LOUISIANA GUMBO
A Southern Staple
INGREDIENTS:
-1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup vegetable oil
-2 pounds smoked sausage, such as andouille or kielbasa, cut crosswise 1/2-inch thick pieces
-6 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (saves time)
-1 tablespoon Tony's Chacheries
-1 cup all-purpose flour
-2 cups chopped onions
-1 cup chopped celery
-1 cup chopped green bell peppers
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon cayenne
-3 bay leaves
-9 cups chicken stock or chicken broth
-1/2 cup chopped green onions
-½ cup chopped parsley leaves
-White Rice
-Tabasco
-Tony’s Creole Seasoning, Or any other Cajun seasoning
DIRECTIONS:
In a large stock pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until well browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
Season the chicken with the Tony’s and add in batches to the fat remaining in the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until well browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan, put on a plate covered in a paper towel, let cool, and then refrigerate until ready to use.
Combine the remaining 1/2 cup oil and the flour in the same large stock pot oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring slowly and constantly for 20 to 25 minutes. I like my roux to be about the color of peanut butter.
Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers and cook, stirring, until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the reserved sausage, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves, stir, and cook for 2 minutes. Stirring, slowly add the chicken stock, stir until well combined. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the reserved chicken to the pot and simmer for 2 hours. You can skim the fat that rises to the top. When the chicken starts break apart, I take 2 sets of metal tongs, and I pull them apart a little bit more to break them up. Remove the bay leaves, or, if you are like us, we leave them in and whoever gets the bay leaf is considered lucky. Just don't eat it, it is not fun!
Return the meat to the gumbo and stir in the green onions and parsley
Spoon rice into the bottom of deep bowls or large cups and ladle the gumbo on top.
