In my house we really love gumbo! If you haven't eaten gumbo or don't know what it is then you are in for a treat! Gumbo is a classic rich stew that originated in Louisiana and is often served over rice. Basically it consists of a strong stock, meats such as shellfish, sausage, chicken or others, a thickener (okra, filé powder and roux [or roux alone]), rice and vegetables such as celery, bell peppers, and onion.

filé powder (ground sassafras leaves) is used as a seasoning and thickening agent. It was originally used as a replacement for okra when okra wasn't in season.
okra, a vegetable commonly eaten in many countries but originated in Ethiopia.
roux (sloooooow cooking a mixture of wheat flour and fat that is the base of several main sauces, gravy, souffles, soups and stews until it turns nut-brown or darker [be careful not to burn it].)

So today, I made a roux and prepared a very tasty gumbo which was popular with every member of my family (and they usually have widely varied tastes). You can make this great dish easily and it's great as a warming stew on cool days or anytime. Our gumbo today included chicken and sausage as the meats but a lot of times I like to include shrimp or crab meat and crawfish. I have also added corn to the mix.

Here are a few recipes that you can try. Customize it to your tastes of course.

Sausage and Chicken Gumbo

2 lbs chicken, seasoned to taste, boiled and deboned (reserve broth)
1 lb smoked sausage of your choice, cut into bite sized peices
1 large onion, chopped small
1 bell pepper, chopped small
4 ribs celery, chopped
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp salt
1 (8 oz)can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1(10 oz)can Rotel tomatoes
reserved chicken broth plus additional canned Chicken broth to equal 8-10 cups(depending on your taste)
1-cup chopped okra (fresh or frozen)

Make a roux with the oil and flour.
Saute fresh ingredients in roux.
Combine all other ingredients(except chicken) and bring to a boil.
Cover, lower heat, and cook on low heat until almost done (1 1/2 to 2 hours).
Add cooked chicken and continue to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.


Seafood Gumbo

2 green bell peppers, finely chopped
2 red bell peppers, finely chopped
1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 handful parsley, chopped
1 stick butter
2 pounds andouille or other hot smoked sausage, sliced thin
2 cups vegetable oil
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
4 bay leaves
1 1/2 pounds cut okra
1 3/4 cups plain flour
1 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspns white pepper
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp creole seasoning
1 teaspn seasoned salt
1 teaspn thyme
5 quarts chicken stock
1 pound crab meat (NOT imitation crab!)
2 pounds shrimp peeled and cleaned
1 1/2 pounds crawfish tails peeled and cleaned

Combine 1 1/2 cups oil and the 1 3/4 cups flour in a heavy bottomed pan over very low heat and stir constantly until the flour thickens and turns light brown. Add more flour if needed to absorb the oil and make a smooth paste. It may take 20 minutes or more, but be patient and careful - if the flour burns you'll ruin the gumbo. They say that the best roux is a "two beer roux" Open a beer and start the roux, by the time you finish the second beer it's about right. (of course I'll substitute my Dr Pepper :)
Set it aside for now.

Saute peppers, onions, garlic and parsley in butter. In another pan, saute sausage in 1/2 cup oil, then add to the skillet with the peppers, onions, garlic and parsley along with tomatoes and bay leaves. Let simmer. In the sausage pan, saute okra in 1/2 cup oil. Now, add everything except the roux, shrimp and crawfish to the main pot. Simmer for about an hour.

When the vegetables and chicken are done, reduce heat. Add the roux and simmer slowly to thicken to desired consistency. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and add the shrimp and crawfish. Turn off the heat and simmer with the lid on for 5 minutes to cook the shrimp and crawfish.

Serve hot over rice with crusty bread to dip.