My Authentic Gumbo

 

Cajun Spice

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried sweet basil

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/2 tablespoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

 

¼ cup of parsley to be added at the end

¼ cup of green onion if you desire (add when you put the parsley in)

 

Roux

1 ¼ cup flour

1 cup vegetable oil

 

Heat oil until hot and not yet smoking.  Add flour in small amounts until thickened.  Cook until a nice milk chocolate amber color.

The Trinity & Garlic

2 small onions (or 1 large onion) Yellow of course

2 green bell peppers

4 celery stalks

4 garlic cloves sliced thinly

To prepare, cut up all vegetables to a small dice.  You don’t want them to big as they will wilt and reduce in size as they cook.  Once roux is the desired color add the vegetables to the roux and cook / sweat them for about 5 minutes.  I would add about 1/2Tbsp of the spice mix to the veg. roux mix at this time.  It will absorb all the dry seasoning and continue to add flavor throughout the cooking process.

Stock

If you can it is preferred that you make your own stock from leftover chicken bones, onion, celery, carrots, black peppercorns, and bay leaves.  If not use about 12 cups of chicken stock, reduced sodium is the preferred kind.  I use Kitchen Basics reduced sodium chicken stock.

Add the stock to the vegetable roux mix about a ladle full at a time.  Make sure to stir and incorporate each ladle full in as you add it.

Meats

This is one of the most important choices in making your gumbo.  Myself, I make a chicken and Andouille gumbo with Tasso Ham added in.  I live close to Louisiana, so when I go I get authentic Andouille from the little meat shack there.  About a pound or three cups should do.  I also get about a pound of smoke Tasso Ham.  This is a smoked and spiced Cajun ham that adds an amazing flavor to all gumbos.  NEVER use liquid smoke in a gumbo.  If you can’t get smoked meats, use the best Andouille you can find at the local supermarket.  They all pretty much carry them now.  You can used smoked cured ham as well if you can’t find Tasso.  Several recipes call for whole cut up chickens.  I find that this can be a pain with all the bones, so I like to use chicken thighs with the skin on. 

2-3 lbs. of chicken thighs

I sprinkle them with flour and some of the Cajun spice mix, and bake them in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes.  It’s ok if they are not fully cooked.  You really want them still pink so they can finish in the gumbo.  Once the chicken has cooled, cut them into pieces and set aside to add later.

1 – ½ lbs. Andouille sausage

Cut the sausage in half lengthwise and then into ¼ inch half-moons.  Brown the sausage in a cast iron pan.  Add a little oil if it seems to be too dry of a sausage.  Once they are browned, drain the fat off and reserve the Andouille.

1 Lb. Tasso Ham (Or smoked cured ham)

Cut the ham into small bite sized pieces and set aside to add to the gumbo with the sausage.

Completion

Once all the meats are prepared you can add them to the vegetable and stock mixture, except for the chicken.  At this point you can and in another ½ - 1 Tbs. of the spice mix and about 3-4 bay leaves.  The gumbo is now ready to cook at a SLOW simmer for about 2-3 hours.  You want it to be about the consistency of a sauce, not soupy and not super thick.  You can now add in the chicken and about ¼ cup of chopped up green onion and parsley, flat leaf not the curly kind.  If you like okra you can add it sliced up at this point thicken the gumbo and add some flavor.

After another half an hour the chicken should be fully cooked and you are ready to assemble the gumbo.

Place a cup of long grain fully cooked rice in the bottom of the bowl and then ladle the gumbo on top.  Serve with freshly baked crusty French or baguette bread and a nice bold red wine or dark beer.

Enjoy, and please, have some in a day or two as it will only meld together and become more flavorful.