“Tomato sauce goes in for that reason only.” Gumbo can be thickened with filé, okra, or roux. The use of filé, or dried and ground sassafras leaves with thickening properties, was likely a ...

In our conversation, we broached the topic of filé, the somewhat mysterious, traditional component of gumbo -- and what to do if our pantries sadly lack this fragrant, powdery, sassafras-leaf ...

Okra, with its distinctive, thick mucilage, is one of the traditional thickeners in gumbo. The others are filé — a powder made from dried and ground sassafras leaves, a contribution from the ...

Gumbo was traditionally served on Carolina Gold rice. Powdered sassafras, known as "file," thickens and flavors broth. Native Americans introduced file to the French settlers whose farming ...