Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo is a must for winter and spring cooking and a fantastic 1 pot meal (1 pot + however you cook your rice). Very traditional around Mardis Gras and Carnival time it is a great way to fatten up prior to Lent.

This recipe is the one I follow when having to cook in borrowed kitchens or rental apartments and has been made as simple a straightforward as possible.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 lbs Chicken (boneless skinless breast or thighs) cubed
• 1 cup flour
• 1-2 tsp Cayenne depending on the heat desired and freshness of your ground chili
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 cup oil (high temp oil like peanut or canola)
• 1 large sweet onion
• 1 large green bell pepper
• 1 jalapeno or serrano chili
• 3 stalks Celery (my wife hates celery so we break up the Trinity. I know; sacrilege. But I find it adds nothing)
• 4-6 cups chicken stock ( when being economical in Switzerland I bought a whole chicken, deboned the breasts, and thighs, added the wings and drums to the boneless meat and used the carcass to make fresh stock)
• 1.5 pound Andouille (or smoked keilbasa. In Germany and Switzerland I had to ask metzger for Scharf Rauchwurst )
• 1 pound Okra

The key to a great gumbo is the Roux. I like my Roux to a dark chocolate to coffee color, which can make the kitchen smoky and requires a lot of attention while cooking.

1. Combine the spices and flour and generously dredge the chicken in the flour/spice mixture
2. Heat oil in heavy chefs pan or a LODGE enamled cast iron dutch oven over medium high heat (shamelessly shilling for a prize)
3. When oil is hot add floured chicken to oil and cook in batches, if excess flour collects in oil it is okay. add more oil as needed
4. Cook chicken in batches, removing the well browned chicken in batches and setting aside to drain
5. After all chicken is browned, add flour to the oil. It should make a runny paste like consistency as shown in picture
6. Keep the roux moving, it will smoke lightly. As roux turns to darker and darker shades the smoke will pick up a bit.
7. Add onions, peppers, and celery to the roux and cook until well softened (it happens pretty quick)
8. Add reserved chicken, sausage, and okra
9. Add chicken stock
10. Simmer 10-15 minutes

Serve over rice