Gumbo

Ingredients:

• • Prepared Chicken

    • 1300g of chicken thighs

    • 1/2 sliced onion

    • 1 rib of celery with leaves, cut in pieces

    • 475ml hot water

    • 1tsp salt

    • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

    • 60ml white wine

  • Roux

    • 150g olive oil (2/3 cup)

    • 80g flour (2/3 cup)

    • 300g chopped onion (2 cups) -- Make sure to keep 1/2 onion sliced for Prepared Chicken

    • 225g chopped celery (1 cup) -- Make sure to keep 1 rib and leaves for Prepared Chicken

    • 90g chopped green bell pepper (1/2 cup)

    • 25g minced garlic (5 cloves)

    • 15g chopped parsley (1/4 cup)

    • 20g chopped green onion top (1/4 cup)

• Gumbo

  • 710ml / 3 cups prepared chicken stock

  • 945ml / 4 cups hot water

  • 2 tsp salt

  • 1/2 tsp pepper

  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

  • 500g (1 lb) Italian saussage

Prepared chicken - Place all ingredients in a 3 large pot. Simmer for 20 min. I usually use a cut up chicken, or even boneless thighs. I let the chicken cool, then cut it up in bite sized pieces, saving the stock by straining through a colander.

Roux - put oil and flour in a 4 cup glass measuring cup. Microwave uncovered on High for 6-7 min. Stir at 6 min, then micro repeatedly for 30-60 sec until you get a nice dark brown color. Very hot! add onion, celery and green bell pepper. Micro for 3 min. then add remaining garlic, parsley, and green onion tops. Micro for 2 min. Add hot water to bring roux to the 4 cup mark. Stir.

Gumbo: Place roux in a 5 quart casserole. Add in the chicken stock, hot water, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Cover and micro for 10 min. Add chicken and one pound of cut up and browned Italian sausage. I use the milder version. Then micro on high for 10 minutes and it is ready to serve over rice.

Tips - I have used olive oil for the roux but the recipe doesn't specify. If you cook the roux too long it will start to separate, so keep an eye on it that last min or so and peek every 30 sec. I sometimes also use canned chicken stock to top up, instead of water, except for the prepared chicken. My ceramic bowl is, I think, a little small so I didn't put in as much liquid. Leave a little space as the chicken and sausage will fill it up for the last cooking. It also gets better overnight.

Hope it works out for you. Love, Dad