As we approach Mardi Gras in our house our minds start to simmer with thoughts of Gumbo. Our family favorite is Chicken and Sausage Gumbo (Gumbo Ya Ya). Loosely adapted from versions listed in Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen, Online recipes by Emeril, and experience in our own kitchen.
Unfortunately, I have never been one for getting all the measuring just right. But here is an effort.
- 1 lb boneless chicken breast diced (1 pouch from Costco pack)
- 1.5 cups flour
- 2-3 tsp Cayenne (might be more I roughly measure generous palm full)
- 2 tsp Cumin (might be less, shallow palm full)
- 1 tsp Black Pepper (eyeballed)
- 1 tsp White Pepper (eyeballed)
- 0.5 tsp Sea Salt
- 1 baseball sized onion (minced)
- 1 green bell pepper
- ? Celery (no body in my house likes it so we skip part of the "trinity")
- 2 quarts home made Chicken Stock
- 3-5 cloves garlic
- 2 links Andouille Sausage diced (smoked sausage will do in a pinch)
- 0.75 pound okra
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| Chicken cooking in oil, "excess" flour just becomes more ROUX |
Heat a cast iron French Oven over high heat. In a bowl mix the flour, cayenne, black and white pepper, cumin, salt, and dredge the chicken well. Add about 0.25 inch high temperature oil to the cast iron pot, drop 1 piece of the diced-floured chicken in as oil and pot continue to heat, when it starts to sizzle it's hot enough. When oil is to temperature brown the chicken to a golden brown in small batches-don't worry if too much of the flour stays in the oil browning you'll brown the heck out of even more flour soon.
After all the batches of chicken have been browned and removed to drain (leave a colander over another shallow pan to catch the spicy tasty oil, I set the colander over my bowl of cut veggies). There should still be a generous amount of oil covering the bottom of the pot (maybe 1/8th inch, and there should be some left over flour from the dredging (maybe 1/4-1/2 cup). Add the flour mix to the oil. it should result in a slightly viscous paste/slurry; this is your roux.
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| Roux still a little light, maybe between coffee and mocha |
Continue to whisk the roux as it darkens (past blonde, deeper than amber, past auburn, darker than chocolate, right up until it starts to smoke the house up, but short of tar). In that very short moment when the rous is just right you will add the onion, pepper, and celery (if that is how you roll) to the roux.
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| Roux just right (that split second between a deep mocha and ruined) |
Be super careful when whisking the roux, it is hot as lava and tends to stick when it flings up and tries to burn you. Keep a kitchen towel handy, as if that stuff bites ya, you'll want to wipe that stuff off in a hurry (yes faster than you can get to the sink).
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| Roux plus veggies, they cook fast this way |
With the "Trinity" in the roux cook until well softened. Scraping any of the highly caramelized bits of flour and chicken off the bottom of the pot. The onions and peppers moisture will help loosen it up.
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| After adding the stock (made my own stock, evidence in the pot to the right just cracked chicken leg-thigh in water with salt, peppercorns, garlic, onion and green pepper scraps) |
Add the stock to the roux and vegetable mixture. It will simmer almost immediately, reduce the heat to maintain the simmer. Add the sausage and return the chicken to the pot. Simmer for a bit then add the okra. The okra will help to thicken the gumbo. If your gumbo is too thick add water or stock.
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| Pre-Okra it may still be a bit "thin" Okra will thicken it up |
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| Finished (should spend more time trying to get better pictures). |
Serve over rice piping hot.
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