Gumbo

Gumbo

This recipe was inspired by the movie, The Princess and the Frog.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, or thigh
• 2 quarts water, to cook the chicken
• 1 pound okra, 1″ pieces, or frozen
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cup yellow onion, diced
• 1 ½ cup green bell pepper, diced
• ⅓ cup celery, ¼” diced
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 2 cups diced canned tomatoes
• 12 ounces andouille sausage, cooked, ½” slices
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 tsp. dried thyme,
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• 1 Tbsp. Zatarain’s Gumbo Filé seasoning

Directions:

1. In a medium-sized pot, add the chicken and cover with 2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until fully cooked, about 20 to 25 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 160ºF. Strain the chicken broth and reserve. Remove chicken from the pot, let it cool and shred into small pieces. Cover and set aside.
2. In a medium-sized pot, add okra and ½ cup of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer, occasionally stirring, until tender, about 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer to a colander, drain and set aside.
3. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, combine butter and flour. Cook over medium heat, frequently stirring with a whisk, until a dark brown roux forms, about 15 minutes. If needed, increase heat if you do not see a substantial color change. In the last 5 minutes, continuously stir so the roux does not burn.
4. Add onion, bell peppers, celery and garlic to the pot. Sauté until vegetables are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Add the cooked okra, tomatoes and sliced sausage. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add seasonings. Stir in 4 cups of the reserved chicken broth. Loosely cover the pot and simmer over medium-low heat, occasionally stirring until the gumbo thickens, about 30 minutes.
7. Add cooked, shredded chicken and simmer for 15 minutes.
8. Turn off the heat and slowly stir in the gumbo filé. Do not reboil after adding. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as desired. Add more chicken broth if you want a less thick consistency.