5 Easy Recipes 4 Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Another version of Chicken and sausage gumbo by Southern Foodways Alliance @ flickr who compete in cook offs

From Denny: When shrimp and crawfish are not in season or too expensive then folks on the Gulf Coast turn to chicken and sausage to make their gumbos. There are as many variations of gumbo as there are people!

This recipe comes from our local newspaper writer, Corinne Cook, who has devised a short-cut on making the roux. She uses the bottled version made by Savoie that is called Savoie’s Old-Fashioned Dark Brown Roux. I've often sent this product out of state included in a Louisiana basket for gifts as it is great for novices who don't know how to make their own roux.

Let me know how you like this version of gumbo. I've included links to other variations of Chicken and Sausage Gumbo I've posted on this blog too, enjoy!





Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

From: Corinne Cook, local food writer for The Advocate newspaper

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

2 links Savoie’s original pork sausage
Water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 large chicken, cut into pieces
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt, pepper and cayenne pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped green onion tops
Cooked rice

Directions:

1. Chop sausage into 2- to 3-inch lengths. Cook in 1 cup water for 15 minutes to soften the sausage and remove some of the fat. Drain and set aside to cool slightly, then cut into about 1/2-inch slices or bite-size pieces.

2. In large heavy pot over medium-high heat, make a dark brown roux using flour and oil. Stir constantly until it turns the color of cocoa powder.

3. Add celery, bell pepper and onions to roux. Cook until vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally, as needed.

4. Add the chicken pieces to the pot along with the garlic and about 1/2 gallon water. Season to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.

5. Cover and cook for 30 minutes over low heat. Stir in the reserved sausage and put the top back on the pot and continue cooking for another hour or until chicken is tender.

6. Add chopped parsley and green onion tops about 5 minutes before serving, while the gumbo is still hot. Serve over cooked rice.

NOTE: Corinne Cook said she actually used Savoie’s Old-Fashioned Dark Brown Roux when she made our pot of gumbo. “I can’t tell the difference in taste. If using the prepared roux, I sauté my vegetables first in a bit of oil, and if that’s too dry, I add a little water to it until they’re soft, then add the water, roux and chicken. Or, follow the recipe on jar, if necessary, but I use a little less than the amount of roux they call for,” Cook said.


*** MORE Chicken and Sausage Gumbo and Gumbo recipes from this blog:

New Orleans Recipes: Crawfish Etouffee, Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, Jambalaya, Sazerac Cocktail

Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo

Recipe: Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Recipe: Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Gumbo


*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Paula Deens Shrimp Gumbo Casserole

From Denny: Here's an unusual but easy recipe I ran across the other day from Food Network star Paula Deen who lives in Savannah, Georgia. I've seen and cooked a lot of different styles of gumbo but never have I seen anyone choose to put a cornbread topping on it like a Shepard's Pie, very clever, and so easy! Just think, she found a way to skip the step of baking a pan of cornbread by throwing it on top of the stew. Talk about a one dish meal. The winter is the perfect time for this easy crowd pleaser and time saver dish!

From: Paula Deen, Paula's Home Cooking @ Food Network

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 45 min

Level: Easy

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

Gumbo:

1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons House Seasoning, recipe follows
1 cup chicken or fish stock
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
10-ounce package frozen cut okra
2 cups shrimp, cleaned, peeled, and deveined

Topping:

1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup milk
12-ounce package corn muffin mix

Directions

In an iron skillet, saute onion and celery in oil. Add bay leaves, thyme, lemon-pepper seasoning and House Seasoning. Pour in stock and add tomatoes and okra. Cover pot and gently simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in shrimp.

To prepare the topping, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix together egg and milk, add to muffin mix, and combine until just well-blended. Drop by tablespoonfuls on top of hot shrimp mixture, leaving the center uncovered. Bake 15 to 20 minutes.

*** Paula's Cook's Note: This Southern dish usually is prepared and served in an iron skillet, but may be cooked in a frying pan with an oven-proof handle.

*** Denny's Cook's Note: If you do use an iron skillet, make sure it is well seasoned as tomatoes have acid that can compromise that seasoning layer, putting pits in it, leaching a little too much of that iron taste into the food. After you do use an iron skillet with tomatoes or lemon acid in a dish, make sure to season it again just to make sure the pan is well sealed.

Paula's House Seasoning:

1 cup salt

1/4 cup black pepper

1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, huge hug to current subscribers - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email!