Cajun-style gumbo is a hearty stew created from the melting-pot of Louisiana cooking. The first known recipes were in the early 1800s. In the spring the gumbo would include crawfish, catfish, and other freshwater fish. Late summer was the time to make it with chicken, duck, goose, or other fowl raised at home. In the autumn and winter, it was common to use duck, squirrel, rabbit, and other wild game brought home by the hunter.
½ cup avocado oil or peanut oil
12 oz smoked andouille sausage, halved lengthwise, and sliced into ¼-inch pieces
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 T Cajun Seasoning (recipe follows)
1 t smoked paprika
½ t cayenne pepper (optional, if you want a little more heat)
2 t dried thyme
1 T Worcestershire sauce
3 cups chicken stock
6 to 8 boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of any fat and cut into 3 to 4 pieces
1 bottle Abita beer or other amber beer
2 bay leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sliced okra
1 T filé powder (dried and ground leaves of the North American sassafras tree)
1 bunch chopped scallions, for garnish
Louisiana or Crystal hot sauce, for the table
In a large cast-iron pot or Dutch oven, fitted with a lid, add the oil and cook the sausage until light brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl and set aside.
To make the roux, whisk the flour into the oil in the pot.
Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
Let the roux cook until it’s the color of peanut butter.
Lower heat to medium-low and let roux cook until it’s the color of an old copper penny, about 5 to 10 minutes more.
Stir in the “holy trinity” of onion, bell pepper, and celery.
Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook another minute.
Add the Cajun Seasoning, paprika, cayenne, thyme, Worcestershire, chicken stock, cut up chicken thighs, beer, bay leaves, and the browned sausage.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Partially cover with a lid and simmer 20 minutes.
Add okra and simmer another 5 minutes.
Turn off heat and stir in the filé powder and let sit for 5 minutes.
Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with scallions and serve with cooked white rice and French bread or corn bread.
Serves 4
Cajun Seasoning
3 T paprika
2 T sea salt
2 T garlic powder
2 T cayenne pepper
2 T onion powder
2 T dried thyme
2 T ground black pepper
1 T ground white pepper
Pour above ingredients in a jar fitted with a lid. Shake well and store in a cool dark place for up to one year.
