Happy Mardi Gras
Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler! Happy Mardi Gras to all my readers and followers. This has always been one of my favorite times of the year. From the parades, the colors, cuisine and togetherness, my family has always held special memories of this holiday. Though it is not celebrated by all, its roots and traditions run deep with families and citizens across Louisiana. So, if you can’t enjoy some boiled crawfish and a slice of King Cake this Tuesday I hope each of you find a bit of the magic that this day represents.
I also wanted to introduce a new blog feature that I hold near and dear to my heart; Mama Irene’s Creole recipes! Over the next few blog posts I will be sharing some of Mama Irene’s recipes; straight from her kitchen to your home! My first recipe is going to be a STAPLE of all cajun and creole homes and I urge all of you to give it your best Mama Irene attempt; Chicken and Sausage Gumbo.
Ingredients:1c Flour1c Vegetable oil (you can also use butter)
1-1.5c “The Trinity”- Celery, White Onion, Red or Green Bell Pepper Chopped(1 onion, 2 celery stalks, 1 bell pepper)
2-3 tbsp Minced Garlic
3 Bay Leaves
48 oz Chicken Broth
4 Large Chicken Breasts or 1 Whole Chicken (remove carcass after cooking)
1 lb Andouille Sausage; cut into slices
Salt & Pepper to taste
Creole Seasoning (Tony Cachere’s, Slap ya Mama)
Gumbo Filet powder (optional)
White Rice (cooked)
French Bread
Directions:
In a large stock pot or cast iron begin by making the roux. To do this, add both the oil and flour and heat over LOW heat and stir constantly; yes, constantly. Low heat is imperative as you do NOT want the roux to burn. You will also want to use a wooden spoon for authenticity BUT, a whisk is always ok! Stir the roux until it reaches a dark brown, darker than milk chocolate, color. In my opinion the darker the roux the better for gumbo. This process should take about 1.5 hours. I know it seems like a long time but pull up a chair, put Netflix on the ipad/laptop or read one of your favorite Reaper books!
Once the roux has reached the desired color, add your Trinity and garlic and coat with the roux. Give it a quick 30-60 second stir.
Add your chicken broth and blend all the roux into the broth using a whisk or spoon. Add Bay Leaves and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, add the chicken(raw) and cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked through, about 20-25 minutes. Once cooked, you will take out the chicken and shred it. Then add the shredded chicken back in along with the sliced andouille sausage.
Cook for an additional 10 minutes on med-med/low heat.
Season with Salt, Pepper and choice of Cajun Seasoning.
Remove bay leaves and serve over white rice. You can add the Gumbo filet seasoning at any time, it simply thickens the gumbo up a bit and it totally optional!
Serve with a delicious slice of french bread and butter.
Now close your eyes and let the flavor take you straight to Mama Irene’s kitchen in New Orleans.
-MK
