Good Ole' Gumbo

This recipe is a great way to warm up on a cold day. The aroma is too much to resist. Serve with white rice and cornbread and you have a great meal.

• Ready In: 1 hr 55 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• Preparation

• 2  medium onions, chopped
• 16  ounces  chopped okra (frozen or fresh)
• 3  bell peppers, chopped or 16  ounces  frozen bell peppers
• 3  bunches green onions, white part only
• 16  cloves garlic, chopped finely
• 5  stalks celery, chopped
• 3  tablespoons tomato paste
• 3  teaspoons dried thyme
• 2  teaspoons dried sage
• 2  bay leaves
• 1⁄8-1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1  lb chicken thigh, skinned and browned
• 1  lb smoked sausage
• 2  lbs shrimp, peeled
• 2 1⁄2 cartons  chicken stock
• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 3⁄4 cup canola oil
• 1  tablespoon bacon fat (optional)

Directions

1. Have all the vegetables chopped and ready before beginning the Gumbo.
2. Dice half of the sausage.
3. Cut rounds of the remaining sausage.
4. In a heavy soup pot, combine flour and oil and optional bacon fat to form the roux.
5. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the color of coffee.
6. This will take 20 minutes or more.
7. Do not walk away from the stove as the flour will burn and cause you to start again.
8. Once the roux is finished, lower heat to medium low, and add all the chopped veggies except the okra.
9. Cook stirring constantly until the veggies begin to sweat.
10. The roux will absorb the sweat so watch carefully.
11. Again, do not walk away.
12. Once the veggies begin to sweat, add the tomato paste and stir until distributed.
13. Add all the dry spices.
14. Slowly add the chicken stock, stirring to avoid lumps.
15. Add the chopped sausage and browned chicken.
16. Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked thru.
17. Remove the chicken from the pot, and tear into bite sized pieces.
18. Reserve.
19. Add the okra and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
20. Return chicken to the pot, and add remainder of the sausage.
21. Taste for seasoning and add salt or pepper to taste.
22. In the last few minutes before you are ready to eat, add the shrimp to the simmering gumbo, and cover.
23. Heat for two minutes and then turn off heat.
24. Allow to sit for another 5 minutes.
25. Serve over rice.