Gumbo (Chicken)

I have always been a big fan of Gumbo. I think my dad makes the best Sea Food Gumbo ever! I decided with this recipe to start with Chicken Gumbo. I feel safe when it come to cooking chicken, especially on my first version of anything like this. Luckily Zach and JT really liked it and we will be trying the other versions of this recipe soon!

This recipe is long, but there are different variations of what you can put in it. So find what you need and go with it. It came from Zach's uncle Brian and his notes while helping a Cajun friend of his in grad school.

Gumbo              

Meat*                                                                           

2 Tbs flour

2 cups of okra                                                             

 2 Tbs oil

2 medium onions, chopped                                         

 Pinch of sweet basil

1 bell pepper, chopped                                                 

Dash of Worcestershire sauce

1 stalk celery, chopped                                                

2 cloves of garlic

½ cup oil                                                                      

Salt and red pepper to taste

If making a chicken or turkey gumbo, boil the bird in a gallon of water until the meat falls off the bone.  This is a particularly good way to treat that turkey after it is carved for the holidays.  KEEP THE BROTH.  Cook the okra, onions, bell pepper, and celery slowly in the oil for ~30 minutes or until the okra is not slimy.  Make a roux** with the 2 Tbs of oil and flour.  This is best done in a cast iron skillet.  Get the oil hot but not smoking.  Add the flour slowly, stirring continuously.  Continue to stir until it is chocolate brown.  The darker the better but DO NOT BURN IT.  This will take time (maybe 30 minutes) and patience.  The roux is what makes or breaks a good gumbo.  Cool slowly by removing from the heat and continuing to stir for 5-10 minutes.  Add everything*** back to the pot of chicken broth and slowly cook for ~2 hours until everything is soft.  Serve over rice.  Serves 6 more or less depending on what you added.

* The selection of the meat depends on the type gumbo you want.  If you are allergic to shellfish like me, the decision is made; it’s chicken or turkey.  You can make a seafood gumbo the same way with oysters, clams, etc. but just add your shrimp or crawfish tails in the last 10 minutes of the final cooking.  Obviously you will not have the bird broth, but just use water.  I always include andouille sausage cut into small pieces.  This can be any sausage like a polish, preferably smoked.

**You can buy roux.  Or if you want a quick way to have it ready when you need it, another Cajun friend said you can brown the flour in a cast iron skillet in the oven and then store the browned flour and mix it with the oil when you need roux.  However, the smell of a roux being made is simply music to my nose.

***For Jim it meant anything, e.g. other veggies, meats (jokingly road kill), etc.  Whole eggs were the bonus surprise that floated to the surface from time to time in the pot.  Gumbo is a way of clearing the fridge and wastes nothing.  I tend to not wander too far afield as some guests are not so adventuresome.