Joined Oct 2005
2K Posts | 1+
Lost in translation
I have made gumbo a number of times by piecing together a number of different recipes that I have found on the internet to come up with my own creation. I have no idea if it compares well to southern gumbo as have never had any while I have been down south but here is my version. It came out great.
Ingrediants
4-6 chicken thighs (bone in and skin on)
1 lb Andouille sausage
1/2 lb. raw shrimp peeled and devained (optional)
1 large yellow onion diced
1 large green pepper diced
3 stalks of celery diced
4 cloves of garlic minced
one cup of okra (frozen is fine)
1/2 cup white wine
1 can of stewed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 can of beer (light is ok)
1/4 teaspoon of the following spices and herbs
chili powder
paprika
cumin
cayenne pepper
oregano
crushed red pepper flakes
enough oil to coat the bottom of a heavy pot
4 tablespoons of butter
4 tablespoons of flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a large heavy bottom pot. Season the chicken with salt and brown both sides in the pot. Remove it from the pot and then brown the sausage in there too. Remove it and let it cool. Add the peppers onions and celery. Sweat them until soft and the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper; cook until fragrant. Add the tomato paste. Cook 3-4 minutes on low heat until its encorporated with the vegtables. Add the wine, beer and the stewed tomatoes (crush the tomatoes in your hand into smaller pieces).
Make sure you add the tomato juice from the can.
Add back the chicken and the sausage, the remaining herbs and spices and the okra. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for about an hour or more to allow the flavors to meld. In a fry pan melt the butter and add the flour (this is a roux). Cook this on medium to low heat and stir frequently (not constantly) until the mixure is a peanut brown color. The roux will add a lot of flavor and also thicken the gumbo. It will add a richness to the dish. Then add it to the pot. Season the gumbo with salt and pepper and adjust the heat with cayenne pepper or your favorite hot sauce. Add the shrimp if you want at this point and cook until done (don't over cook your shrimp). Serve it over hot white rice.
Ingrediants
4-6 chicken thighs (bone in and skin on)
1 lb Andouille sausage
1/2 lb. raw shrimp peeled and devained (optional)
1 large yellow onion diced
1 large green pepper diced
3 stalks of celery diced
4 cloves of garlic minced
one cup of okra (frozen is fine)
1/2 cup white wine
1 can of stewed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 can of beer (light is ok)
1/4 teaspoon of the following spices and herbs
chili powder
paprika
cumin
cayenne pepper
oregano
crushed red pepper flakes
enough oil to coat the bottom of a heavy pot
4 tablespoons of butter
4 tablespoons of flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a large heavy bottom pot. Season the chicken with salt and brown both sides in the pot. Remove it from the pot and then brown the sausage in there too. Remove it and let it cool. Add the peppers onions and celery. Sweat them until soft and the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper; cook until fragrant. Add the tomato paste. Cook 3-4 minutes on low heat until its encorporated with the vegtables. Add the wine, beer and the stewed tomatoes (crush the tomatoes in your hand into smaller pieces).
Make sure you add the tomato juice from the can.
Add back the chicken and the sausage, the remaining herbs and spices and the okra. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for about an hour or more to allow the flavors to meld. In a fry pan melt the butter and add the flour (this is a roux). Cook this on medium to low heat and stir frequently (not constantly) until the mixure is a peanut brown color. The roux will add a lot of flavor and also thicken the gumbo. It will add a richness to the dish. Then add it to the pot. Season the gumbo with salt and pepper and adjust the heat with cayenne pepper or your favorite hot sauce. Add the shrimp if you want at this point and cook until done (don't over cook your shrimp). Serve it over hot white rice.
