Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Some people think that New Orleans cuisine is Cajun cuisine. It isn't. It's Creole cuisine, where most sauces and gravies are prepared with tomato. To delight in true Cajun cuisine, one must travel west of New Orleans into Acadiana, where, in my opinion, the food is much better! Just be sure that you like spicy because most of it is highly seasoned. My mother taught me how to make Gumbo. I usually make enough to freeze in portions so that I'll always have some on hand. Potato salad is traditionally served as a side dish.....oh, and of course, some good, crusty, garlic french bread to sop up the juice. :)

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 8  chicken thighs (I much prefer dark meat in a gumbo)
• 1 1⁄2 lbs  richard's smoked sausage, sliced (or your favorite smoked sausage)
• 1  cup  vegetable oil
• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 1  bell pepper, chopped
• 2  stalks celery, chopped
• 6  garlic cloves, minced
•  salt and cayenne pepper
•  green onion, chopped
•  parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Brown chicken thighs and sausage in a cast iron dutch oven. If you don't have a cast iron dutch oven, just be sure to use a heavy pot, such as a Magnalite or something similar. Remove from pot and let cool.
2. Add oil to the pot. With wire whisk, blend in flour. Continue stirring constantly over medium to medium-high heat until flour is the color of chocolate syrup. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CONSTANTLY STIR THIS! If the roux burns, there's no fixing it. You'll have to start over, completely. This step will take a while to achieve the chocolate color and is the most time-consuming part of the recipe. Once the flour has browned to this point, quickly add onions, bell pepper, and celery. Cook until onions are transparent. Add enough water or chicken broth to fill the pot about half way. Simmer.
3. Meanwhile, debone chicken. Add sausage to the pot.
4. Add minced garlic, salt, and cayenne.
5. Let simmer for about an hour. In the last 20 minutes, add deboned chicken. If needed, add enough water or broth to cover the chicken.
6. With a large spoon, skim as much fat as possible from the top.
7. Serve in a soup plate, over hot cooked rice.
8. Sprinkle green onions, parsley, and file in the bowls.
9. MMMMMMMMMM -- good stuff!