By Linda Gassenheimer
From Tribune News Service
Here’s a short-cut version of a Southern favorite: Gumbo Soup. It’s comfort food that can take hours to make. This gumbo captures the flavor without the hours. It’s a one-pot vegetarian meal.
The key to good gumbo is cooking the oil and flour together to form a rich, light brown roux. This gives the gumbo its distinctive flavor. Okra gives gumbo its texture. When cooked, okra gives off a thick liquid that acts as a thickener for soups and sauces.
Helpful Hints:
— You can use frozen sliced okra instead of fresh okra.
— You can use 4 crushed garlic cloves instead of minced garlic….