Poor Man's Gumbo
March 2008
A reader shares an old family trick: "seafood" gumbo made with canned tuna.
Makes: 4 servings
Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 30 mins
- 12 slices bacon (about 1/2 pound)
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 14 1/2ouncecan diced tomatoes
- 1 12 ouncecan solid white tuna packed in water
- 1/4cup tomato paste
- 1 jalapeno chile, seeded and chopped
- 1 teaspoon file powder, such as Zatarain's
- 1 1/4cups rice
- In a large, heavy skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
- Drain off all but 1/4 cup bacon fat and return the skillet to the heat. Add the celery and onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tuna and its liquid, tomato paste, jalapeno and 1 cup water and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. Whisk in the file powder; remove from the heat.
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring 2 1/4 cups salted water to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover, lower the heat and simmer until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Serve the gumbo over the rice and crumble the bacon on top.