Recipe - Dry Roux

1 Information

The traditional roux is an important element of many Cajun and Creole
dishes. It is a mixture of half flour and half fat (oil or butter) cooked
to progressive degrees of color from blond to brown depending on the
richness and the "smokiness" of the flavor you are trying to achieve, the
brown being the richest. This typical ingredient is a problem to lowfat,
lowcalorie, lowcholesterol cookery because of its high oil content, but
making a "roux" without the oil is simple.

For use in Cajun dishes, gravies and as an all around flavorful thickening
agent.

Make several cups at a time and store in tightly closed jar in
refrigerator.

Put 1 to 3 cups flour into heavy skillet and place over moderate heat. The
amount of flour depends only on size of skillet and size of storage
container you will use.

Stir the flour around often with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Pay attention
to the cooking because the flour will take a few minutes (5 or so) to begin
coloring. Stir constantly to keep the flour in the bottom of the skillet
moving so that it does not burn. Continue until all the flour is desired
color, probably about like a light peanut butter color. The entire process
takes 15 to 20 minutes to get enough rich dry roux to use for many dishes.
Most dishes will call for several tablespoons full. Later when the dry
roux is mixed with liquid, it will take on a darker color.

Extracted from "Louisiana Light" by Roy F. Guste, Jr. 1990.

== Courtesy of Dale & Gail Shipp, Columbia Md. == Converted by MMCONV vers.
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