Spice Profile: Gumbo File Sassafras albidum
What is Gumbo File?
Gumbo File is the dried and ground leaf of the North American Sassafras tree. It is used as an herb in Creole cooking.
How Can I Use Gumbo File?
Gumbo File is used in one specific dish, Gumbo. It is used as both a thickener and as a seasoning.
What is the History of Gumbo File?
Sassafras leaves were first used as a seasoning by the Choctaw indians in the American South. Its use in gumbo dates back to the late 1800s or early 1900s.
How to Grow and Plant Gumbo File
Sassafras trees are native to the Southeastern US, but can be grown in many climates. The leaves should be harvested in the fall before they change color. After harvest, the leaves simply need to be cleaned, dried, ground and sifted. The powder can then be used in Gumbo.
Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filé_powder