Louisiana Gumbo

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Inspired by the Hot 8 Brass band from New Orleans, this authentic gumbo recipe really knocks your socks off.  Fresh vegetables wrapped around a thick spicy sauce, punctuated with sticky chicken, spicy sausage and the odd pop of a succulent prawn, is the perfect way to start an evening with friends or in front of the TV or just because you deserve it.

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook time: 50 min

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2tbsp oil
900g chicken or 6 chicken drumsticks
175g or 4 spicy chorizo sausages, chopped
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup flour
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 litre chicken stock, warm
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 bay leaves
3 sprigs of thyme (or 1 tbsp dried)
125g green beans, chopped (or okra if you have it)
500g raw prawns
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped (extra for garnish)
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

In a large saucepan drizzle your oil and over a medium heat brown the chicken, then add the sausages and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Some of the meat will stick to the bottom of the pan, the crust that forms is called the ‘gratin’ and is one of the secrets of Cajun cooking that adds a rich flavour to the sauce and is really important when making an authentic New Orleans gumbo recipe.

Remove the meat and set aside.

The roux : in the same pan pour in the 2nd measure of oil and sprinkle over the flour. Cook over a medium heat, stirring every now and then until the mixture resembles the colour of milk chocolate (or if you were in Louisiana the colour of an old copper penny.

Add the onion, celery and pepper, reduce the heat and sauté until soft. Gradually pour in the stock, stirring constantly until blended.

Return the chicken and sausages to the pan, along with the garlic, bay leaves and thyme, stir well. Simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once the chicken is cooked, increase the heat and add the beans, prawns and parsley, taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook until the prawns have just turned pink.

Serve over white rice, with a garnish of parsley and plenty of that thick gumbo sauce.

Lord have mercy this is so good.