CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE GUMBO

Feeds 6 to 8

This thick, rich stew from New Orleans is a national treasure, full of flavor and traditions. We can’t claim credit for this recipe. Our dear friend Pableaux Johnson kindly gave us his gumbo recipe for this book. Pableaux is an incredible photographer, spending many of his days recording the pageantry of his beloved New Orleans. He’s also one hell of a writer. And every Monday night, he opens his home to friends from far and near, who gather for red beans and rice. The man makes a mean pot of gumbo, and he makes something like fifty batches a year. So this? This recipe is a gift.

• 2 tablespoons lard
• 1 pound andouille sausage, cut into chunks (you can also use kielbasa or smoked sausage)
• 1 cup olive oil
• 140 grams All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour Blend
• 1½ cups chopped onions
• ¾ cup chopped celery
• ¾ cup chopped green bell peppers
• 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• 6 cups water
• 3 bay leaves
• One 3½-pound chicken, cut up into 8 pieces (or 6 bone-in chicken breasts)
• ½ cup chopped scallions
• 6 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
• Cooked white rice for serving

Cook the sausage. Set a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the lard. When the lard has melted, add the sausage chunks and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Put the sausage on a paper towel–lined plate and throw out the lard.

Make the roux. Turn the heat to low. Using the same Dutch oven, pour in the olive oil. Heat until the oil is hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the flour, one-quarter of it at a time, whisking constantly until each batch is blended in. Cook, stirring frequently and taking care to avoid splatters, until the roux gradually changes color, from pasty beige to peanut butter color to chocolate brown. (Pableaux says this should be the time it takes to drink 2 beers, or about 25 minutes.)

Cook the aromatics. Turn up the heat to medium-high. Add the onions to the roux and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the celery and bell peppers. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked sausage and 1 tablespoon of the Cajun seasoning. Cook, stirring frequently, until the scent is released, about 2 minutes.

Cook the chicken. Pour in the water and add the bay leaves. Stir. Rub the remaining 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning all over the chicken. Add the chicken to the Dutch oven and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and allow the gumbo to cook at a low simmer, skimming off the fat and stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and very tender, about 1½ hours. Stir in the scallions and parsley. Fish out the bay leaves. Serve the gumbo over the white rice.