Spicewalla - Gumbo File Sassafras

May 23,2024

Sometimes just called filé powder for short, powdered sassafras leaf is a cornerstone ingredient of Cajun cooking, especially classic gumbo. It was originally used by cooks in the Choctaw tribe as a thickener and flavoring. Sassafras root is the basis of root beer, so the powder infuses everything with a similarly earthy, rich flavor, but with a more verdant quality. It should be added to dishes toward the end of cooking.

Spice Pages: Gumbo file' (Sassafras albidum, Filè, Filé)

Page 20 - SOUTHERN FOODS

This large, mahogany-colored evergreen seed, which comes off the tree covered in a shell similar to a walnut, might look a little unfamiliar at first. But it stays fresh practically forever, and when grated, the hard seed releases the fragrant, spicy scent and flavor that’s a cornerstone of everything from pumpkin pie to mulled wine.