2tbsChef Paul Prudhomme's Meat or Poultry Magic® (or Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning®)
2poundsquality smoked sausage
1poundmedium sized Gulf Shrimp peeled and deveined (41/50 size)
¾cupvegetable oil
¾cupall-purpose flour
1cup finely chopped onions
1cup finely chopped green onions
1 cup finely chopped green bell peppers
Instructions
~Shrimp~
Sprinkle the peeled and deveined shrimp with Paul Prudhomme's Shrimp Magic® and store in the refrigerator until needed.
~Sausage
Cut sausage into 1/4-1/2 -inch slices and put them into large skillet with a little vegetable oil on medium high heat.
The sausage is pre-cooked so it will take a few minutes to sear until it begins to brown and caramelized. At that point, remove from the heat and set aside.
~Chicken~
Remove fat from the chicken thighs and cut them into 1-inch pieces. Sprinkle 1 tbs Paul Prudhomme's Meat or Poultry Magic® and 1tbs Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning®.
Pour vegetable oil into a heavy gauge pot over medium heat.
Place the chicken evenly in the pot of heated oil without touching each other. The remaining uncooked chicken will be cooked after this batch. When the chicken is cooked on that side it can easily be turned on the other side.
Cook the chicken thoroughly so it starts to brown. Add a little vegetable broth and scrape the bottom of the pot if it sticking to the bottom of the pot. When it is completely cooked, remove it from the pot and set aside.
Put in the remaining cut chicken into the pot and cook it in the same manner.
Additional vegetable broth maybe added to allow the chicken to braise.
When it is cooked, turn off the heat.
~Roux~
Pour the chicken broth into the gumbo pot or large soup pot over a medium heat.
In a heavy gauge pot over medium high heat pour in ¾ cup of oil until it heats. Sprinkle ¾ cup plain flour onto the hot oil and using a long- handled metal whisk, blend the flour and oil until smooth. Continue to gently whisk the roux until the roux changes colors from beige to the color of peanut butter to a dark red-brown. The roux will begin to have a nutty smell. This may take about 10 minutes.
CAUTION: the roux can quickly burn as it gets darker. If it is too dark, throw it out and begin again.
Decrease the heat and add the chopped onion, green onion, bell pepper, and celery into the roux and stir constantly to cook the vegetables until soft.
When the vegetables are cooked, carefully add one large spoon of the roux at a time into the chicken broth that is heating in the gumbo pot. Stir the vegetables in the broth. Allow it to come to a low boil then decrease the heat. Cook for about 30 minutes.
Add the seared sausage, cooked chicken garlic, parsley, thyme and Paul Prudhomme's Meat or Poultry Magic® and Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning® to taste to the gumbo. NOTE: Tony Chachere's has more salt than Paul Prudhomme's.
Allow to simmer for about for 60 to 90 minutes.
Lastly, add the shrimp and allow them to cook until pink. Turn off the heat and cover the pot.
Spoon hot cooked rice into a bowl and ladle the gumbo over it. Use a slotted spoon the sausage, chicken and shrimp!
Serve with a warm buttered French Bread.
Store the gumbo in a tight container in the refrigerator. The gumbo will taste even better the next day!Gumbo can also be frozen for up to 3 months.