Get me some of that gumbo
- 3-4 lbs. of chicken (white or dark meat will do, but it must be boneless)
- 1 lbs. Andouille sausage
- 2 cups diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced green bell peppers
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1/4 cup diced green onions
- 2 tbl. fresh, chopped parsley
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 quarts of chicken broth (about 10 cups)
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp. Thyme (powdered or leaf)
- Chopped garlic to taste
- Salt
- Cayenne Pepper
- Black Pepper
- Cumin
1. Wash and clean the chicken. Place 1 cup of the flour in a bowl and mix in salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and cumin to taste. Coat the chicken in the flour mixture to prepare for light frying.
2. Heat a skillet to medium heat and add 1 cup of vegetable oil. When it reaches temperature, fry the chicken. We aren't looking to cook the chicken, merely get a golden crust on the chicken and have some of the juices seep into the oil. Remove the chicken and set aside.
3. The single most important step to things, we now have to make a roux. The roux is going to add a lot of flavor to this dish, as well as helping to thicken it. For this roux, use the cup of vegetable oil you fried the chicken in, and the second cup of flour . If you screw up the roux you WILL ruin the dish. If you have never made a roux before, click here for a guide.
4. After finishing the roux, add the onions, celery, and bell peppers to it and saute until the vegetables are wilted, stirring constantly, This should take around 10 minutes. As soon as you add the vegetables, being bringing the chicken stock to a boil in a SEPARATE pot.
5. Once the chicken stock is boiling and the vegetables have wilted, SLOWLY add the roux mixture to the chicken stock. I recommend adding a few spoonfuls, and then thoroughly mixing it with the chicken stock. If you don't mix it will the roux will settle at the bottom of the pot and your gumbo will just be soup.
6. Once all the roux is completely mixed in, add the thyme, bay leaves, and garlic. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes.
7. Take the chicken and andouille and dice into small pieces, then add to the gumbo. Bring to a rolling boil and then reduce to a simmer for at least an hour. I recommend 2-3 hours if possible.
8. Once done, add the green onions and parsley shortly before serving over a bed of plain white rice.