GOMBO WITH CRABS, OR SHRIMP
To a pound of beef add half a pound knuckle of ham; chop up both in inch pieces and fry them brown in two tablespoonfuls of boiling lard; add to them four large crabs cut up, or a pound of peeled shrimps, or both if desired; cut into this four dozen small okra pods, one large onion, a little red pepper, and salt to taste. Let all simmer on a slow fire for about twenty minutes; then fill up with warm water, enough to cover the contents two inches deep. Let this boil for two hours. If it becomes too thick, add as much water as required. If preferred a chicken can be used instead of the beef.
SIMPLE OKRA GOMBO
Chop a pound of beef and half a pound of veal brisket into squares an inch thick; slice three dozen okra pods, one onion, a pod of red pepper, and fry all together. When brown pour in half a gallon of water; add more as it boils away. Serve with rice as usual.
OYSTER GOMBO WITH FILEE, NO. 1
Take a grown chicken, fifty oysters, and a half-pound of ham to flavor the gombo. Cut up two onions fine, fry them in lard and thicken the gravy with flour; a teaspoonful will be enough. Cut up the chicken and ham, and put them to fry with the onions. Let all cook gently till brown, then put in a pint of boiling water and boil the chicken until it is almost in pieces. Half-an-hour before dinner pour in the oysters and their liquor. When ready for the table take a large spoonful of fresh powdered sassafras leaves or filee, wet it with a little of the soup, and stir it into the soup. If not thick or ropy enough, stir in another spoonful. Do not let the soup boil after the filee is put in, but remove it from the fire, or serve it immediately.
GOMBO FILEE WITH OYSTERS, NO. 2
Fry a tablespoonful of flour in a tablespoonful of lard. Let it brown slowly so as not to scorch. Boil the liquor of two quarts of oysters, and when it is boiling throw in a cupful of cut leeks or onions, a large slice of ham, some parsley, and stir in the browned flour. Let this cook fifteen minutes; then pour in two quarts of oysters. Let them boil a few minutes, season with salt and pepper; take out the parsley and sift in half a cup of dried and pounded fresh filee; if not fresh more will be required.
CHICKEN GOMBO WITH OYSTERS
Take a young chicken, or the half of a grown one; cut it up, roll it in salt, pepper and flour, and fry it a nice brown, using lard or drippings, as if for fricassee. Cut up a quart of fresh green okras, and take out the chicken and fry the okra in the same lard. When well browned return the chicken to the pot and boil. Add to it a large slice of ham; a quarter of a pound will be about right for this gombo. Pour onto the chicken, ham and okra, half a gallon of boiling water, and let it boil down to three pints. Ten minutes before serving pour into the boiling soup two dozen fine oysters with half a pint of their liquor. Let it come to a good boil, and serve it with well-boiled rice.