Even in Arizona it is always gumbo season. It got close to 110 degrees today, but that didn't deter me.
Ingredients:
3 quarts chicken stock
1 lb smoked sausage
1/2 lb ham
1 cup each onion, celery, bell pepper
Garlic
Cayenne pepper
Salt
Ground pepper
3-4 cups cooked white rice
Chopped green onions
I started this morning by making chicken stock. I put a picked over chicken (left over from chicken and dumplings last month) from the freezer into 3.5 quarts of water, with some carrots, celery tops and onions. I brought it to a boil and then simmered for about an hour, then strained it through a colander lined w/thick paper towels.
Began the gumbo with a roux. I make mine in a 12" cast iron skillet, and use 1 cup each of vegetable oil and flour. Once the oil is hot I add the flour and stir it until well mixed with a whisk.
Then I switched to a large wooden spoon, turned the heat down to medium and stirred constantly until it was the color of melted milk chocolate. Overall it took about 25 minutes to make the roux.
I removed the skillet from the heat and added about 1 cup each of celery, onions and green peppers.
I put a 6 quart enameled dutch oven on the burner and transferred the roux/trinity to it. I added a few cloves of pressed garlic, cayenne pepper, salt and ground black pepper to taste. Once the vegetables were soft, I added 1/2 lb of diced ham and 1 lb of smoked sausage (cut half and sliced, then browned separately in a deep skillet and drained). I added the chicken stock slowly while stirring, then once it was completely mixed, added three bay leaves. Brought it to a boil, then reduced it to a simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
I cooked the chicken in the skillet I used for sausage, in the sausage fat. I used two large boneless/skinless breasts and four boneless/skinless thighs. Once it was cooked, I chopped it and added to the gumbo.
This is the finished product, with a scoop of rice in the bowl and topped with chopped green onions. Add some hot sauce and enjoy!
Ingredients:
3 quarts chicken stock
1 lb smoked sausage
1/2 lb ham
1 cup each onion, celery, bell pepper
Garlic
Cayenne pepper
Salt
Ground pepper
3-4 cups cooked white rice
Chopped green onions
I started this morning by making chicken stock. I put a picked over chicken (left over from chicken and dumplings last month) from the freezer into 3.5 quarts of water, with some carrots, celery tops and onions. I brought it to a boil and then simmered for about an hour, then strained it through a colander lined w/thick paper towels.
Began the gumbo with a roux. I make mine in a 12" cast iron skillet, and use 1 cup each of vegetable oil and flour. Once the oil is hot I add the flour and stir it until well mixed with a whisk.
Then I switched to a large wooden spoon, turned the heat down to medium and stirred constantly until it was the color of melted milk chocolate. Overall it took about 25 minutes to make the roux.
I removed the skillet from the heat and added about 1 cup each of celery, onions and green peppers.
I put a 6 quart enameled dutch oven on the burner and transferred the roux/trinity to it. I added a few cloves of pressed garlic, cayenne pepper, salt and ground black pepper to taste. Once the vegetables were soft, I added 1/2 lb of diced ham and 1 lb of smoked sausage (cut half and sliced, then browned separately in a deep skillet and drained). I added the chicken stock slowly while stirring, then once it was completely mixed, added three bay leaves. Brought it to a boil, then reduced it to a simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
I cooked the chicken in the skillet I used for sausage, in the sausage fat. I used two large boneless/skinless breasts and four boneless/skinless thighs. Once it was cooked, I chopped it and added to the gumbo.
This is the finished product, with a scoop of rice in the bowl and topped with chopped green onions. Add some hot sauce and enjoy!
