add an itchy nose and a few stupid eye-rubs and I instantly realized why pepper spray is so effective. Ouchie.

I managed to make it through the ordeal and complete my experiment with okra. It was worth it in the end, because the result was an awesome meal. Well seasoned and flavorful, with an underlying, but not totally overwhelming heat. The vegetables formed a satisfying medley all working together to compliment the shrimp and chicken.

A few notes: This recipe makes a LOT of gumbo, so if you don't want breakfast, lunch and dinner for two, half the recipe. I used whole unpeeled shrimp in the recipe because I was a bit lazy and didn't bother to defrost them. I'd use peeled shrimp in the future to avoid having to peel them on your plate. Out respect for my sensitive wife, I reduced the jalepeño to half, but I think that braver souls should use the whole stinking thing. Hoo-ah!

Flaming Eyeball Gumbo with Shrimp and Chicken

20 oz. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cubed
1 lb. Shrimp (31-40 per pound)
2 small Onion, finely chopped
1 large Green Pepper, finely chopped
1 large Zucchini, cubed
1 lb. Fresh Okra, sliced
1/2 Jalepeño, seeds removed and finely minced
6 cloves Garlic, finely minced
2 cans Diced Tomatoes, Italian style with juice
3 cans Chicken Broth
1.5 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
1.5 tablespoons Cajun Seasoning
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Chopped parsley to garnish
Cooked White Rice (1/2 to 1 cup per serving)

In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil and add peppers, onions and 1 teaspoon salt. Sweat, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent. Add tomatoes and broth and bring to a simmer. Add chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 10-20 minutes until shrimp and vegetables are cooked through.

Serve over rice. Add a healthy jolt of parsley on top.

Serves 8-10, 4 points per serving, not including the rice.