The other day, it was rainy and overcast all day and put me in the mood for Gumbo. I have been making Chef Paul Prudhomme’s gumbo – a New Orleans celebrity chef whose specialties were Creole and Cajun cuisines – since the late 1980’s. There are two main differences between jambalaya and gumbo. Jambalaya is a tomato-based stew with rice cooked in it; and gumbo is a roux-based stew served with rice. Making the roux for gumbo is a bit tricky. It must cook until it is deep brown but not burnt. If it burns, you must throw it out and start over. I have tweaked Chef Prudhomme’s recipe over the years, and this is how I make it.
First prepare the holy trinity. Into a medium bowl add 1 cup of chopped onion, 1 cup of chopped celery and 1 cup of chopped green pepper. Set aside and heat ½ cup of vegetable oil in a heavy-duty soup pot over medium high heat. When hot, continuously whisk in ½ cup of flour, a sprinkling of salt and pepper and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Continue to whisk until the roux turns deep brown but does not burn. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the chopped vegetables. Continue to whisk until the roux stops getting dark then place back over the heat at low and cook for about 5 minutes more until the vegetables are tender.
Then add 6 cups of chicken stock a little at a time whisking to make sure it is fully incorporated. Add 1 12-ounce package of frozen cut okra and a package of fully cooked andouille smoked sausage cut in semi-circles. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, and cook for 45 minutes stirring occasionally. Add 4 -5 cups of chopped cooked chicken and cook until the chicken is warmed through. If the gumbo is too thick, add more chicken stock. Ladle into a bowl with a serving of rice.
Not only is this gumbo good for the rainy-day blues, but it also freezes perfectly. Enjoy!