Recipe Friday Feb. 20, 2009

Mardi Gras is next week, I haven't made gumbo before, so I thought I would give it a go. I took this recipe from Paula Deen. She has a video on how to make it, along with making a roux.

For those of you that don't know what a roux is, you simply put a fat into a pan, then stir some flour into it, cook it slowly until it is a nice buttery brown color, then add your liquid. It is the basic step in making white gravy, something almost every parent made this when I was a kid growing up. They added dried beef to it and served it over homemade biscuits, toast, and mashed potatoes. I am sure you all know what it used to be called.......S%&t on a shingle! We loved it!


So, here is how to make the Gumbo, it starts with a roux, most southern cooking does.

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Here is the recipe. Enjoy, I am going to make it on Tuesday, I think! I know, it looks like a lot of ingredients, but really, I have learned that is why these recipes have so much flavor. I have garlic and fresh parsley in the house all the time now, along with green onions.

Gumbo
Paula Deen

INGREDIENTS

• 3 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons margarine
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic minced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 stalks celery chopped
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 bunch flat-leaf parsley, stems and leaves, coarsely chopped, plus chopped leaves for garnish
• 4 cups hot water
• 5 beef bouillon cubes
• 1 14-ounce can stewed tomatoes with juice
• 2 cups frozen sliced okra
• 4 green onions, sliced, white and green parts
• 1/2 pound small shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked


DIRECTIONS

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned on both sides and remove. Add the sausage and cook until browned, then remove.
Sprinkle the flour over the oil, add 2 tablespoons of margarine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until brown, about 10 minutes. Let the roux cool. Return the Dutch oven to low heat and melt the remaining 3 tablespoons margarine.
Add the onion, garlic, green pepper and celery and cook for 10 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste and the 1/4 bunch parsley. Cook, while stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.
Add 4 cups hot water and bouillon cubes, whisking constantly. Add the chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add tomatoes and okra. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Just before serving add the green onions, shrimp and chopped parsley.