Cajun Gumbo

Even though we didn’t have school on Monday and this is a very short week…still seems to be dragging…I guess with this time change…makes us more TIRED and LAZY hahaha. One thing I am happy for is that in the morning when I wake up…its not DARK outside.  This week we are suppose to be getting colder WEATHER so I had planned on my whole weeks MENU around SOUP meals. I love cooking anything SOUP during this season because I don’t mind the POT simmering on the stove. Not only does it keep the house warm but it also makes the HOUSE SMELL SO GOOOOOOOD!!!!! When I am making a BIG POT OF PHO…the smell of the cinnamon and star anise through out the house makes my heart HAPPY 😉 

Today, I had a HUGE pot of CHICKEN, SAUSAGE, and SHRIMP GUMBO simmering on the stove.  Tonight I am making some BEEF PHO for tomorrow..we are having an open house at my kids school and I am bringing some pho to the teachers. I like to simmer the POT OF PHO over night on low heat. Can’t wait to eat it tomorrow 😉 

INGREDIENT

5 tablespoon butter 

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup each- chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 pound chopped okra (optional) 

1 pound andouille sausage (I uses the spicy ones) 

3 tablespoons butter

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs

3 tablespoons flour (all-purpose)

1 cup water

5 cups chicken broth

1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp 

1 teaspoon each- parsley and thyme

2 tablespoons Creole seasoning

2 bay leaf

salt to taste

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)  

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (again, adjust according to your personal tastes)

2 cup uncooked rice

****file powder (optional–I like the way it taste in my gumbo)

 

 

DIRECTION

Melt 2 tablespoon of butter in a large, heavy POT. Add the next four ingredients. Stir until vegetables are tender and onions are translucent.  Remove from pot. 

Add the sausage to the same pot. Cook until it’s crispy in the outside and golden brown. Remove from pot when done. Add the 3 tablespoons of butter. After the butter melts, add the chicken thighs and cook until it done, about 25 minutes. Remove chicken from pot but leaving all the fat/oil behind.

 

 

Turn heat to medium. Add the flour to the rest of the butter or oil from the chicken thigh  already in the skillet. Stir the flour constantly to make a roux, about 20 minutes. It should turn a brown color when the roux is done. Then add the water and cooked vegetables to the roux. Leave the heat on medium and bring to a boil.

After it starts boiling, add the chicken broths, cooked chicken thighs, sausage, and bay leaf. Simmer for one hour or til chicken and sausage are done.

 

Meanwhile, prepare the rice according to directions on package. I always have rice already made 😉 

****Add the seafood (if you are planning on having any…oysters, shrimps, or crabmeat)  to the gumbo after the GUMBO is cooked. I usually sauté the seafood up then just set it to the side..then right before I eat..I add it to the bowl then ladle the gumbo in top. I don’t want my seafood to overcook. 

Add ADDITIONAL  seasonings and hot sauce to the pot according to taste. Cook for about 15 minutes longer. Remove bay leaf. before serving. 

Serve over white rice and garnish with chopped parsley and MORE HOT SAUCE 😉