INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups All-Purpose Flour (I prefer King Arthur flour)

DIRECTIONS

For Preparing the Roux

1. Distribute 3 cups of flour evenly over the dry bottom of a large iron skillet or heavy Dutch oven.
2. Place skillet in a 400 degree oven for an hour to an hour-and-a-half. Stir well every 15 minutes so that the flour will brown evenly. Note: toward the end of the cook time (maybe the last 20 minutes or so), you will need to stir more frequently. Let your nose dictate the time. The kitchen will be filled with the wonderful nutty fragrance of roux… but you don’t want it to burn.
3. Once it has reached the color of peanut butter, remove the skillet from the oven and let it cool. Note: The roux will actually darken in color when added to water, oil, or when added directly to a gumbo.

For Use

Use the amount called for in the gumbo recipe. For example, 1 cup or 3/4 cup. Whatever it may be.

When ready to use, you can mix equal parts dry roux and water until smooth. Or you can add an equal portion of dry roux to heated oil in a skillet and mix thoroughly. No need to brown it any further.

I like to add the dry roux by itself to the pot of onions, bell peppers, and celery as they finish sautéing. Then I add the andouille (after degreasing and slicing) and let that sauté for a bit before adding the stock.

This dry roux can be stored in a glass jar for future use.

Servings3 /4 cup

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup ponzu
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes optional

Instructions

1. Add all of the ingredients to a jar with a fitted lid and shake well until combined, or stir with a whisk.
2. Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 3 cups For the three of us, I cut recipe in half

INGREDIENTS

• 2 -3 tablespoons cornstarch
• ¹⁄₄ cup brown sugar, packed
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon ground ginger (or a bit of fresh minced ginger)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¹⁄₂ cup soy sauce or 1/2 cup tamari soy sauce
• ¹⁄₄ cup cider vinegar or 1/4 cup white vinegar
• ¹⁄₂ cup water
• 1 ¹⁄₂1 1/2 cups beef broth or 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (I use chicken broth if my stir fry will have chicken, etc.)

DIRECTIONS

• Combine all ingredients in a large glass jar with a lid.
• Screw lid on.
• Shake well.
• Can store in fridge up to 2 weeks.
• Shake well before using.
• To use sauce: stir fry your vegetables and meat as desired, add appropriate amount of sauce, bring to a boil, boil for 1 minute or until slightly thickened.
• Serve.