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filé (fi-LAY, FEE-lay) - n., a spicy herb seasoning made from the dried and ground leaves of the North American sassafras tree (Sassafras albidum).
Used in Louisiana Creole cooking, usually as a garnish added after cooking, especially to gumbo. I've never had it, but I can attest that young sassafras leaves are tasty and spicy. Sassafras is also used in another food: rootbeer is flavored using the bark of sassafras roots (or rather was, as the bark contains safrole, which is a possible carcinogen and so banned from commercial use). Filé is from French filé, past participle of filer, which has many meanings but the relevant sense is to turn into threads/become ropy -- filé is a thickener, useful when ocra is not in season.
---L.
Used in Louisiana Creole cooking, usually as a garnish added after cooking, especially to gumbo. I've never had it, but I can attest that young sassafras leaves are tasty and spicy. Sassafras is also used in another food: rootbeer is flavored using the bark of sassafras roots (or rather was, as the bark contains safrole, which is a possible carcinogen and so banned from commercial use). Filé is from French filé, past participle of filer, which has many meanings but the relevant sense is to turn into threads/become ropy -- filé is a thickener, useful when ocra is not in season.
---L.
