Gumbo is a full-bodied, nutritious and flavorful stew typical of the culinary traditions of the State of Louisiana. It is usually made using broth made from meat, chicken, or seafood, such as shrimp. Instead of the usual shrimp or chicken base, you can use the sausage to get a tasty variation on the classic recipe. By skipping the peppers, celery and onion in the same pot the sausage was cooked in, you can layer the various flavors and make a mouth-watering stew. To serve it as a main course, you can use rice as a side dish.
Ingrediants
- 4 large knots of sliced andouille sausage (each slice should be about 2cm thick)
- 45 g of butter
- 180 g of chopped green peppers
- 230 g of chopped celery
- 150 g of chopped onion
- 4 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- A pinch of cayenne pepper
- 65 g of all-purpose flour
- 400 g of canned tomato cubes
- 1 liter of chicken broth
- Cooked rice
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Cook the Sausage
Step 1. Pour 45g of butter into a cast iron saucepan or other large saucepan
Let it melt completely over medium heat - it should take about 3-5 minutes.
Butter can be substituted for olive oil or another vegetable oil
Step 2. Once the butter is melted, place the sausage in the pot
Before cooking, cut it, remembering that each slice should be about 2 cm thick. Let it cook until a light, golden crust has formed over the entire surface of each slice. Cooking should take about 5 minutes.
Make sure you stir it constantly so it cooks evenly
Step 3. When cooked, remove the sausage from the pot with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess fat
Set it aside.
It is not necessary to wash or clean the pan after removing the sausage: the butter and the remaining fat will allow the gumbo to flavor during preparation
Part 2 of 4: Skip the Vegetables
Step 1. In the same pot you cooked the sausage in, place 180g of chopped green peppers, 230g of chopped celery and 150g of chopped onion
Let them cook over medium heat until softened. It should take about 4-5 minutes.
- If there is no butter left after cooking the sausage, you can add another 15-30g before cooking the vegetables.
- Stir occasionally to make sure they cook evenly.
Step 2. Soften the vegetables, add 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute or until the garlic starts to smell
The minced garlic can be replaced with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, which is added along with the other dried spices
Step 3. When the vegetables and garlic are cooked, add 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, 1 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper
Stir well and cook for 30 seconds.
- If you like spicy, you can add more cayenne pepper.
- Thyme, salt, and cayenne pepper can be substituted with 1-2 teaspoons of the Cajun spice blend, which contains them all.
Part 3 of 4: Prepare the Broth
Step 1. Cook and season the vegetables, pour 65g of all-purpose flour into the pot and mix well to coat all ingredients
Adjust the heat to medium-high and cook for about 1 minute or until the flour is golden brown.
Step 2. When the flour is golden brown, add a 400g tin of tomato cubes and cook until they start to release juice
Allow about 2 minutes.
Stir occasionally to make sure it cooks evenly
Step 3. At this point, add 1 liter of chicken broth to the pot
Stir well and put the lid on. Raise the heat to high and cook until boiling. Allow about 5 minutes.
Better to use low sodium chicken broth, as the dish has already been salted
Part 4 of 4: Thicken and Complete the Gumbo Preparation
Step 1. Once the broth has come to a boil, remove the lid, put the sausage back into the pot and turn the heat down to medium
If the broth continues to boil even though the heat has been lowered, bring the heat to medium-low or low
Step 2. After mixing the ingredients, let the gumbo simmer for 25-30 minutes
Stir it occasionally to make sure it doesn't stick to the pot.
Simmer cooking helps thicken the dish and achieve a stew-like consistency. You can simmer it until it reaches the desired result
Step 3. Once the gumbo is cooked, remove the pot from the heat
Pour it into your prepared white or brown rice bowls and serve.
- Before serving, you can pour some hot sauce into the bowl;
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate. It should last up to three days;
- You can also store it in the freezer, again using an airtight container - it should last up to three months.
Step 4. Enjoy your meal
Advice
- Rice can be replaced with semolina.
- The perfect side dish for this recipe? Corn bread and salad.
