Good Eats (1999–2012): Season 10, Episode 15 - Tortillas Again - full transcript

(Cajun accent)
MMM-MMM-MMM.

NOW THEY AIN'T MANY
THINGS IN THIS WORLD

THAT SPEAK TO ME,
BUT ONE OF THEM IS GUMBO,

AND THAT THERE IS SOME
MMM-MMM-MMM GOOD GUMBO.

NOW TELL ME ABOUT IT, FRIEND.
COME ON, XAVIER.

GET A BIG BITE OF THIS
GUMBO, NOW. COME ON, NOW.

HAVE A BIG BITE NOW.
COME ON, XAVIER.

CUT, CUT, CUT. CUT.

GET ME THE ALLIGATOR
PEOPLE NOW.

WHAT IS WRONG
WITH THIS THING?
WHAT IS WRONG
WITH THIS THING, TODD?

WHY CAN'T WE HAVE THAT
RACCOON FROM LAST SEASON?
I KNOW, I KNOW.



I KNOW, I KNOW.
HOW ABOUT THAT?

WE'LL GET IT.
WE'LL GET IT.

HOW ABOUT LIKE A CATFISH
OR A MUDBUG

OR MAYBE AN EGRET
OR SOMETHING?

SOMETHING THAT AIN'T
GONNA SMOKE UP THE PLACE

LIKE THAT THING
DOES ALL THE--
(coughing)

HI.
HI.

I'M ALTON BROWN.

I HAVE THE COOKING SHOW
JUST NEXT DOOR THERE.
WELL, IS THAT A FACT?

WELL, WE'S JUST GONNA
HAVE TO HAVE OURSELVES

A PICNIC THEN.
I'LL BRING THE GUMBO.
OKAY.

COME ON. HAVE A LITTLE TASTE.
SHE AIN'T GONNA BITE.

COME ON NOW.
(chuckles)

AIN'T GONNA BITE... MUCH!
OOH!



WHOO! SHE GOT A LITTLE
KICK TO IT, DON'T SHE?

(coughing)

YEAH--(cough)--
A LITTLE KICK.

YEAH, THAT'S
CAJUN, BOY.

SPI-I-I-I-CY! WHOO!

HUH. YOU KNOW, THAT--

THAT OLD SPICY THING'S
REALLY JUST A MYTH

PERPETUATED BY THE GLOBAL
RESTAURANT INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

TO SELL SPICY RIBS
AND, I DON'T KNOW,

GATOR BITS.

YOU CALLIN'
MY FOOD GLOBAL, BOY?

(chuckling)

NO.

NO, IT'S JUST
THAT IT--

AAH! I'M JUST MESSIN'
WITH YOU.

YEAH, YEAH,
BUT YOU KNOW,

BESIDES, GUMBO
IT'S JUST A--

IT'S A STATE OF MIND.
YEAH?

UM, WELL, I'VE KIND OF
ALWAYS THOUGHT OF GUMBO

AS THE REAL FOUNDATION
OF CAJUN CUISINE, YOU KNOW,

BECAUSE IT SO
PERFECTLY REFLECTS

THE POLYCULTURAL
RAMBLINGS

CAHE A TDIAN PEOPLE,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

IN FACT, I WOULD
SAY THAT GUMBO

IS MORE INDICATIVE
OF AMERICAN CUISINE

THAN EVEN APPLE PIE,
PROBABLY.

YOU CAJUN?

NO.

YOU CREOLE?

NO.

WELL, THEN, WHY DON'T
YOU JUST LEAVE GUMBO

TO THOSE OF US WHO KNOW,

AND YOU STICK TO WHAT
IT IS YOU KNOW...

I MEAN, WHATEVER THAT IS.

WHAT'S THE NAME OF YOUR
LITTLE OL' COOKIN' SHOW

OVER THERE, ANY WHO, HUH?
WE LIKE TO CALL IT...

¶

¶ GOOD EATS ¶

Closed Captions provided
by Scripps Networks, LLC.

Captioned by
Closed Captioning Services, Inc.

OOH.

(Cajun accent)
HOW'S ABOUT YOU LEAVE
THE GUMBO TO US THAT KNOWS.

(normal voice)
WHY, I OUGHT A...

I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW.
THAT MAN IS NO MORE CAJUN

THAN CAPITAN KANGAROO.

GUMBO, CREOLE...

I'LL GRANT YOU,
CREOLE AND CAJUN CUISINES

SHARE MANY ELEMENTS,

BUT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT
DIFFERENCES.

I MEAN, CREOLE'S
A CUISINE OF NEW ORLEANS.

IT WAS TOWN FOOD, GENTEEL,

AND IN THE BEGINNING
AT LEAST, SLAVE PRODUCED.

IT'S FAIRLY REFINED AND RICH
WITH CREAM AND BUTTER,

LIGHT ROUX WERE USED,

AND A LOT MORE TOMATOES
THAN IN CAJUN CUISINE,

WHICH IS ROUGH AND RURAL,

AND HAS MORE TO DO WITH,
WELL, YOU KNOW,

CANADA THAN NEW ORLEANS.

YEAH. WELL, WHERE DO YOU THINK
CAJUNS ARE FROM, ANYWAY?

BACK IN 1755, THE BRITISH
FORCED THE FRENCH POPULATION

OF WHAT WAS THEN
ACADIA IN NOVA SCOTIA

TO TAKE AN OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
TO THE BRITISH CROWN,

WHICH HAD FINAGLED
THEIR WAY INTO THE LAND.

BEING FRENCH, THEY SAID...

(French accent)
WE THROW ROTTING SKUNKS
IN YOUR GENERAL DIRECTION.

(normal voice)
WHAT FOLLOWED
WAS AN ETHNIC CLEANSING

KNOWN AS THE GREAT UPHEAVAL.

6,000 TO 7,000 ACADIANS

WERE FORCED FROM
THEIR HOMES AND THEIR LAND.

SOME WERE SHIPPED TO PLACES

AS FAR AWAY
AS THE FALKLAND ISLANDS.

SOME WERE SHIPPED
BACK TO FRANCE,

AND OTHERS WERE BOOTED
INTO BRITISH PRISONS.

ABOUT 1,600 OR SO MADE
THEIR WAY TO LOUISIANA,

MARKING THE FIRST
MASS IMMIGRATION

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES,

OR AT LEAST WHAT WAS GOING TO
EVENTUALLY BE THE UNITED STATES.

NOW THE REGION'S SPANISH RULERS
WELCOMED THESE IMMIGRANTS,

PARTLY BECAUSE
THEY HOPED TO BOLSTER

THE CATHOLIC POPULATION
OF THE REGION.

OVER THE FOLLOWING DECADES,

THE ACADIANS
INTERMARRIED WITH LOCALS,

INCLUDING MEMBERS OF SEVERAL
NATIVE AMERICAN NATIONS.

EVENTUALLY, BECAUSE OF
A TWIST OF THE LOCAL TONGUE,

THE WORD "ACADIAN"
BECAME "CAJUN."

OKAY. THERE'S MORE
TO IT THAN THIS.

I SPEAK, OF COURSE, OF THE FOOD.

BECAUSE OF THEIR WANDERINGS,
CAJUN CUISINE CONTAINS FOODS

FROM JUST ABOUT EVERY POSSIBLE
CULTURE YOU CAN IMAGINE--

FROM EUROPE, AFRICA,

THE ISLANDS, YOU NAME IT.

NO DISH SUMS THIS UP
MORE THAN GUMBO, OKAY?

GUMBO--THE SINGLE-POT STEW
THAT SUPPOSEDLY CAN CONTAIN

ANYTHING THAT CRAWLS,
FLIES, SWIMS OR WALKS.

I SAY ONE POT, BUT NOT JUST
ANY ONE POT WILL DO, NO.

WE NEED SOMETHING
IN THE 128-OUNCE RANGE,

AND IT NEEDS TO BE MADE
OUT OF A METAL HEAVY ENOUGH

TO CONDUCT HEAT EFFICIENTLY.

I SPEAK, OF COURSE,
OF CAST IRON,

AND THIS LITTLE BLUE ENAMEL
NUMBER IS MY VERY FAVORITE.

FIRST THING TO GO IN... A ROUX.

THAT IS THE FIRST STEP OF JUST
ABOUT ANY BIT OF CAJUN COOKING.

NOW A ROUX, OF COURSE, IS
A TRADITIONAL FRENCH THICKENER

COMPOSED OF EQUAL
PORTIONS OF FAT AND FLOUR.

THE FRENCH WOULD
USUALLY USE BUTTER,

BUT THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE RICH
FOR THE TRADITIONAL CAJUN,

SO WE'LL GO WITH 4 OUNCES
OF VEGETABLE OIL.

NOW THE NUMBER ONE
"ROUX-DIMENTARY" MISTAKE--

AH, THAT'S FUNNY--THAT
THE AVERAGE COOK WOULD MAKE

WOULD BE USING EQUAL
PORTIONS BY VOLUME OF FLOUR,

BUT WEIGHT IS ACTUALLY
WHAT WE WANT,

SO WE'RE GONNA GO FOR
4 OUNCES BY WEIGHT OF FLOUR.

THIS IS JUST ALL-PURPOSE
FLOUR. THERE WE GO.

NOW THIS GETS WHISKED
DIRECTLY INTO THE POT,

CREATING SOMETHING THAT LOOKS
AMAZINGLY LIKE LIBRARY PASTE.

THERE. I'M GONNA TURN
THIS ON TO MEDIUM HEAT.

THERE WE GO.

NOW THIS WILL THICKEN
JUST ABOUT ANYTHING,

WHICH IS WHY THE FRENCH USE IT

IN JUST ABOUT EVERY SOUP
AND SAUCE THAT I CAN THINK OF.

WHAT DOES A ROUX ACTUALLY DO?
WELL, IT WOULD BE--WELL...

OH, COME HERE.

OKAY, LET'S SAY THAT
THIS IS A GRAIN OF FLOUR.

I KNOW. LAST TIME WE SAW HIM,
HE WAS A GRAIN OF RICE,

BUT WORK WITH ME HERE, OKAY?

NOW WHEN THIS GRANULE
COOKS IN LIQUID,

IT SWELLS AND EVENTUALLY
BURSTS--

(whispering)
BURST.

(normal voice)
SENDING TANGLES
OF STARCH MOLECULES

OUT INTO THE LIQUID,
THUS THICKENING IT.

HOWEVER, WHEN YOU HAVE
TWO OR MORE OF THESE GUYS--

TWO OR MORE
OF THESE GUYS--

AND HOT LIQUID
IS INTRODUCED,

THEY TEND TO STICK
TO EACH OTHER--

(whisp
inGO AHEAD--

(normal voice)
FORMING NASTY CLUMPS
IN YOUR SOUP, SAUCE OR STEW.

BY COOKING THEM IN FAT, EACH
GRANULE IS ESSENTIALLY COATED

AND PROTECTED FROM WATER,

AT LEAST UNTIL YOU'VE HAD
TIME TO THOROUGHLY WHISK THEM

INTO THE LIQUID OF YOUR CHOICE.

AS A RESULT, THERE
WILL BE NO CLUMPING.

(whispering)
GET AWAY. GET AWAY.

(normal voice)
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE.

ANOTHER BENEFIT OF COOKING
THE FLOUR IN HOT FAT

IS THAT YOU ESSENTIALLY
FRY THE GRANULES.

OOH, OOH, HOT!
OOH, HOT, HOT!

OKAY, OKAY,
GOOD, GOOD, GOOD.

THIS HIGH HEAT WILL
HELP THE GRANULES

TO REPLACE THEIR
RAW CEREAL FLAVOR

WITH ROASTY, TOASTY
NUTTY GOODNESS.

WHOO-HOO.
(laughing)

WHOO-HOO.
(laughing)

WELL, I AM--I'M STILL WHISKING,

BUT THAT'S OKAY. ROUX
TAKE A GOOD BIT OF TIME.

WE'LL TAKE A MOMENT TO EXAMINE

THE DEGREES
OF "ROUX-DOM," SHALL WE?

WHEN A ROUX FIRST
COMES TOGETHER,

IT IS REFERRED TO
AS A WHITE ROUX,

WHICH HAS A GOOD BIT
OF THICKENING POWER,

BUT VERY LITTLE FLAVOR.

AS IT COOKS FOR
A FEW MORE MINUTES,

IT BECOMES A BLOND ROUX,
LITTLE DARKER,

LITTLE LESS THICKENING POWER,
LITTLE MORE FLAVOR.

THEN IT MOVES INTO WHAT WE
CALL THE BROWN ROUX STAGE,

WHICH IS WHERE WE ARE OVER HERE,
A LITTLE LESS THICKENING POWER,

BUT REALLY STARTING TO DEVELOP

SOME NICE NUTTY NOTES,
IF YOU WOULD

EVENTUALLY WE WILL COME
TO WHERE WE ARE LOOKING TO GO,

THE DARK OR BRICK ROUX.

NOW THE DARK OR BRICK ROUX HAS
FOUR TIMES LESS THICKENING POWER

THAN THE ORIGINAL WHITE ROUX,

BUT WHAT IT LACKS
IN THICKENING POWER,

IT MORE THAN MAKES UP
FOR IN AN AMAZING DEPTH

AND A SMOKY GOODNESS OF FLAVOR.

OF COURSE, THE TRICK IS
THAT GETTING TO THAT STAGE

TAKES A GOOD BIT OF TIME,
30 OR 40 MINUTES EASY.

NOW WE CAN GET AROUND THAT
BY BOOSTING THE HEAT,

BUT THEN WE RUN INTO THE DANGER

OF GETTING STRAIGHT
TO THE BLACK ROUX,

WHICH MEANS IT'S
COMPLETELY... (sniffing)

OH...

OH, DOUBLE BOTHER.

IT APPEARS THAT I'VE MOVED

DIRECTLY FROM
THE BROWN ROUX STAGE

TO THE BLACK ROUX STAGE.

AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S ALMOST
BRICK IN A FEW PLACES,

BUT THE LITTLE BLACK SPECKS--
YEAH, THAT'S RUINED.

WELL, THAT'S OKAY.

IT'S THE LAST ONE
OF THOSE YOU'LL SEE TODAY.

I'LL JUST MAKE ANOTHER.

¶ FRèRE JACQUES FRèRE JACQUES ¶

¶ I SMELL ROUX SMELLS LIKE ¶

OOH. WHOA. I'M AFRAID YOU
HAVE TO THROW THIS OUT,

'LESS YOU GOT A HOLE IN YOUR
ROOF YOU WANT TO PATCH.

SEE YOU IN THE BAYOU.

YEAH, BYE-BYE TO YOU, TOO,
YOU BAYOU BUM.

AARG.

WELL, WHAT DID WE LEARN, KIDS?

WELL, WE LEARNED
THAT IF WE WANT TO MAKE

A DECENT DARK ROUX
WITHOUT BURNING IT,

WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIND
A METHOD OF COOKING

THAT DOESN'T
INVOLVE DIRECT HEAT,

DOESN'T INVOLVE
CONSTANT TENDING,

AND DOESN'T INVOLVE
THE CONSTANT THREAT

OF DISASTER AT EVERY MOMENT,

AND WE NEED--I...

DIRECT HEAT MAKING
YOU "ROUX" THE DAY?

(chuckles) ROUX--
THAT'S GOOD.

UH, THEN JUST USE
THE INDIRECT METHOD.

PLACE YOUR POT
IN A 350-DEGREE OVEN,

ADD YOUR...

YOUR 4 OUNCES BY WEIGHT
OF ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR,

ISD WHANK INTO A NICE PASTE.

OH, HERE WE GO.
AND LET THIS COOK.

NOW YOU'RE GONNA WANT TO LET IT
GO FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF,

YOU KNOW, GIVE OR TAKE
15 MINUTES OR SO.

YOU WANT IT TO LOOK BASICALLY,
UH, THE COLOR OF BRICK,

A VERY, VERY DARK RED.

THERE WE GO.

NOW, THING, I'VE GOT
TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE.

I WANT YOU TO KEEP
YOUR EYES ON THIS.

ANYTHING THAT CRAWLS,
SLITHERS, SWIMS OR FLIES

IS HOW THE SAYING GOES.

BUT OF ALL THE POSSIBLE
GUMBO CRITTER SCENARIOS,

THE ONE THAT MAKES THE MOST
SENSE TO ME IS SEAFOOD.

AFTER ALL, THERE'S LITTLE
DOUBT THAT BOUILLABAISSE,

THE CLASSIC
PROVINCIAL FISH STEW,

INFLUENCED GUMBO'S
CONCEPTION, AND TO ME,

NOTHING SAYS BORN ON THE BAYOU,
NOT JUST PRETENDING,

LIKE A GOOD SHRIMP GUMBO.

NOW IF WE WERE IN CAJUN COUNTRY,

WE'D PROBABLY GO WITH CRAWFISH
OR FROG LEGS OR BOTH.

BUT FOR MOST FOLKS,
1 1/2 POUNDS OF RAW,

MEDIUM-SIZED, HEAD-ON SHRIMP,
LIKE THESE GULF WHITES,

WOULD DO NICELY.

AND YES, BE SURE TO PURCHASE

WHOLE, HEAD-ON
IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.

THE HEADS ARE FULL OF GOODNESS,
AND WE DO NOT WANT TO WASTE IT.

OF COURSE, THE GOODNESS
OF WHICH I SPEAK IS,

WELL, THE GUTS,
WHICH IS WHY WHOLE SHRIMP

TEND TO GO SOUTH
QUICKER THAN TAILS ONLY,

SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THE WARNING SIGNS OF BAD SHRIMP,

SUCH AS BLACK STREAKS,
PITTED SHELLS OR SOUR SMELLS.

AND PLEASE, ONLY PURCHASE
FROM A REPUTABLE VENDOR.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT
COMMITTED OUR CLASSIC EPISODE

"CRUSTACEAN NATION I"
TO MEMORY,

LET US REVIEW
SHRIMP DISASSEMBLY.

NUMBER ONE, GRASP THE SHRIMP.

NUMBER TWO,
RIP HIS WEE HEAD OFF.

IN MANY CULTURES, THIS WOULD
SIMPLE GO TO THE TRASH CAN,

BUT IN CAJUN CUISINE,
THIS IS SERIOUS CURRENCY,

SO IT GOES INTO
THE STOCKPOT THUSLY.

NOW AS FOR THE REST
OF THE SHRIMP,

WE WILL TAKE A LITTLE PAIR
OF NAIL SCISSORS HERE,

AND I LIKE TO JUST CUT
RIGHT DOWN THE BACK.

I GOT A COUPLE OF REASONS
FOR DOING THIS.

ONE, IS IT'S GOING TO MAKE
PEELING OFF THE SHELL

AND THE LEGS VERY, VERY SIMPLE.

EVERYTHING SHOULD KIND OF COME
OFF IN ONE FELL SWOOP,

ANTENNAS INCLUDED.

AND THAT ALSO OPENS UP
THIS AREA, WHICH REVEALS--

AH, THERE IT IS, BOYS
AND GIRLS--THE VEIN.

NOW GUESS WHAT?
THIS ISN'T A VEIN.

IT'S A DIGESTIVE TRACT,

AND THAT MEANS THAT THE DARK
STUFF INSIDE ISN'T BLOOD,

SO WE'RE GONNA WANT TO,
UH, RINSE THAT OUT.

THE EASIEST WAY TO GET IT OUT

IS JUST TO PUT
THAT DOWN UNDERWATER,

AND IT SHOULD FLOAT OUT
VERY NICELY,

AND ONCE THAT IS OUT OF THE WAY,

WE WILL MOVE OUR SHRIMP TO
A CLEAN CONTAINMENT VESSEL.

FOR NOW, WE WILL STASH
OUR NEWLY NAKED SHRIMP

IN THE CHILL CHEST.

THESE HEADS, TAILS AND VARIOUS
EXOSKELETAL REMAINS

ARE PACKED
WITH SHRIMPY GOODNESS.

WE ONLY NEED TO EXTRACT THEM
WITH THE PROPER APPLICATION

OF TIME, HEAT AND WATER.

I'D SAY ABOUT 2 QUARTS
SHOULD DO THE JOB.

BRING THIS TO A BOIL,
AND THEN LOWER THE HEAT

AND MAINTAIN A SIMMER
FOR ABOUT AN HOUR,

OR UNTIL THE LIQUID
HAS REDUCED BY HALF.

HAVING SURRENDERED
THEIR SHRIMPY ESSENCE,

THE SPENT HEADS, TAILS
AND WHATNOT ARE STRAINED OUT.

NOW THE REMAINING STOCK
CAN BE USED IMMEDIATELY

OR COOLED AND FROZEN
FOR UP TO SIX MONTHS.

(timer buzzing)

AH, THERE WE HAVE IT,
A PERFECT BRICK ROUX,

AND WE DIDN'T EVEN
HAVE TO SUFFER.

NOW DO REMEMBER,

THIS STUFF IS NOT CALLED
CAJUN NAPALM FOR NOTHING.

IT IS HOT. IT IS VISCOUS,
AND IF IT GETS ON YOU,

IT BITES, SO BE VERY,
VERY CAREFUL.

NOW I'M GONNA PUT THIS STRAIGHT
OVER MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT,

AND THEN ADD...

AND WE WILL STIR THAT IN.

NOW CAJUNS AND CREOLES
CALL THIS THE TRINITY,

A NATURAL MUTATION
OF THE FRENCH MIREPOIX,

THAT COMBINATION OF ONE PART--
TWO PARTS ONION

AND ONE PART CARROT AND CELERY

THAT FORMS THE BACKBONE
OF FRENCH CUISINE.

OH, AND AT THIS POINT,
GO AHEAD AND ADD...

THERE. WE'RE GONNA COOK THIS
FOR SEVEN TO EIGHT MINUTES.

AND YOU WANT TO KEEP IT MOVING

TO AVOID OVERHEATING
THE VEGGIES, SO NO SHORTCUTS.

NOW I'M OKAY WITH THAT.

I DON'T WANT TO ENDLESSLY
STIR A ROUX,

BUT STANDING AROUND
A POT OF GUMBO,

IT'S PART OF CAJUN CULTURE,

WHERE FOOD IS REALLY
AN EVENT MEANT TO BE SHARED

WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY ALIKE.

IN FACT, SOME GUMBOS ARE
ACTUALLY MEANT TO BE SHARED

WITH AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

CONSIDER
THE COURIR DU MARDI GRAS.

THIS PECULIAR CAJUN
MARDI GRAS TRADITION

INVOLVES A BUNCH OF GUYS

DRESSING UP IN COLORFUL
MASKS AND COSTUMES,

RIDING AROUND THE COUNTRYSIDE
ON HORSEBACK,

BEGGING FOR GUMBO INGREDIENTS.

THEY DANCE AND SING
IN HOPES OF RECEIVING

CHICKEN, SAUSAGE, RICE
OR ONIONS FOR THEIR POT,

WHICH AT THE END
OF THE EVENING

IS SERVED TO
THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

NOW THAT THE ONIONS
ARE NICE AND TENDER,

WE ADD THE REST
OF THE SOFTWARE...

...CANNED OR FRESH.

...WHICH WE WILL FISH OUT LATER.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, A WEE BIT
OF SPICE, IN THE FORM OF...

(men and women)
BAM!

DID YOU HEAR SOMETHING?

OH, I DON'T KNOW. ANYWAY...

TIME TO ADD THE SHRIMP STOCK.

NOW THERE'S A LOT
OF FAT DOWN HERE.

THIS IS ALL WATER. SO THERE'S
GOING TO BE SOME HISSING,

SO GO SLOWLY.

JUST POUR IN THE STOCK,

WHISKING CONTINUOUSLY.

THERE YOU GO.
EVERYTHING'S IN. GOOD.

NOW DECREASE THE HEAT
TO LOW, COVER,

AND WE'RE GOING TO COOK
THAT FOR 35 MINUTES.

AND IN THE MEANTIME,
WE WILL DISCUSS SAUSAGE.

NOW NO GOOD GUMBO IS COMPLETE
WITHOUT A HEARTY SAUSAGE.

TRADITIONALLY, OF COURSE,
A CAJUN SAUSAGE WOULD BE USED.

SOME FOLKS LIKE A BOUDIN,

WHICH IS A SAUSAGE STUFFED
WITH SEASONED PORK AND RICE.

BUT I'M A PURIST,
AND THAT MEANS ANDOUILLE,

A HIGHLY SEASONED
AND VERY SMOKY SAUSAGE

MADE WITH HAM
INSTEAD OF PLAIN OLD...

OH, HECK. I'M OUT.

WAIT A SECOND.

I'M NOT OUT OF NOTHING YET.

(whispering)
I RAN THE ALLIGATOR LAST
TIME. IT IS YOUR TURN.

(whispering)
YOU'RE LIKE SUCH A LITTLE
GIRL. YOU KNOW THAT?

DON'T MESS WITH ME.
I'M TRAINED...

CAGE FIGHTER.
OOH, I'M SCARED NOW.

NOW RUN THE ALLIGATOR.
OKAY.

(Cajun accent)
I DECLARE, MONSIEUR,
WHAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW

IS SOME GOOD OLD-FASHIONED
MAYONNAISE. THAT'S RIGHT.

OH, GRACIOUS ME.
I FORGOT MY ANDOUILLE.

WHOA. WHAT?

(man)
CUT!!
AMATEURS.

...SLICED THIN,
WILL DO VERY, VERY NICELY.

NOW THIS COULD GO STRAIGHT
INTO THE GUMBO,

BUT I PREFER TO BROWN IT FIRST--

A LITTLE EXTRA FLAVOR
FOR THE PRICE OF,

I DON'T KNOW, A DIRTY PAN.
NOW, EVERYBODY, IN THE POOL.

SAUSAGE--IN,

AND THE SHRIMP--IN,

AND KILL THE HEAT.

OH, DON'T WORRY. THERE'S
ENOUGH RESIDUAL HEAT IN HERE

TO COOK THAT SHRIMP THROUGH.

NOW SINCE WE OPTED
FOR A BRICK ROUX EARLY ON,

WE ARE GOING TO REQUIRE
SOME ASSISTANCE

IN THE THICKENING DEPARTMENT,
BUT DON'T WORRY.

HELP IS CLOSE AT HAND.

THOSE WHO SAW OUR OKRA SHOW,

KNOW THAT THIS POPULAR
SOUTHERN SEEDPOD

HAS A CERTAIN SLIMINESS
ON THE INSIDE

THAT WHEN COOKED CAN THICKEN
THE SURROUNDING LIQUID.

NOW THE FACT THAT GUMBO
SHARES MORE THAN A FEW LETTERS

WITH THE WEST AFRICAN WORD
FOR OKRA--

GUINGOMBO, I THINK IT IS--

SHOULD PRETTY MUCH
CINCH OKRA'S FATE

AS THE SOLE GUMBO
THICKENER OF CHOICE,

BUT THERE IS ANOTHER.

UT THERE IS ANOTHER.

FILé POWDER COMES
FROM THE SASSAFRAS TREE.

IT IS THE SAME TREE
WHOSE ROOTS HAVE BEEN USED

AT VARIOUS TIMES
AS A MEDICINAL CURE,

A TEA SUBSTITUTE,
A LEATHER CURING AGENT,

AND A FLAVORING AGENT
FOR ROOT BEER.

NOW FILé IS NOT MADE FROM
THE ROOTS OF THE SASSAFRAS,

BUT RATHER THE YOUNG LEAVES

THAT HAVE BEEN DRIED
AND GROUND INTO A FINE POWDER.

SO THE QUESTION IS, "WHAT
WORKS BEST, OKRA OR FILé?"

WELL, EITHER WILL WORK HERE,
BUT CONSIDER THIS.

FILé POWDER WAS INTRODUCED
TO THE ACADIANS

BY THEIR NEW SOUTHERN NEIGHBORS,
THE CHOCTAW INDIANS,

SO IT WAS A LOCAL INGREDIENT

PROBABLY LONG BEFORE OKRA

EVEN REACHED AMERICAN SHORES.

PLUS, THIS POWDER HAS
A FLAVOR THAT, UH...

MANY--MANY GUMBO PURISTS,
MYSELF INCLUDED,

WOULD CONSIDER TO BE
INDISPENSABLE TO GUMBO.

OH, SORRY, OKRA.

WE'LL HAVE TO PLAY
ANOTHER DAY.

BUT...
I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING.

YOU'RE WONDERING, WELL,
WHY DON'T YOU JUST USE BOTH,

FILé AND OKRA?
WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHY.

'CAUSE WE'RE MAKING SOUP,
NOT A TRIPLE-THICK SHAKE.

ODDLY ENOUGH,

FILé POWDER GETS
ITS THICKENING POWER

FROM THE VERY SAME PLACE
AS OKRA, MUCILAGE.

THE YOUNG SASSAFRAS LEAVES
ARE FULL OF THIS STUFF,

WHICH IS WHY IT ONLY
TAKES A TABLESPOON

TO THICKEN THIS WHOLE POT.

NOW SOME MORE TRADITIONAL COOKS

LIKE TO PUT THE FILé
ON THE TABLE

AND ALLOW THE GUESTS
TO ADD IT ON THEIR OWN,

BUT I LIKE TO GIVE IT
A BIT OF A CHANCE

TO THICKEN UP THE WHOLE POT.

I ALSO LIKE TO PUT IT IN EARLY
SO THAT THE SASSAFRAS FLAVOR

WILL HAVE A LITTLE TIME TO
INTEGRATE IN AND MELLOW A BIT.

SO WE'RE GONNA STIR THAT IN,

THEN COVER AND LET IT SIT
FOR TEN MINUTES BEFORE SERVING.

OH, AND DON'T FORGET TO TAKE
OUT THOSE BAY LEAVES. OKAY.

NOW I UNDERSTAND
THERE ARE CAJUNS OUT THERE

WHO LIKE THEIR GUMBO
ON POTATO SALAD.

ME, I JUST LIKE
PLAIN OLD RICE.

MR. B.,
I GOTTA TELL YOU.

THIS IS SOME MIGHTY
FINE STEW YOU GOT HERE.

WHAT HAPPENED
TO YOUR VOICE?

OH, THAT? THAT'S
A SHOW BIZ THING.

HECK, I'M FROM
"BOS-TON."

YOU'RE NOT CAJUN?
NAH.

YOU'RE NOT CREOLE?

NO, I'M IRISH.

(Cajun accent)
WELL, WE GOT OURSELVES

A LITTLE WORD
DOWN ON THE BAYOU--

"AHNVEE" MEANS
A LOVE OF COOKIN'

AND A JOY OF EATIN',
AND WE GOT OURSELVES

A HEAPIN' HELPIN' OF THAT
RIGHT HERE, DON'T YOU KNOW?

(Cajun accent)
OH, YEAH. OH, YEAH.
YEAH.

ANYWAY YOU SAY IT...
WHOO.

THIS IS JUST SOME
PLAIN GOOD EATS.
UH-HUH.

HEY, XAVIER,
GET YOURSELF

A BIG OLD SPOONFUL
OF THIS, BOY.

COME ON.
DON'T BE BASHFUL.
GO ON, XAVIER.

GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD.

(normal voice)
I THINK YOU'D BE BETTER
OFF WITH A MUDSKIPPER.

A MUDSKIPPER,
I LIKE THAT, YEAH.

YEAH, IT COULD JUST FLOP
RIGHT UP THERE AND...

THE YOUNG LEAVES ARE--

(crew laughing)

CUT.