3.23.2014

Gumbo

Chicken and sausage gumbo
Here's how I made gumbo for Mardi gras this year:

Start with the "Holy Trinity" of vegetables: onion, pepper and celery.

After sauteing for several minutes, they should look translucent like this.

Remove the vegetables and add chopped andouille sausage.

Brown the sausage and then remove them from the pan.


Chicken goes in next- cook on medium high heat and turn the breasts frequently.

I sprinkled some Cajun seasoning on the chicken before cooking it, so it ended up with a little bit of crust on the outside.

Cooking the roux: after the chicken is removed from the pan, add a few tablespoons of flour to the pan drippings. If you want to be really authentic about it, cook the roux for thirty minutes. I only cooked mine for fifteen because I think any longer than than and it starts to smell and taste a little burnt.

Next, add three cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Add the sausage, chicken and vegetables back to the pot.

Reduce heat and let this simmer for at least half an hour.

Finally, add seasonings like parsley, cajun spices and salt/pepper.

Meanwhile, prepare some brown rice. I use a rice cooker because after making rice in a pan on the stove for years, I discovered that rice cookers make nearly perfect rice every time. They are miracle appliances.

Finished product: chicken and sausage gumbo
From start to finish, it takes about three hours to make gumbo. It is definitely a labor of love but is so flavorful and delicious you've got to try it at least once. Thanks for reading and happy cooking!

TSB