I've had a hankerin' lately for some gumbo, but I'd never made it before. So, you know me, I researched some of the great gumbo makers: Emeril and my aunt! (actually, those are the only 2 I know!)
There are the basic ingredients, but we do tings a lil dif'rent, Sha! (like no okra or file' powder)
Be prepared, though, it will take you all day to make this. But, it is definitely worth the wait!
Here are the ingredients:
1 Tbsp plus 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 lb skinless smoked sausage (I like Eckridge), sliced into 1/2 in pieces and crosswise
1 whole chicken (around 4-5 lbs), cut into pieces
1 Tbsp creole seasoning (I like Tony Chachere's), plus extra to season chicken
Seasoned salt, to taste
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 large onions, chopped
2 large bell peppers, chopped
9 cups chicken broth (although, I didn't have enough so I used some beef broth and some chicken bullion cubes with appropriate amount of water)
White rice
Make sure you use an IRON SKILLET. Remember back
here when I told you all to buy one? Pull it out! Don't even think of using that new non-stick skillet you got for Christmas. We want STICKING, people...that's what makes a yummy roux!
In iron skillet, heat 1 Tbsp oil over med-high heat. Add smoked sausage and cook until browned (6 or 8 minutes)
Remove sausage and place in a container to use later.
Season chicken cutlets with additional creole seasoning and add to remaining fat in skillet. Brown on all sides (about 10 minutes).
Remove chicken from pan and reserve for later use.
To make the roux: Combine remaining 1/2 cup oil and 1 cup flour in iron skillet with reserved fat over med heat.
Cook, stirring slowly and constantly while scraping brown bits off bottom of skillet about 20 to 25 minutes, until its the color of dark chocolate. If you are not sweating at this point, you are doing something wrong!
Add onions and peppers to pan, stirring until wilted; about 4-5 minutes.
Add reserved sausage and creole seasoning to skillet and cook for a few minutes. Now, because I don't have a huge skillet, I poured it all into a LARGE stock pot. Add a little of the chicken stock to skillet and scrape the rest of the bits off the pan.
Stir the rest of the chicken stock in stock pot and bring to a boil. I also added some seasoned salt at this point. Reduce heat to med-low and cook about 1 hour uncovered, stirring occasionally.
Add reserved chicken to stock pot and simmer for about 1 and 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Skim any fat that rises to the surface. I took 1 napkin at a time and laid in on top of the liquid. It absorbs the fatty layer. I did have to use 5 or 6 napkins until it is all absorbed.
Remove the pot from the heat. Remove chicken pieces from pot and allow to cool slightly. Remove skin and cut chicken into small pieces, discarding any bones. Return the meat to the gumbo and heat through.
In the meantime, cook your rice. I used Minute rice this go-round, because I was tired of cooking and it only takes 5 minutes!
Spoon 3-4 spoons of rice in bottom of your bowl and pour a few ladles full of gumbo on top. Stir and enjoy! I added a few more shakes of creole seasoning and seasoned salt to my bowl. They only thing that might have made it better is some yummy corn bread to sop up my broth!
Dar ya go, Sha. Try it dis way n ya will dance!
Ca c'est bon!
