Cajun Gumbo

Name: Cajun Gumbo
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb. medium raw shrimp (peeled, tail off); 2 cups water; Dash Old Bay seasoning; 1 medium yellow onion (finely chopped); 1 green (and/or red) bell pepper (coarsely chopped); 1 jalapeno pepper (sliced with seeds); 3 stalks celery (sliced, leaves for stock); Dash salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme; 1/4 cup olive oil; 6 chicken thighs (whole, skin on); 1 lb. Andouille sausage; 2 tbs. butter; 1/2 cup flour; 3 cups chicken stock; 2 garlic cloves (peeled, thinly sliced); Dash salt, pepper, Creole or Cajun seasoning; 1 tsp. dried thyme; Dash red pepper flakes; 1 bay leaf; Dash Worcestershire sauce; Dash hot sauce; 1/2 cup green onions (thinly sliced, white ends to green); 1 cup sliced okra (frozen - if not in season); 2 tsps. Filé powder (optional); 1/3 cup fresh parsley (finely chopped); 2 cups cooked rice

Rick M @RickM_PTC

PTC, GA.

"Cajun" style – Gumbo, uses no tomatoes. However all gumbos starts with the basic “holy trinity” (onions, peppers, & celery), a good stock, and various meat, fowl, and shellfish. The key is to make a roux and add okra or filé powder as a thickening agent. Adjust the ingredients and seasonings to your liking and “Laissez les bon temps rouler” [Let the good times roll!]

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Ingredients

8 servings

1 lb.medium raw shrimp (peeled, tail off)
2 cupswater
DashOld Bay seasoning
1medium yellow onion (finely chopped)
1green (and/or red) bell pepper (coarsely chopped)
1jalapeno pepper (sliced with seeds)
3 stalkscelery (sliced, leaves for stock)
Dashsalt, pepper, paprika, and thyme
1/4 cupolive oil
6chicken thighs (whole, skin on)
1 lb.Andouille sausage
2 tbs.butter
1/2 cupflour
3 cupschicken stock
2garlic cloves (peeled, thinly sliced)
Dashsalt, pepper, Creole or Cajun seasoning
1 tsp.dried thyme
Dashred pepper flakes
1bay leaf
DashWorcestershire sauce
Dashhot sauce
1/2 cupgreen onions (thinly sliced, white ends to green)
1 cupsliced okra (frozen - if not in season)
2tsps. Filé powder (optional)
1/3 cupfresh parsley (finely chopped)
2 cupscooked rice

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Steps

1

Prepare the shrimp and set aside in the refrigerator. Take the shells / tails and place them in a small pot. Add the water and Old Bay seasoning to the pot and bring to a boil.
2

Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the liquid into a large cup and discard the shells. [Reserve this liquid]
3

Prepare the vegetables; place them all in a bowl, and set aside. Heat a cast iron pan or a large pot (Dutch oven) for next steps.
4

Season the chicken. Add oil to a large pan or pot and cook the chicken 15 minutes per side minimum on medium heat. Remove and allow them to cool.
5

In the same pot, add the sausage and brown 5 minutes per side. Remove and allow it to cool.
6

Pour off the oil into a measuring cup to get 1/2 cup. Add butter to pot and begin to melt. Add the measured oil and heat over medium heat until slightly smoking. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup flour. This is called making a roux.
7

Whisk routinely until the roux is a bit darkish brown. The timing varies depending on the pan, the heat, medium or dark roux technique, etc. Be careful not to let it burn though. [May take 8-15 minutes]
8

When the roux reaches the optimum color, reduce the heat and add the vegetables, and mix. Scrape the pan bottom and stir occasionally. Heat this for 7-8 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
9

Add the chicken or shrimp stock to a pot if using the pan method at start. Then add the sautéed vegetables to pot. Or just add stock to pot and begin to heat until a slight boil.
10

Reduce the heat to low-medium and stir in the garlic, seasonings and sauces. Add chicken meat roughly chopped and sliced sausage (1/2” pieces).
11

Add green onions (white parts), simmer for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. After long simmer raise the heat and add the okra and cook for 15 minutes. The stock will thicken a bit more.
12

Now reduce the heat to low and add the shrimp and parsley. Add filé powder if not using okra. Cook until the shrimp begins to turn a slight pink. Turn off the heat while preparing the rice.
13

To serve, place a cup of cooked rice into a round mini-cup. Invert the cup of rice into the center of a plate or bowl. Ladle the gumbo all around the mounded rice and garnish with parsley.
14

Serve and enjoy with some crusty bread or cornbread.