Sausage and Chicken Gumbo

I often get nostalgic and miss the very essence of the things I grew up with.  Living in New York City so far away from where I grew up I need to have a little bit of home from time to time.  I also like to give my kids some sense of what my childhood was like.  One of the ways that I'm able to do this is to have a taste of home right in my own kitchen is to make some of the recipes that I grew up enjoying. 

Louisiana is where I was born and spent most of my childhood.  It's where both my parents were born and raised. It's where their parents were born and raised.  So I have a very rich family history there.  I grew up attending huge family gatherings and eating an array of different types of food.

Because of it's menagerie of cultures Louisiana in my opinion has some of the best food in the country.  Fall is a time for one of my favorite dishes that grew up on, Gumbo.  Gumbo is a stew that's made with  a vegetable trio of celery, onions, and bell pepper that is often referred to as the holy trinity. 

Some gumbo may also have okra.  This is used to give the dish a rich thick texture.  I have picky eaters that don't eat okra, and to be honest I don't know how much I like it myself.  So I used a roux to get the same texture.  I also added file powder because I think it gives the gumbo a little something tasty. A traditional Creole gumbo can have ham or sausage, shellfish such as crab, and shrimp.  Since the Mr is allergic to shellfish I decided to go with a Cajun version with chicken and sausage. 



Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
makes 12 servings

• 2/3 c vegatable oil
• 3/4 c all purpose flour
• 1/4 c whole wheat flour
• 1    diced onion
• 1    diced bell pepper
• 3    diced celery ribs
• 2     lbs chicken boneless breasts and thighs cubed
• 1     lb  sausage sliced
• 1/2  tsp red pepper flakes
• 1     tsp paprika
• 1     tsp black pepper
• 1     tsp thyme
• 2     tbl minced garlic
• 2     tsp file powder
• 4     cups rice cooked

Put  chicken in a pot and cover with water.  Boil for about 15 minutes.  Remove chicken and reserve liquid.

Heat oil in a cast iron skillet for 5 minutes.  Whisk in flours and cook, stirring constantly until it is
medium brown.  Lower the heat to avoid burning. 

Add onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic.  Cook on low for 10 minutes.

Add 2 cups of the chicken stock that was reserved.  Add sausage, chicken, all of the seasonings except the file powder and the rest of the stock.

Bring to a boil then let it simmer uncovered for one hour.

Removed and add file.  Let it sit for about 5 minutes.

Serve over rice.