Chef's Super Gumbo, blatently stolen from Frank Davis Sham on ya' Chef!!! Make up a great stock, stir in all the traditional New Orleans seasonings and spices, and drop in everything but the proverbial kitchen sink and you got yourself a “supergumbo.” And what better time to whip one up than at Superbowl time. So get up a party and invite over all your friends—this recipe makes a big batch of gumbo that’s sure to be a winner! 1/2 stick margarine 1-1/2 cup onions, finely diced 1 cup celery, diced 6 cloves garlic, minced 2/3 cup bell pepper, finely diced 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/3 cup all purpose flour 2 quarts chicken stock + 2 quarts water as needed 1 lb. boneless beef ribs, cubed 2 lbs. chicken thighs, skinned and cut in halves 1 lb. pork chops, bone -in and cut into halves 1 lb. pork riblets, cut into small pieces 1 lb. smoked sausage, large cubed 1 lb. andouille sausage, sliced in medallions 2 cups smoked ham, diced 1 lb. chicken gizzards 1/2 lb. pickled meat, rinsed and diced 1 lb. fresh green beans 2 medium turnips, peeled and cubed 1/2 lb. carrots, peeled and diced 6 small potatoes, peeled and cubed 4 ears corn on the cob, cut into quarters 1 can green peas (303 size) 1 large tomato, diced 2 cups Portabella mushrooms, cubed 3-4 tsp. Frank Davis Bronzing Mix Salt and black pepper to taste 6 cups cooked long-grain rice 1 dozen Cajun pistolettes, lightly baked First, dig out the big ol’ gumbo pot—it’ll take at least a 16-quart size to make this gumbo. Then put it on the stovetop over a medium- high fire and drop in the half- stick of margarine. When it’s fully melted and sizzling, toss in the onions, celery, garlic, bell pepper and parsley and fry them down until soft, clear, and wilted. While the veggies are cooking in the gumbo pot, take a 12- inch anodized skillet, heat up the vegetable oil, sprinkle on the flour a little at a time (whisking it in as you go), and make a light brown roux. When it’s done, set it aside to cool. When the seasoning vegetables are completely sautéed, pour into the pot the chicken stock and half of the water. Then drop in all the meats—beef ribs, chicken thighs, pork chops, pork riblets, smoked sausage, andouille sausage, ham, gizzards and pickled meat—and bring everything to a gentle boil. It is important that you don’t boil the ingredients rapidly. You just want them to cook gently so as to render out flavor and become tender. At this point, put the lid on the pot, turn the fire down to simmer, and let the meats cook for at least an hour. It’s a good idea to skim the surface of the broth from time to time as the meats cook to remove some of the foamy debris. Next, begin adding the veggies. Start off with the more dense ones— they take longer to cook. I suggest you first drop in the green beans (allow them to cook for about 10 minutes). Then add to the pot the turnips, carrots and potatoes (let them cook with the beans for another 10 minutes). Then ease in the corn on the cob (expect it to take about 10 minutes as well to cook). And finally, stir in the green peas, tomato and mushrooms, blending everything uniformly and simmering the entire gumbo pot—covered—for yet another 10 minutes or so. All that’s left then is to adjust the consistency. The potatoes will thicken the broth slightly, but you probably will have to stir in some of the roux to give the gumbo “body.” The best way to do this without creating lumps in the broth is to spoon some of the roux into a large measuring cup, ladle on some of the hot broth, stir it around until the roux dissolves, then work it into the whole pot of gumbo. Note: after each batch of roux is added, you must let the gumbo cook for at least 5 minutes to thicken properly. Notice that up to this point, you’ve added no salt or pepper whatsoever (that’s because there’s a good chance that there will be enough salt and pepper in the ham, sausage and other meats already). If, however, you need to spice up the pot to suit your taste, this is the time to sprinkle in the bronzing mix and the additional salt and pepper. When you’re ready to eat, serve the gumbo piping hot over a bowl of steamed rice, alongside a hot, crispy, buttered pistolette. It’s the perfect thing for halftime on Superbowl Sunday! Chef’s Notes: If you need to thin out the gumbo slightly, or increase the volume, feel free to go ahead and use the remainder of the water. (Actually, I prefer to use straight chicken stock instead of water to pique the flavor). You can (and you should!) make this gumbo ahead of time so that the full flavor develops. It keeps well in the refrigerator for about 6 days, and freezes well for up to 6 months.