Soups: Charlotte Observer's Chicken, Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

By JoFClark

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breast halves, on the bone
• 1 small onion, quartered, peel left on
• 1 carrot, cut into chunks
• 1 stalk celery, cut into chunks
• Salt to taste
• 10 About 10 whole black peppercorns
• 1 pound kielbasa, cut into 1/2 inch rounds or half moons
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled
• Cooked white rice, for serving

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

Place chicken, onion, carrot and celery into a small stockpot. Add water to just cover chicken, season with salt and whole black peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Sim off any foamy gunk, then lower heat and simmer until chicken is cooked, about 20 minutes.
Remoer chicken from pot and continue to simmer broth. When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and bones and put them back into the pot. Tear or cut chicken into bite size pieces and reserve. Continue to simmer broth while you prepare remaining ingredients, then strain broth and reserve.
Cook kielbasa in a large skillet until lightly browned on cut edges, remove from heat and reserve.
Combine vegetable oil and flour in a Dutch oven or large heavy skillet, and stir over medium high heat until the mixture (roux) turns dark tan to mediu brown. Be careful not to burn or scorch it. Add onion, bell peper, celery and garlic to brown roux and stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Stir in 3 cups reserved chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in reserved cooked chicken and kielbasa and simmer for 10 minutes to combine flavors. Add more broth if desired. Just before serving, stir in shrimp and cook just until shrimp are pink and curled. Serve gumbo over white rice.