Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1 Yellow (Spanish – not sweet!) onion, small diced

• 1 Green Bell Pepper (you can use whatever color your heart desires), small diced

• 2 Stalks of Celery, very thinly sliced or small diced

• 4 Cloves of Garlic, minced

• 4 tbsp, divided in half, Thibodeaux’s Cajun Seasoning

• Tabasco Sauce – To taste (1 to 4 tbsp)

• Approximately 2.5 lbs Chicken (thighs or breasts, your choice)

• Approximately 1 lb smoked sausage (andouille is best, but any smoked pork sausage will be good)

• 3 qt Unsalted Chicken Stock

• 1.25 c Vegetable oil (or for more flavor, use strained bacon grease or lard)

• 1.25 c AP flour

• Salt & Black Pepper – to taste

 

Procedure:

Heat a large cast iron or cast aluminum Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add oil.

After the oil is hot, add the flour. Combine with a whisk, but feel free to alternate between a whisk and a flat spoon until the mixture (the roux) is the color of a milk chocolate bar. Also, feel free to have a milk chocolate bar next to you for reference and dispose of it as best you see fit.

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Once the roux is the color of milk chocolate, reduce the heat to low, add your diced onions, celery, and bell peppers. Add a few pinches of salt. Stir to combine, and cook until the onions are translucent. Once
that is achieved, add half of your Cajun seasoning and black pepper (to taste) and combine.

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Cut the sausages in half lengthwise and then slice into quarter-inch “half moons”. Add to the gumbo pot and sauté with the trinity. Once sweated, add the garlic, and once fragrant, begin adding chicken stock
(see following).

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To add the chicken stock, take the stock in your non-dominant hand and begin stirring the roux mixture with a whisk (quickly) with your dominant hand. Slowly begin to pour the stock in while whisking quickly
throughout.

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Once all the stock is incorporated, add the remaining Cajun seasoning, a small amount of your hot sauce of choice, and the chicken thighs (whole). Bring to a boil, and once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for
at least 30 minutes.

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Taste the unfinished gumbo at this point. Evaluate for salt, seasoning, acidity, and heat. The roux needs to “cook out,” which will result in a rich and somewhat smokey gumbo. Adjust your flavors as necessary,
adding salt, Cajun seasoning, or hot sauce to your desired amount.
Continue to simmer for two to three hours. Once finished, the chicken thighs should easily separate.

Taste for any final seasoning adjustments and make them accordingly.

Serve hot and over rice – or – with Cajun potato salad.