Minimally Invasive

courtesy of my dad

This is a good basic template for a gumbo, and makes enough to feed an army. Feel free to substitute meats at will, though andouille really gives the gumbo a flavor you won’t find elsewhere.

2 large chickens, cut up
1 lb. smoked sausage
1 lb. andouille
2 large onions, chopped
2 large bell peppers, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 heaping tablespoons chicken base (similar to bouillon)
Cajun seasoning, to taste
cooked long grain rice
hot sauce
filé (ground sassafras leaves)

In 12-quart pot, boil chicken in water to cover by 2 inches. Boil for 10-15 minutes. Remove chicken to cool; strain and reserve broth, keeping warm in another pot on stove. Skin and debone chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Cut sausage and andouille in half lengthwise and then into 1/4″ pieces. Fry sausages in large pan to degrease before adding to gumbo. Drain on paper towels.

Heat oil in 12-quart pot over medium heat. When oil begins to shimmer, add flour and stir constantly to prevent burning. Cook until deep brown (darker than peanut butter, lighter than mahogany). Add chopped onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic, and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes.

Add hot chicken broth to pot, stirring to prevent lumps. Add chicken base and additional water to raise level of water to 3/4 of the pot. Add about 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning and boil for 10 minutes.

Add reserved chicken, sausage, and andouille; boil for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Boil an additional 10 minutes. Skim as much grease from the top of gumbo as possible, or if you’d prefer, cool to room temperature, refrigerate overnight, then skim grease the following day. Like most soups, gumbo always tastes better the next day, anyway.

Serve over hot long grain rice with hot sauce and a pinch of filé. Warm potato salad on the side is a real treat.

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