Louisiana St. Landry Parish Creole Chicken Sausage Gumbo

Louisiana St. Landry Parish Creole Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Recipe by Lorraine Lyman

I love St. Landry Parish Creole Gumbo, because it represents an amalgamation of my French, African, and farming roots, but it’s also a very American dish. I always eat so much that I feel my stomach bursting at the seams. Everyone in my family does! I love St. Landry Parish Creole Gumbo, because it represents an amalgamation of my French, African, and farming roots, but it’s also a very American dish. I always eat so much that I feel my stomach bursting at the seams. Everyone in my family does!

Recipe by Lorraine Lyman

UTENSILS AND SUPPLIES

Knives or gadgets for chopping Cutting board Teaspoons, tablespoons, and measuring cups Cast iron skillet Very large soup pot Very large serving/stirring spoon Large ladle Soup spoons Soup bowls

INGREDIENTS

1 chicken (approximately 4 to 5 pounds) butchered, cut, and/ or chopped into variously sized pieces (keep/use the bones)

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground or ground black pepper (or more to taste)

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

3 tablespoons minced garlic

1 bay leaf (more if dry)

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 large yellow onions, chopped

2 ribs of celery, finely chopped

4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, or 6 tablespoons dry parsley

1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 bunch fresh green onions, thinly sliced

1 1/2 pounds andouille sausage, cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds

3 quarts water

5 1/2 cups cooked long-grain, Southern Louisiana white rice for serving

Tabasco peppers in vinegar for seasoning upon serving

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Season chicken to taste with paprika, chili powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and dry garlic powder.

To make roux, in cast iron pan, heat vegetable oil until hot and gradually add all-purpose flour, stirring continuously until well blended. Lower heat and continue stirring until roux is dark chocolate brown.

Add chopped onion, celery, bell pepper, minced garlic, bay leaf, parsley, and green onions, keeping some of each vegetable to add to gumbo in very large soup pot and for final garnish.

Add some paprika, chili powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and dry garlic powder. Stir well and let vegetables begin to soften and wilt.

At this point, move vegetable-filled roux to very large soup pot.

Slowly add water while stirring to dissolve roux.

Once roux has fully dissolved, add butchered/chopped/cut chicken with bones and andouille sausage rounds, and any remaining desired seasoning.

Then, bring to a boil and simmer at least one and a half to two hours or until meat is tender.

At the one-hour mark, add almost all of remaining vegetables, leave some parsley and green onions for garnish upon serving.

Adjust water, seasoning, and vegetables as desired.

Letting the gumbo sit overnight is even better than only cooking it for one and a half to two hours.

When ready to serve, fill soup bowls with cooked long-grain Southern Louisiana white rice. Pour gumbo over rice, covering almost all or at least 80 percent of rice.

Garnish with a little parsley but more green onions as well as tabasco peppers in vinegar seasoning. You could also add oysters or dried shrimp for additional flavor and texture.

Enjoy this 250-year-old family dish! It’s great in cold and cool weather but can be eaten any time of year!