FIRST YOU MAKE A ROUX SIGN RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat a heavy skillet or cast iron pot and add oil. Once oil is heated, slowly add the flour, stirring constantly until all is blended. Continue to cook over medium to low heat, stirring constantly until flour and oil blend to form a brown roux the color of a dark copper penny.The longer you cook it, the darker the roux will become. Remember don't rush the cooking of the roux; allow the mixture to develop at its own pace. The mixture will make enough roux for 5 quarts of gumbo or one large fricassee dish. Many cooks add onion, bell pepper, and celery mixture right at the end of the cooking process. This spreads the flavor throughout the roux. You can double or triple the recipe and store the unused roux in a covered container in your icebox/refrigerator for weeks to be used for future dishes. Roux can be used to flavor or thicken gravies. A dish made with roux is always taste better the next day or, if frozen, the next time it's reheated. If you push the roux too far or burn the roux, the flavor becomes too bitter to use. Throw out and start again.

Steps:

• Put stick of butter in a skillet or pot that you are going to cook in and then add the flour on top. On a medium-high heat the butter will melt and then continue to stir the flour into the butter (at this point it's not a roux, just butter/flour mixed. A roux has to develop with heat, changing texture and color over time. All too many people call it a roux once it's mixed. Thats not a roux.). It will get foamy, thin, thick, foamy and thin again many times as it also changes colors. What you want to do is let it change textures at least a few times for a "blond" roux. This is a light color similar to ginger ale. Then you go to a little darker color for Etouffees and soups. Then go very dark say the color of Coke or Pepsi for Gumbos. This process takes about 20-30 minutes depending on the color you are looking for in your roux.
• Make sure you continue to stir as long as this is on the fire. If you don't it will get little black flecks in it which means it's burned. If that happens you need to throw it away and start all over. It will taste like burned garbage if you don't throw it away. DO NOT STOP STIRRING. Not even for a minute!
• Roux can be saved for a while in the fridge. You can make any amount that you wish by doubling the above. It's easy equal parts of flour to fat. You can also use Olive oil, peanut oil, Canola oil but Butter is the best and most rich flavor of all of them.
• a picture of what a light blonde roux for dishes like sausage and gravy for biscuits and chicken and dumplings
• a picture of medium roux For etouffe and light soups like chicken noodle
• Then the dark roux for gumbo's, spaghetti sauce, chili, beef stew, beef soups