African descendants sure have had their share of poverty in America, but so have a fair percentage of the entire population. I personally have been poor as dirt and I was homeless a few times way back when I lived in Florida. After the busy Florida winter tourist season ended, being forced out of a job was commonplace. Unions are outlawed in Florida and employees have minimal rights, so employers took advantage of this situation to an extreme.
Many people in the Florida restaurant industry end up jobless and homeless during the slow hot summer season and there is no hope for work until autumn, when the weather cools down. Living on a Gulf Coast Beach is an option and all it takes is a fishing pole to catch a few meals a day. Many of those who are subject to seasonal job layoffs end up doing the homeless shelter routine. These shelters are sponsored by charitable organizations and churches. Shelters are almost always located in the poor folk’s end of town.
On the other side of the railroad tracks, there is plenty going on. Everybody knows each other on a first name basis and everybody is on equal terms. Churches cater to the needs of white trash folk, Afro Americans and hispanic people. When folks are in need, food and short term jobs are sometimes provided by church members.
A nice church lady once hired me to varnish the floor of the old historic community church in Newtown, Florida. I also earned some pay by trimming the vines that grew on the fences at the old historic Newtown graveyard. Newtown is one of the oldest Afro American settlements in America. While doing those two odd jobs, Afro American passers by tipped their hat in respect. While doing those jobs, a deeper compassionate understanding was inevitable and a new sense of pride filled the soul. This is part of what soul food is all about. There are no color, age, race or language requirements for soul food. The only requirements are caring compassion, well being, heart and acts of goodness that fill the soul with joyous pride.
Soul food is tradition, it is gourmet and the flavors are out of sight, Man! While doing a few jobs in the oldest black community in America, getting invited by the locals to attend Sunday church dinners was part of the gig. The “all you can eat chitlins dinner” at a church after doing the gospel thing on a Sunday night, is certainly an experience that fills the soul to the brim. The “fried chicken dinner with hot sauce on the side” at homeless shelters certainly was a soul filled dining experience too. Blues musicians are the best at expressing dining experiences like these. It takes soul to play the blues!
Gizzard n’ Gravy is not like standard “Turkey Giblet Gravy.” Giblet Gravy is a sauce that has a small amount of chopped giblets in the mix and it is meant to be poured over roasted turkey or chicken and mashed potatoes.
Gizzards n’ Gravy is an entree that has plenty of chicken gizzard meat with a fairly small amount of sauce. The sauce can be as thin as pot liquor or it can be thick like gravy. The sauce can be the color of light chicken broth or it can be dark, like a Louisiana brown gravy. The sauce can also be like a tomato creole. Every cook has there own favorite sauce for gizzard stewing.
Gizzards are the set of chicken throat muscles that crush food. The powerful gizzard muscles chew food up like teeth. Gizzard meat is tough and gizzards require quite a bit of simmering time, so they become somewhat tender. Even after hours of simmering, gizzards can still be a bit chewy and many people enjoy sinking their teeth into this kind of meat texture.
Because a chicken’s gizzard muscles are so strong, eating gizzard meat creates a feeling of strength and health. The gizzard muscle strength actually is passed on to those who eat gizzards! Gizzards do strengthen tendon, heart valves, connective tissue and muscles. Gizzards are some good strong soul food meat!
Gizzards are usually packaged and sold for a low price at food markets or butcher shops. Chicken hearts are often mixed in with the gizzards package and this is acceptable to do. Chicken livers are an organ meat, so they are sold separately, because the shelf life of organ meat is short. I purchased one pound of chicken gizzards at the local market and hearts were in the mix, so there is no use assuming that only gizzards will be in the package.
Gizzards n’ Gravy:
This recipe yields 1 large portion!
Today’s Gizzards n’ Gravy recipe is a dark brown simmering sauce version. Traditional African spices combine with a southern touch to create a unique flavor.
This recipe involves simmering the gizzards for a lengthy period of time, so relax and enjoy the aroma!
Select 9 ounces of chicken gizzards. (It is okay to have chicken hearts in the mix.
Trim any thick gristle tendons off of the gizzards.
Cut any large thick gizzards into bite size pieces.
Heat a wide deep saute pan or a braising pot over medium heat.
Add 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil or meat grease drippings. (A combination of chicken grease and lard is best.)
Add the prepared gizzards.
Saute till the gizzards start to brown.
Add 1/3 cup of thin sliced onion.
Add 4 crushed whole garlic cloves.
Saute till the gizzards are browned and the onions are caramelized.
Remove the pan from the heat.
Use a perforated spoon to place the ingredients in a container and set them aside.
Place the pan back over medium heat.
There should be about 1 1/2 tablespoons of grease in the pan. Add a little more grease or oil, if necessary.
Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour, while constantly stirring.
Constantly stir till the roux becomes a brown color.
Add 1 tablespoon of minced celery.
Add 1 tablespoon of minced green bell pepper. (The vegetables will instantly cook, as they cool the hot brown roux!)
Add 2 tablespoons of tomato puree.
Add 2 cups of chicken broth.
Stir with a whisk, till the sauce comes to a boil and it thickens.
Add the reserved cooked gizzards, onions and garlic.
Add enough water to cover the gizzards with 1″ of extra liquid.
Bring the liquid to a gentle boil.
Reduce the temperature to low heat.
Add 1 pinch of white pepper.
Season with sea salt and black pepper.
Add 1/4 teaspoon of allspice.
Add 1 pinch of ground celery seed.
Stir the ingredients. The gravy should be very thin and soupy at this point.
Gently simmer, till the gizzards become somewhat tender. Add water as necessary to keep the gizzards covered.
Note: Fairly tender gizzards is all that can be expected. Gizzards will never become as tender as filet mignon!
Now is the time to cook 1 large portion of plain long grain white rice! (About 1 cup of dried rice.)
Raise the temperature of the gizzards n’ gravy to medium/medium low heat.
Simmer and reduce, till the stewing gravy becomes a medium thin sauce consistency.
Keep the gizzards and gravy warm over very low heat.
Remove the dried whole red chile pepper before serving. (optional)
Gizzards n’ Gravy over rice with salt & pepper oignons:
Place 2 to 3 thin slices of onion on a dish.
Sprinkle sea salt and black pepper over the onions.
Set the onions aside for a few minutes, so they start to sweat.
Place a generous portion of white rice on a plate. Evenly spread the rice on the plate as a bed for the entree.
Mound the Gizzards n’ Gravy on the center of the rice bed.
Pour any excess gravy over the gizzards and rice.
Place the Salt & Pepper Onion on the gizzards n’ gravy.
Garnish with an Italian parsley sprig.
Serve with hot sauce on the side.