Christmas Eve : Gumbo

In South Louisiana it’s tradition to cook a big pot of Gumbo for friends and neighbors for Christmas Eve. So here a great recipe :

• 1 C vegtable oil
• 1 C Flour
• 1 pound andouille or smoked sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 large chopped onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pinch Creole seasoning, or to taste
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1  cooked chicken, boned and shredded

Heat oil in a stockpot over medium heat; whisk in flour until roux is smooth and has cooked to the color of chocolate milk, about 8 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn the roux. If you see black specks in the mixture, it’s best to start over. Add sausage, celery, bell pepper, and onion into the roux; cook and stir 5 minutes. Add garlic; continue to cook and stir another 5 minutes.. Season with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning; stir well to blend. Pour in chicken broth and add bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.. Stir in the chicken and simmer 1 hour more. Skim off any foam that floats to the top during this time.

My Tip : start your gumbo off with cut up fresh chicken ,seasoning and water. After cooked : strain liquid (stock) and shred /debone Chicken.