Alison Blondeau (The New Orleans School of Cooking, New Orleans, Louisiana)
Serves 15–20
Gumbo has been named the official Louisiana state cuisine. The “trinity” used in this recipe is a quintessential combination of onions, celery, and green peppers that is found in most Cajun recipes.
1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 cup blended oil (may also use lard or bacon drippings)
1½ pounds andouille sausage
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped green peppers
1 tablespoon minced garlic (see Chef’s Tips on garlic, this page)
8 cups stock or flavored water (see this page)
2 cups chopped green onions or scallions
8 cups rice, prepared according to package directions
Gumbo filé (see Note)
Cajun seasoning blend, to taste
Season and brown the chicken in oil over medium heat. Add sausage to the pot, and sauté with the chicken. Remove the chicken and sausage from the pot, and reserve.
Make a dark roux using the flour and remaining oil in the pot (see this page). Add onions, celery, and green pepper. Add garlic to the mixture, and stir continuously.
After the vegetables reach the desired tenderness, return the chicken and sausage to the pot, and cook with the vegetables, continuing to stir frequently. Gradually stir in the liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for an hour or more. Season to taste with Cajun seasoning.
Approximately 10 minutes before serving, add green onions. Serve the gumbo with or without rice, accompanied by French bread and filé.
Chef’s Tip
Filé is a fine green powder of young, dried ground sassafras leaves. It is commonly used in gumbo for flavor and thickening. It may be placed on the table for individuals to add to their gumbo, if they wish (¼ to ½ teaspoon per serving is recommended).