1 c Oil
1 Chicken; cut up or boned
1 1/2 lb Andouille sausage or
- kielbasa
1 c Flour
3 3/4 c Onions; chopped
2 c Celery; chopped
2 c Green pepper; chopped
3 ts Garlic; chopped
8 1/2 c Chicken stock
Salt
Cayenne pepper
2 c Green onion; chopped
File
Cream sherry
Cooked rice
Lard or bacon drippings may be used instead of oil and are
traditional. Season and brown chicken in oil over medium-high heat.
Add sausage (cut in 1/4" rounds) to pot and saute with chicken.
Remove both from pot.
Make roux with equal parts of oil and flour to desired color. I make
a dark chestnut color.
Add onions, celery, green pepper, and later garlic to roux, stir
continuously until vegetables reach desired tenderness. Return
chicken and sausage to pot and cook with vegetables, continuing to
stir frequently. Gradually stir in liquid and bring to boil. Reduce
to simmer and cook for 1 hour or more. Season to taste. Approximately
10 minutes before serving, add green onions.
Gumbo may or may not be served over rice. Adding sherry at the table
is also an option. File may be placed on the table for individuals to
add to their gumbo if they wish. 1/4 to 1/2 ts per serving is
recommended. File is a fine green powder that is young dried and
ground sassafras leaves, used in gumbo for flavor and thickening. The
word "file" means to twist or make threads. If you put the file
directly into the gumbo while it is cooking, that is what you will
end up with, a liquid that is rather stringy as you bring your spoon
out of the bowl. Ugh! Do it right, let each person add their own at
the table.
If making roux over veiy high heat, the oil you use must be free of
food particles to avoid burning. If you scorch your roux, even
slightly, while you are making it, throw it out, and start over again
after you have thoroughly cleaned the pot.
Be veiy careful making the roux. Justin Wilson used to refer to roux
as Cajun napalm. If it splashes and lands on bare skin it will burn
badly.
When making an okra gumbo, add 4 to 6 cups of cut okra to trinity,
saute, and cook together with roux. Remember, the Cajun cooking
trinity is onions, celery, and green pepper.
