CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE GUMBO
Roux: (This can be made ahead of time. Night before)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup vegetable oil or butter
====== Heat the oil in a pot and whisk in the flour. Cook until the mixture becomes a peanut butter color. Continually stir the mixture so the flour does not burn on the bottom of the pan. About 10-20 minutes on medium-low heat. Take it off the heat. Let it cool if you are putting it in the fridge for later.
Chicken Stock: (This can be made the night before)
- 1 whole chicken
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- enough water to almost reach the top of the large pot and cover the chicken
====== Bring the water to a boil in a large bowl, making sure there is enough room for the chicken without having an overflow. Turn the heat down to a simmer and add the rest of the ingredients. Boil until the chicken looks or is cooked. Remove the chicken from the water and take the meat off the bones. Put the bones back into the water and let it simmer for an hour. Add more flavoring(salt, pepper, crush red pepper) if you wish. Save the chicken meat for the gumbo. If you make the stock early and let it cool before you put it in the fridge, the next day you can take out the solidified fat that floats to the top.
The Gumbo:
- 4 Spicy Hot Itallian Sausage (1 inch slices)
- Chicken meat (see above)
- 1 lb sliced okra
- 2 cups diced celery
- 2 cups diced onions
- 2 cups diced green peppers
- 1 tbsp crushed red pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tbsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tspn black pepper
- 3 tbsp garlic powder
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 cup chopped green onion
- Roux(see above)
- Chicken Stock strained(see above)
====== Pour the roux in a large pot. Add the vegetables and a cup of the strained chicken stock. Stir and let cook for 3 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the cayenne and black pepper and garlic powder. Fill the rest of the pot with chicken stock. Let it simmer for 1/2 hour. Add the pepper and garlic powder. Let it cook for 1 hr, ocassionally stirring so the roux does not sink and burn on the bottom. Turn off the heat and cover(the heat does not dissipate too fast so it will be hot and still cooking for a bit). Add more cayenne pepper to taste. Serve with rice.