Serves
6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped into 1/4 inch dice
- 2 celery ribs, chopped into 1/4 inch dice
- 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped into 1/4 inch dice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium chicken broth
- 8 ounces Andouille smoked sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 (10 ounce) package frozen okra
- 3 cups cooked long-grain white rice for serving
Procedure
Gumbo is a dish that originated in southern Louisiana during the 18th century. The term gumbo comes from the West African word for okra. The dish consists of broth, meat, occasionally shellfish and vegetables, which are traditionally green bell peppers, onion and celery (the trio is known as the “holy trinity” in Cajun cuisine). The flavor of the brown roux is essential to the traditional flavor of gumbo, so ensure you take time to cook the roux to a rich chocolate brown.
1. Place a large Dutch oven on the stove and heat over medium heat. Add the oil and when shimmering, whisk in the flour, mixing well to ensure there are no lumps. Stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, and monitoring the heat to ensure the mixture doesn’t burn, cook until the roux turns the color of milk chocolate, 8-10 minutes.
2. Add the onion, celery and bell pepper and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the bay leaf, thyme, oregano and cayenne pepper and stir to combine; lightly season mixture with salt and pepper.
3. Add the tomatoes and chicken broth and increase heat to a simmer. Add the sausage and chicken and simmer gumbo until the chicken is almost cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add the okra and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes more. Remove the bay leaf and taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
4. To serve: Place a scoop of rice in warmed serving bowls. Ladle the gumbo around the rice and serve immediately.
