Creole Gumbo

The fall season is a great time for gumbo.  I love-making it while I’m watching the football games.  Once winter really hits here in Michigan, I make it a lot more.  This weekend has been on the colder side, so what better excuse than to make a traditional New Orleans gumbo to get ready for the up coming season!

What’s in your favorite gumbo?  What’s the craziest way you’ve made it?

As the New Orleans Saints game starts soon and the HBO show “Treme” comes on at 10:00 eastern time, it’s time to get the gumbo bowls going!

 

CREOLE GUMBO

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp bacon grease
• 4 cups fresh or frozen okra, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes, diced
• 1 lbs boneless chicken breasts, cut to bite sized pieces
• 1/2 lbs smoked sausage, thinly sliced
• 10 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 onions, diced – divided
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp sage
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 lbs meduim shrimp, peeled
• green onions, chopped, for garnish
• parsley, for garnish
• cooked white rice

Heat bacon grease over medium-high heat and brown the okra.  Stir constantly for 15 minutes for okra to brown.  Once okra is ready, add tomatoes and heat through.  Set pan aside.

While okra is browning, in another pan, cook chicken pieces and sausage.  Cook until slightly browned and cooked through.  Once they are finished put in a bowl and set aside.

In a large pot, start to bring the 10 cups of chicken broth to a boil.

While chicken broth is in the process of coming to a boil, start making your roux with the cup of flour and the cup of vegetable oil.  Constantly stir until you get a nice dark brown.  Once you get to the darkest color you are comfortable getting to, add 1/2 of the diced onions (or one onion that was diced).  Keep stirring the roux until the onions have softened.

Carefully add the roux mixture to the boiling chicken broth.  Cook for 30 minutes.

Add the okra and tomatoes to the broth and cook for another 30 minutes.

Add the remaining onions, bell pepper, celery, bay leaves, thyme and sage.  Cook for 20 minutes.

Now, add the chicken and sausage.  Cook for 10 minutes.

If you are using shrimp, add the shrimp at this point.  Cook for another 10 minutes.  The shrimp should turn opaque.  Also at this point, stir in the salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper.

Serve over the rice.  Garnish with green onions and parsley.  Enjoy!