The classic, refined over the years. Aiming at the flavor of a gumbo I ate in Metarie parish near New Orleans back in 1981
one 3lb chicken or assorted pieces – dark meat preferred water to cover chicken – approx 6 quarts.
Simmer chicken until tender, save broth, pull meat from bones and reserve.
3/4 cup bacon drippings
3/4 cup flour
8 stalks celery chopped
2 large onions chopped
1 green pepper chopped
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup parsley
Heat drippings in an iron skillet (important) add flour, cook stirring constantly until roux is the color of a copper penny (10- 15 minutes) then immediately add vegetables and cook over low heat for 20 - 30 minutes.
2 lbs. shrimp
Peel shrimp, reserve and cover shells with water or some of the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and boil for 20 minutes. Strain stock, reserving 2 cups.
6 sweet Italian sausages, casing removed
1 lb sliced okra (frozen works well)
2 Tbs Worchestershire sauce
hot sauce to taste
1 large bay leaf
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp chopped rosemary
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 kielbasa smoked sausage, sliced.
Fry Italian sausage until browned and crumbled. Combine roux-veg mixture, Italian and Kielbasa sausage, okra, and seasonings with 6 cups chicken stock and 2 cups shrimp stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook 11⁄2- 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Cooked chicken meat,
One and one half cups cubed ham 1 Tbls molasses
peeled shrimp
Simmer first 3 ingredients 20 minutes, add shrimp and cook 10 minutes longer.
Serve over rice, pref. jasmine.
Makes 3-4 quarts, and freezes well. Add water or chicken broth if it gets too thick. Better to eat the next day. If we’re freezing batches, we add the shrimp when we reheat, so shrimp doesn’t overcook.
one 3lb chicken or assorted pieces – dark meat preferred water to cover chicken – approx 6 quarts.
Simmer chicken until tender, save broth, pull meat from bones and reserve.
3/4 cup bacon drippings
3/4 cup flour
8 stalks celery chopped
2 large onions chopped
1 green pepper chopped
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup parsley
Heat drippings in an iron skillet (important) add flour, cook stirring constantly until roux is the color of a copper penny (10- 15 minutes) then immediately add vegetables and cook over low heat for 20 - 30 minutes.
2 lbs. shrimp
Peel shrimp, reserve and cover shells with water or some of the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and boil for 20 minutes. Strain stock, reserving 2 cups.
6 sweet Italian sausages, casing removed
1 lb sliced okra (frozen works well)
2 Tbs Worchestershire sauce
hot sauce to taste
1 large bay leaf
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp chopped rosemary
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 kielbasa smoked sausage, sliced.
Fry Italian sausage until browned and crumbled. Combine roux-veg mixture, Italian and Kielbasa sausage, okra, and seasonings with 6 cups chicken stock and 2 cups shrimp stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook 11⁄2- 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Cooked chicken meat,
One and one half cups cubed ham 1 Tbls molasses
peeled shrimp
Simmer first 3 ingredients 20 minutes, add shrimp and cook 10 minutes longer.
Serve over rice, pref. jasmine.
Makes 3-4 quarts, and freezes well. Add water or chicken broth if it gets too thick. Better to eat the next day. If we’re freezing batches, we add the shrimp when we reheat, so shrimp doesn’t overcook.