So, clearly I missed Mardi Gras and I guess since I didn't get to go I feel bitter, hence the title of this post. Also, it was last week. I just had a crazy week and didn't feel up to writing about Gumbo in the midst of it. Sorry guys! But now, here I am, dutifully recording my gumbo feast. And, a feast it was, as my loyal boyfriend and I consumed it about 9 times cumulatively...I made a lot of it. Oh, and I froze some.
Anyway, the good news is that I NEVER got tired of it. It was so yummy that I just kept on feasting, night after night. There are so many tasty ingredients in gumbo that it's hard to get tired of it...every time you think you've had about enough, you chomp down on a shrimp or a big chunk of andouille and you fall in love all over again. That's how gumbo reels you in.
This is the first gumbo I've ever made. When I lived in New Orleans, I just sampled everything that came across my path and relied on professionals to serve up steaming plates of goodness. Here in DC, I am not so lucky as to be constantly surrounded by folks who grew up cooking and eating gumbo. I had to take matters into my own hands. My main concern with this was only the most important component of gumbo: the roux.
Roux is a mixture of equal parts flour and oil (or butter or fat) cooked to a dark, reddish brown color. It requires a good heavy bottomed pan (which I do not have for some inane reason) and patience (which I have for the most part). It also takes some cojones. Allowing the roux cook to perfection means constantly stirring, while you are sure it's being hideously disfigured and burned. This is quite nerve wracking. I folded before my gumbo had reached a really nutty dark color, a decision supported by my internet researching. Apparently a "New Orleans" style roux is lighter, and peanut butter colored. A true Cajun roux is really dark, like milk chocolate.
Let's just say mine was a New Orleans-style roux, but it did get legitimately peanut butter colored. It just changed colors so fast that I got alarmed and threw the vegetables in, which stops it from cooking. The result was very delicious so I guess I didn't go too far wrong...
Shrimp, Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2-3 ribs celery, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 quarts chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons creole seasoning such as Tony Cachere's, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon hot paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- A few dashes of cayenne pepper
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 rotisserie chicken, meat cut into chunks
- 1 pounds andouille, cut into 1/2" slices
- 1 bag of frozen, sliced okra
- 1 bunch green onions, green parts sliced
- 1 lb shrimp, I used frozen, raw, peeled and deveined b/c that is the easiest option
First heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan over moderate heat. Gradually add flour, stirring constantly. Pay close attention as the mixture heats up, making sure to prevent lumps from forming. This can go from bad to worse in a matter of minutes if left unattended- make sure to stir constantly (redundant, I know).
Ok, when the roux is the desired color, add the vegetables. The roux will quit cooking so violently. Cook the veggies for about 5 minutes, then add stock, chicken, sausage, and the rest of the seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to actively simmer for about an hour (at the very minimum). Make sure that you are tasting and adjusting seasonings as it simmers. If you like a pinch more thyme, or an extra bay leaf, or are a fiend for spice, now is a good time to change that.
About 10 minutes before serving, add the frozen shrimp. You don't want them to get tough. When they are cooked through and pink, they're ready to go.
Serve over rice, with lots of Abita beer, french bread, crazy friends and Louisiana Kitchen Hot Sauce. That stuff is awesome.
Les Bon Temps Roulesz, bitches!
