Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans?
I didn't when I first moved there, but after leaving after spending nearly a decade there, I definitely do. Whenever I'm feeling nostalgic, gumbo is usually the first thing I make. It's comfort food, sure, but it's also a little reminder of a city that still feels like home. My American hometown, as I call it.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups flour
1 ½ cups vegetable oil
Holy trinity
1 large large yellow onion, diced
1 cup chopped celery,
1 cup chopped green peppers
3 tbsp minced garlic
65 oz chicken stock
Meat from 1 rotisserie chicken
12 oz Andouille sausage
½ cup chopped okra (I use frozen)
Scallions, finely chopped
Parsley, chopped
Spices (2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 bay leaf, Tony’s Creole Seasoning to taste)
Crystal hot sauce, to taste
Cooked white rice, for serving
Instructions
Brown andouille sausage: In a skillet, place sliced sausage on medium heat. Brown on each side for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
Make a roux: In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over low heat, whisk together the flour and oil to make a roux. Stir constantly until it turns the color of milk chocolate. Don't rush it. Chef Emeril Lagasse says a roux takes about as long as it takes to drink two beers – I believe him.
If you’re skipping the beer, it should take 30-45 mins.
Add Holy Trinity and stock: Once your roux reaches the right color, add your onion, celery, bell pepper, minced garlic and stir until the vegetables are softened. Add the broth to your mixture (slowly to not split your roux) along with a bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 1-2 hrs.
Add shredded chicken, scallions, and okra and simmer for 30 mins-1hr. Your gumbo should be thick by now, but you can add a bit of water if you’d like to adjust it.
Add creole seasoning and hot sauce to taste.
Serve over cooked white rice and garnish with cropped parsley. Add a bit more hot sauce.
