Chicken-andouille Gumbo
- 3 Tbls. cooking oil
- 3 Tbls. flour
- 3-4 lb. chicken (1 whole hen cut up, or
equivalent)*
- 1 lb. andouille or smoked sausage, sliced
(1/2-1/4 inch thick)
- or 2 lb. seasoning ham,
cubed
- 1 pint raw oysters (optional)
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 medium green pepper, chopped
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-3 quarts water (more or less)
- 2 Tbls. parsley, minced
- 1 tspn. thyme
- 2 bay leaves, whole
- 1/4 tspn. cayenne or Tabasco
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
- Filé (if available)
- First you make a roux.
Combine oil and flour in large pot. Cook over medium
heat, stirring constantly (or very often!!) until
not-quite-chocolate (or dark oak) brown. BE CAREFUL TO
AVOID BURNING. (If it starts to smoke, turn down the
heat!) If it burns, throw it out and start over; you
can't fix it.
- Simultaneously, place
sausage in heavy skillet and fry until well done and fat
is substantially cooked out. Remove sausage from pan and
set aside (on brown paper to absorb grease). In
drippings, fry chicken parts until brown. Remove and set
aside with sausage.
- Back to the roux. When roux
turns nice brown, lower heat and add onions and green
peppers, smother until tender, not browned, stirring
occasionally. (Add a couple of tablespoons of water if
needed.) Add chicken, sausage (or ham), green onions, and
garlic. Stir together and let simmer 5 minutes.
- Now gumbo. Add water to
consistency of thin gravy. (You control the thickness.)
Add thyme, bay leaves, parsley, salt, pepper, cayenne or
tabasco. Cover and cook slowly about 45 minutes. Chicken
should fall from bones. You may (if you're really
compulsive) remove bones before serving.
- If you like, add oysters (whole) and the
oyster-water (the liquid they're packed in). Cook about
10 minutes more until oysters curl.
- Serve over steamed rice. Sprinkle lightly
with filé. Add additional cayenne to taste.
* You can also use chicken thighs. Fry with
skin on, then remove skin for a low-fat alternative. TURKEY IS
ANOTHER EXCELLENT CHOICE. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are
not recommended because the meat has less flavor and tends to get
stringy; but if you insist, cut breasts into chunks.
Bon appetit!
- Jerre Madere, W.FL Cluster