YEP....i was born and raised in cajun country, cher. my gumbo recipie is as real as it gets.
VEGGIES: first you start with the new orleans trinity. these three ingredients are used in every cajun dish, pretty much.
-2 lg yellow onions, chopped
-2 lg bell peppers, chopped
-2-3 stalks of celerey, chopped
for MEAT, i prefer chicken and sausage. seafood gumbo is not my deal.
-1.5 lbs of chicken.. legs, thighs, breasts.. whatever you want. i prefer no bones, so i go with boneless chicken breast. you can also boil down chicken quarters, it makes no difference
-1 pack of sausage chopped. if you're in the south.... you MUST use Savoy's because that's about the best there is. if not, try a generic smoked or andouille sausage. bear in mind that andouille is UBER spicy and most of the time, it's crap. i would not suggest using italian sausage, or anything of the sort
Spices/Other:
- 2 Bay Leaves
- Salt N Peppa
-Tony's Cacheres, to taste (add a little at first and gradually increace how much you use by tasting it.. gumbo get's spicier over time.. so be careful not to over-do it because there's no way to get teh spice out)
(if you can't find Tony's where you live, then it sucks to be you. You will need to use some sort of "cajun blend" seasoning.
-2 quarts of chicken broth
this is the most important part.. the ROUX. gumbo is not gumbo if it isn't made with a roux base. all roux is, is unbleached flour cooked in vegatable oil until it is smooth and dark brown. making a roux takes constant stirring, it's not something you can just let "simma". i use Emeril's roux recipe because it makes a shit-ton of roux.. i just use what i need and save the rest in the fridge for next time.
1) start by browning all of your meat and veggies and set aside
2) fill large pan with chicken broth and about 1 cup of roux. you can add more if needed anytime during the process.
3) if you don't have enough chicken broth, or would just like more "juice" add water as needed"
4)add all veggies and meat
5)add spices
6)bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 1.5 hours
7)skim as much oil as you can as it rises to the top of the gumbo.
8)make a pot of rice to go with it.
THEN YOU STUFF YOUR FAYCE!!!!!!! :)
ps- grimey, let me know if i forgot something..
