Mmmmm Gumbo!

I thought it would be fitting that my first post is about the Gumbo I made on Saturday. After a big Christmas dinner on Thursday, it was nice to have something simple and comforting. It turned out pretty good, which is always a plus (I was a bit disappointed in the sausage I added). Since both of my parents are from Louisiana (specifically they are both from Gretna), Gumbo is one of those things I just know how to make - I never use a recipe, so I had to sit and think about what I did to put the recipe together. There are several ways people like their gumbo; filé or no filé, okra or no okra, smoky sausage or spicy sausage, etc. I made this Gumbo with okra, andouille sausage, but no filé. Pretty much, as long as you like it, you have made it right! I know there are some people out there that may disagree with my, but that is my two cents! The actual recipe is at the end of the post.


First, I started on Friday by making a stock. I usually plan for when I want to serve Gumbo so I can make the stock from scratch. I usually add whatever vegetables I have available in the vegetable drawer when making the stock. This time, the stock was flavored with garlic, onions, green onions, leeks, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, fresh parsley, and a few celery stalks. After a quick rough chop on the vegetables, they went into the pot along with a rotisserie chicken (tip: using an already roasted meat on the bone makes a really tasty stock). I covered everything with water and added a bit of salt plus some fresh ground pepper, turned the stove on medium heat and let it simmer for about an hour-and-a-half. When it was done, I cooled it and stashed it in the refrigerator overnight.


On Saturday afternoon, I took the stock out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, then strained it. I put the pot back on the stove and added some roux, then my fresh veggies and sautéed for a minute. Next, I added the stock and brought it up to a boil, then lowered the temperature to simmer. I added a few bay leaves and some okra and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, I cut up the sausage into bite sized pieces and cooked them in a frying pan for a few minutes. Next, I added the chicken and sausage and about 10 minutes before serving, I added the shrimp. Voila, Gumbo! I hope it does not sound too complicated, and if you do not have the time, there are plenty of great chicken broth/stock products available at the grocery store that you could use to cut back on the time.



Chicken, Sausage, and Shrimp Gumbo

1 medium sized chicken cooked, removed from the bones and broken into pieces (I usually buy a rotisserie chicken to use for my gumbo and just pick the meat off the bones, but you can always buy raw chicken and bake or boil it)
1 pound sausage (such as andouille or kielbasa) cut into ½ inch pieces
1 pound medium sized raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell peppers
2 cups frozen okra (more or less depending on how much you like okra, and if you don't like okra you can omit it)
3 bay leaves
9 cups chicken stock (or canned chicken broth)
½ cup chopped green onions
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp vegetable oil
½ cup flour

In a large pot, combine the oil and the flour over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring slowly and very regularly until the roux is a dark brown color (like the color of chocolate) - please note that this may take a while. Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers to the pot and cook until they become soft (maybe 4 – 5 minutes). Slowly, add the chicken stock and bay leaves and stir until everything is well combined, then add the okra. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the stove temp to medium-low and simmer for 45 mins to 1 hour. Meanwhile, heat a frying pan and add 1 tbsp vegetable oil and then the sausage. Cook the sausage until well browned and then transfer the sausage to the pot. Add the green onions, chicken, and shrimp, then cook until the shrimp are cooked through (about 5 mins). Serve and enjoy.

If you would like for the gumbo to be a bit spicy, add ¼ tsp (or more) of Cayenne pepper to the pot when you add the chicken stock.