Poor Man's Gumbo

This dish is one of my favorite go-to recipes. It's simple to make, but has a great flavor and once you whip out the word "gumbo" around people, they get impressed.





Plus, it has bacon and bacon makes people happy.

So make someone happy and make them this today!



Like this happy guy


Or this dog. He's real good at begging.



Just don't slice your finger while trying to dice onions. It hurts and it makes it really hard to cook.

Poor Man's Gumbo
From Eveyday with Rachael Ray

• 12 slices bacon (about 1/2 pound)
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
• One 12-ounce can solid white tuna packed in water
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 jalapeño chile, seeded and chopped
• 1 teaspoon filé powder, such as Zatarain's
• 1-1/4 cups rice
  
  

1. In a large, heavy skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

2. 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, jalapeño and 1 cup water and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. Whisk in the filé powder; remove from the heat.

3. 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.

I like to stir the bacon into the gumbo about half way into the 20 minute simmering, it gives the dish a good flavor. Also, I'd rather use red pepper flakes instead of the jalapeño. It didn't really add much taste or heat to the dish and the red pepper flakes give it a nice heat.