Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
added 03/07/08
Serves 8
Used to thicken many sauces, a roux is a mixture
of equal amounts of cooked flour and oil. The cooking period varies,
depending on the color of roux required (a white or blond roux for
a white sauce, a brown roux for a brown sauce). Use a long-handled
wooden spoon or whisk when cooking, as the mixture is very hot.
For this recipe, make the roux as dark as possible, but if it develops
dark specks, it has burned and you’ll need to start over.
Filé powder is a seasoning made from
the ground dried leaves of the sassafras tree. Choctaw Indians from
the Louisiana bayou country are said to be the first users of this
signature spice of Creole cooking.
1-1/2 tsp. salt (divided use)
1 tsp. pepper (divided use)
1 tsp. garlic powder (divided use)
1 tsp. onion powder (divided use)
1-1/4 cup flour (divided use)
1 (2-3 lb.) chicken, cut up
1 cup oil (divided use)
1/2 to 1 lb. Andouille or smoked sausage,
cut in _-inch pieces
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup chopped okra (may use frozen)
8 cups chicken stock
1 Tbs. paprika
1 Tbs. filé powder
4 cups hot cooked rice
Mix 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper,
and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder. Rub on chicken pieces and set aside
for 30 minutes.
Place 1/2 cup flour in a bag. Add chicken pieces and shake well
to coat the chicken. Heat 1/2 cup of oil in a heavy skillet and
fry the chicken until browned, about 5 minutes on each side. Remove
chicken and drain. In the same pan, sauté the sausage until
browned. Remove from heat, drain, and reserve with the chicken.
Mix 3/4 cup flour and 1/2 cup oil in a large,
heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat and stir to mix. Continue
cooking and stirring until the roux is a dark chocolate brown. This
can take 30 minutes. If it begins to cook too fast, remove from
heat and continue to stir. Add chopped vegetables and stir thoroughly.
Mixture will be sticky. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock
1 cup at a time until it is well blended. Add remaining salt, pepper,
onion powder, paprika, filé powder, chicken pieces, and sausage.
Simmer for l-1/2 hours. Serve over rice.
— Juan Garcia, The Dallas Morning
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