General Description: Filé is made from the dried leaves of the sassafras tree (Sassafras albidum), which grows wild along the east coast of the United States. Filé powder is an important ingredient in the Creole and Cajun cookery of Louisiana, a veritable gumbo of French, Spanish, African, and Native American cuisines. True gumbo, a thick tasty soup made of seafood, poultry, sausage, game, and okra, must be made with filé. Immediately before serving, it’s stirred in to thicken the gumbo and impart a mild lemon-anise flavor as well as a woodsy, balsamlike flavor reminiscent of root beer. In fact, root beer, which dates back to the nineteenth century in America, was traditionally flavored with sassafras root, though it’s now made with other spices and herbs, since sassafras root has been demonstrated to be carcinogenic.

Purchase and Avoid: Buy filé powder in small quantities because it loses its flavor when stored for long periods. Look for filé powder from Cajun food suppliers in Louisiana.

Storage: Store filé powder in the refrigerator.

Note: Remove any dish from the heat just before adding filé, because it becomes stringy with cooking.

Serving Suggestions: Add filé powder to gumbo recipes. Thicken gumbo z’herbes (green gumbo), featuring as many cooking greens and herbs as desired, with filé powder.

Food Affinities: Alligator, andouille, celery, duck, garlic, onion, rabbit, scallion, spinach, squirrel, tasso ham, thyme, turkey.