Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

We cooked the below version from Chris Wells' recipe featured in the WWOZ cookbook That Sounds Good! for our "Dans les Roux" event on May 7, 2022.

Prep Time20

Cook Time3

CourseBrunch, Dinner, Lunch

CuisineCajun, Creole, New Orleans

Keywordgumbo, Okra

Servings12 servings

8 cups chicken broth
16 oz andouille sausage, cut into 1/4" rounds 5 links saucisse d'Alsace was 537g
2 cups cooked chicken, in bite-sized pieces
2 cups onions, finely diced ~230g
~1 cup celery, finely diced ~150g
1 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup butter ~230g
1 cup flour ~230g
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp thyme (or herbs de provence)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
salt
3 cups frozen, cut okra we would do 4
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Wash and chop all of the vegetables, and prep the remaining ingredients (particularly the stock and browned sausages) to have at the ready.

As with any roux, prepare yourself to be stuck at the stove for at least 45 minutes. Put some good New Orleans tunes on (our "Dans Les Roux" playlist is here), and get a glass of whatever beverage is going to put you in the best mood for dancing while stirring (and stirring, and stirring). Depending on the time of day, this chef is probably doing red wine or Grady’s New Orleans style iced coffee (with milk and maple syrup, of course).
Heat a heavy-bottomed pan to medium. When hot, add the butter. When the bubbling subsides, add the flour and stir vigorously with a flat-head wooden spatula until well combined. Continue stirring until it is at least the color of peanut butter, noting that it will continue to cook a bit darker in the next step (also see note below).
When your nice brown color is reached, add the diced vegetables and garlic, continuing to stir until the vegetables begin to melt into the roux (about 20 minutes). Then add the salt, spices, herbs and sausages, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add 5 cups of the broth (to start), bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for one hour, then add the chicken and okra, and simmer gently for 15 more minutes. Add broth whenever it is getting too thick or sticking to the bottom of the pan.
The longer you wait to eat it, the better it will taste! But we don't blame you if you want to dive right in.

Put a rounded scoop of hot, cooked white rice in the center of a bowl or deep dish, and spoon the gumbo around it. Garnish with chopped parsley, and pass some Crystal hot sauce.