Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

By jkenb

Ingredients

• 1-cup vegetable oil
• 1-cup flour
• 1 1/2 1 ½ cup chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped bell pepper
• 1 pound smoked sausage, Andouille, cut crosswise into ½ inch slices
• 1 1/2 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/4 ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• 3 bay leaves
• 6 cups water
• 1-pound boneless chicken meat, cut into 1-inch chunks (I double the recipe and use a whole chicken)
• Tony Chachere’s seasoning
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1/2 ½ cup chopped green onions
• 1-tablespoon file powder

Preparation

Step 1

Combine the oil and flour in a large cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Stirring slowly and constantly for 20 to 25 minutes, make a dark roux, the color of chocolate.

Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers and continue to stir for 4 to 5 minutes, or until wilted. Add the sausage, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves. Continue to stir for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the water. Stir until the roux mixture and water are well combined. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

Season the chicken the Tony Chachere’s to taste. Add to the pot and simmer for 2 hours.

Skim off any fat that rises to the surface. Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley, green onions and file powder.

Remove bay leaves and serve over rice.