Gumbo Chorizo Style, Let the Good Times Roll!

I had the bright idea of making a Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, using  my own homemade sausage, made with wild caught Hawaiian boar.  Okay, in theory.  Just getting some in time was the hold up. Where the heck are you hunters when we need you?

Our May hostess, Denise, of There’s a Newf in My Soup!, challenged The Daring Cooks to make Gumbo! She provided us with all the recipes we’d need, from creole spices, homemade stock, and Louisiana white rice, to Drew’s Chicken & Smoked Sausage Gumbo and Seafood Gumbo from My New Orleans: The Cookbook, by John Besh.

As it turns out, my special order, wild pig came into the store, a day after I made my gumbo.  However, the good news is, there was some happily raised and prepared Chorizo at our wonderful Natural Foods Store, so we went with that, and with fantastic results, I must say.  Really, I must.  Luckily the Farmer's Market had some fresh okra, because what would it be without that?  This Gumbo is to die for.  That good.

I did the mise en place, all vegetables chopped, minced and ready, spices and herbs out, chicken cut up and ready.  Roux was the first to start, in my rendered and saved duck fat, then the onions, all browning up nicely. 

The recipe was great.  I won't mention any changes, other than the sausage.  Hey, at least it was from the South.  South of the Border maybe, but still.  It added immeasurably to the overall flavor, I think.  Also, I cut the amount way down, and it was plenty for 4-5.

Drew's Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo

From the Daring Chef's Challenge 5/11
Minimally adapted from My New Orleans: The Cookbook, by John Besh

Serves 10-12

Ingredients

1 cup (240 ml) (230 gm) rendered chicken fat, duck fat, or canola oil
1 cup (240 ml) (140 gm) (5 oz) flour
2 large onions, diced
1 chicken (3 ½ to 4 lbs.), cut into 10 pieces
2 tablespoons (30 ml) (15 gm) (½ oz) Basic Creole Spices (recipe follows), or store-bought Creole spice blend
2 pounds (2 kilograms) spicy smoked sausage, sliced ½ inch (15mm) thick
2 stalks celery, diced
2 green bell peppers (capsicum), seeded and diced
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Leaves from 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 quarts (3 liters) Basic Chicken Stock (recipe follows), or canned chicken stock
2 bay leaves
6 ounces (175 gm) andouille sausage, chopped
2 cups (480 ml) (320 gm) (11 oz) sliced fresh okra, ½ -inch (15mm) thick slices (or frozen, if fresh is not available)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Filé powder, to taste
Tabasco, to taste
4-6 cups (1 – 1½ liters) (650 gm – 950 gm) cooked Basic Louisiana White Rice (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Prepare homemade chicken stock, if using (recipe below).
2. Prepare homemade Basic Creole Spices, if using (recipe below).
3. Season the chicken pieces with about 2 tablespoons of the Creole Spices while you prepare the vegetables.
4. Make sure all of your vegetables are cut, diced, chopped, minced and ready to go before beginning the roux. You must stand at the stove and stir the roux continuously to prevent it from burning.

5. In a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed pan, heat the chicken fat, duck fat, or canola oil over high heat. Whisk the flour into the hot oil – it will start to sizzle. Reduce the heat to moderate, and continue whisking until the roux becomes deep brown in color, about 15 minutes.
6. Add the onions. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir the onions into the roux. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue stirring until the roux becomes a glossy dark brown, about 10 minutes.

7. Add the chicken to the pot; raise the heat to moderate, and cook, turning the pieces until slightly browned, about 10 minutes.
8. Add the sliced smoked sausage and stir for about a minute.
9. Add the celery, bell peppers, tomato, and garlic, and continue stirring for about 3 minutes.
10. Add the thyme, chicken stock, and bay leaves. Bring the gumbo to a boil, stirring occasionally.
11. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally, skimming off the fat from the surface of the gumbo every so often.
12. Add the chopped andouille, okra, and Worcestershire. Season with salt and pepper, several dashes of filé powder, and Tabasco, all to taste.
13. Simmer for another 45 minutes, continuing to skim the fat from the surface of the gumbo. Remove the bay leaves and serve in bowls over rice. Pass more filé powder at the table if desired.

Oh boy, let the good times roll!  I absolutely love a good Gumbo, and this is the best. The only thing I wasn't absolutely happy about were the pictures.  Too busy focused on the eating maybe?  Be sure to check out all the takes on this challenge at Daring Cooks.