Ardell's Gumbo Recipe
Ingredients
One pound (.4 kg) boneless chicken breasts
One pound (.4 kg) boneless SMOKED unsliced ham
One pound (.4 kg) Andouille sausage
One pound (.4 kg) Peeled, deveined shrimp
One pound (.4 kg) cut okra
One can of Chicken stock
Rice
1 cup (.38 litre) of Canola oil
3/4 cup (.28 litre) of flour of your choice (don't use spelt, try rice or corn)
a couple of Cayenne peppers
Making the roux
In a medium sauce pan, pour the oil, and stir in the flour. Stir until there are no lumps in it and heat over a medium low flame. Stir constantly, this caramelization process takes a while, but the results of a good roux are worth it.
Be careful of getting any burning on the bottom, burns look like little black flecks and this RUINS the nuttysmoky flavor that we're going for here, if you burn it, discard it and start over. Continue to heat until the mixture becomes the color of MILK chocolate, then remove from heat.Congratulations, you have made a roux, the base for many Cajun dishes.
Preparing the Gumbo
In a large stock pot put the cayennes, chicken breasts, ham, and sausage, and cover with just enough water to cover them all. Boil well, until the chicken and ham are fairly soft, and the sausage well cooked. Remove heat and put the meat in a bowl and allow to cool. Reserve the stock, and discard the cayennes. When the meat has cooled, slice the sausage into medallions, and shred the ham and chicken with a fork. return the meat to the stock pot, return heat to a low boil and stir in the roux and chicken stock simmer for 20 minutes allowing the roux to infuse and thicken the stock. Add the okra, simmer another 5 minutes. Add the shrimp last as overcooked shrimp gets tough.
Serve over a little mound of rice.
Freeze any unused gumbo for a great dinner anytime!
Laissez les bon temps rouler!
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