Killer on a cold night. Made this last night and it was outstanding! Leftovers today.
SIMPLE CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE GUMBO
Adapted from Gumbopages.com
Ingredients:
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup flour
1 large onion, finely diced
1 large bell pepper, finely diced
2 ribs celery, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock (or more as needed)
2 tablespoons quality fish sauce (nuoc mam) I like Red Boat brand
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoon Creole Seasoning (See recipe below), or to taste. I ususally end up adding more.
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves. rubbed between your palms into the pot.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 Lb chicken thighs. cut into bite-size pieces
1 Lb andouille or smoked sausage, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/2 bunch scallions or green onions, tops only, chopped
1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley
Season the chicken with salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon of the Creole seasoning and In a large, heavy pot, brown. Brown the sausage, pour off fat and reserve meats in a bowl. Add a little stock or water to the pot and de-glaze, scraping with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Pour liquid over the reserved meats. Wash and dry the pot before making roux.
In same, but clean, large, heavy pot, heat the oil and cook the flour in the oil over medium to high heat (depending on your roux-making skill), stirring constantly, until the roux reaches a dark reddish-brown color, almost the color of coffee or milk chocolate for a Cajun-style roux. If you want to save time, or prefer a more New Orleans-style roux, cook it to a medium, peanut-butter color, over lower heat if you're nervous about burning it.
Add the onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic and stir quickly. This cooks the vegetables and also stops the roux from cooking further. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes.
Add the stock, fish sauce, seasonings, chicken, sausage and any accumulated juices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer for about one hour, skimming fat off the top as needed.
Taste and adjust seasonings. Add the chopped scallion tops and parsley, and heat for 5 minutes.
The thickening power of roux diminishes as you cook it darker. If the gumbo is not as thick as you want, you can thicken with a cornstarch slurry or a beurre manié before adding the scallion tops and parsley.
Serve over rice in large shallow bowls. Accompany with a good beer and lots of hot, crispy French bread.
YIELD: About 6 entrée sized servings.
CREOLE SEASONING
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano leaves
2 tablespoons dried sweet basil
1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon white pepper
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (I leave this out and add it to my dish seperately to keep peace in the family)
1 tablespoon celery seed
5 tablespoons sweet paprika
Combine all ingredients and store in airtight container.
