1885 - La Cuisine Creole

Oyster Gombo with Filee

DDV CULINARY

Take a grown chicken, fifty oysters, and a half-pound of ham to flavor the gombo.
Cut up two onions fine, fry them in lard and thicken the gravy with flour;
a teaspoonful will be enough.
Cut up the chicken and ham, and put them to fry with the onions.
Let all cook gently till brown, then put in a pint of boiling water and
boil the chicken until it is almost in pieces.
Half-an-hour before dinner pour in the oysters and their liquor.
When ready for the table take a large spoonful of fresh powdered sassafras leaves
or filee, wet it with a little of the soup, and stir it into the soup.
If not thick or ropy enough, stir in another spoonful.
Do not let the soup boil after the filee is put in,
but remove it from the fire, or serve it immediately.