.: evil jungle prince :.

The thought that I was in New Orleans only a week prior to the disaster still haunts me a bit. I always wonder about the people I saw -- where are they now? It is hard to reconcile the vivid memories I have of that city with what what I've seen on television.

I can't say I'm a huge fan of Cajun cooking, but one dish which left an impression on me was gumbo. To be honest, the gumbo I ate there was pretty bland and boring, but as I ate it I thought to myself: "This could be an excellent dish if prepared properly." I assumed I was eating watered down tourist fare. What got me excited about it however was the unique blend of spices. These flavors were fairly alien to me in a good way. I left the restaurant feeling disappointed but inspired at the same time.

So today, a few months later, I tried cooking gumbo myself. Wow. Awesome. I can now declare that I love this dish. What my restaurant version was lacking I kicked up a couple notches here -- heat! In place of bland bell peppers, I instead utilized jalapeno peppers. I also replaced the suggested canola oil with an infinitely more flavorful virgin olive oil. This was a departure from authenticity, I admit, but my approach to cooking has always been about catering foods to one's own taste.

1. First I prepared a "roux" by sauteeing olive oil and a bit of flour. This was stirred continually until it turned a rich brown color.

2. Next was added 1 onion, 2 celery stalks, 3-4 jalapeno peppers, 3 cloves garlic, and black pepper to taste until the vegetables began to soften.

3. Gradually I stirred in in a mixture of vegetable broth, 3-4 diced tomatoes, 2-3 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1-2 tsp Tabasco sauce, 1 small can corn, 9-10 cut okra, 1 tsp basil, 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp cumin and 2 bay leaves. This was then covered and allowed to simmer for 20-30 mins. Shrimp were added a few minutes before serving. (Add salt to taste.)

Damn spicy and totally rockin' in taste! Serve with a few spoonfuls of white rice on top.