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 Time20mins
Cook Time3hrs
CourseBrunch, Dinner, Lunch
CuisineCajun, Creole, New Orleans
Keywordgumbo, Okra
Servings12servings
Ingredients
Roux + Gumbo
8cupschicken broth
16ozandouille sausage, cut into 1/4" rounds
2cupscooked chicken, in bite-sized pieces
2cupsonions, finely diced
1cupcelery, finely diced
1cupgreen bell pepper, finely diced
4clovesgarlic, minced
1cupbutter
1cupflour
1tspcumin powder
1tspthyme
1/2tspblack pepper
1/2 tspcayenne pepper
2bay leaves
salt
3cupsfrozen, cut okrawe would do 4
1/2cupgreen onions, sliced
1/2cupfresh parsley, chopped
Serving
cooked long grain rice
fresh parsley to garnish
green onions, choppedoptional
Crystal hot sauce
Instructions
Prep
Wash and chop all of the vegetables, and prep the remaining ingredients (particularly the stock and browned sausages) to have at the ready.
Roux + Gumbo
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.
Serve
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 Chrystal hot sauce.