Stir roux	Creole Gumbo

---

Creole Gumbo

Source: billcardwell.com

Yield: 10 servings

---

Ingredients

• 1 3-4 lb. whole chicken

• 1 gal water

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns

• 1 Tbsp kosher salt

• 1 large onion, large diced

• 1 celery stalk, large diced

• 1 carrot, large diced

• 1 cup reserved bacon fat

• 1/2 lb andouille sausage, medium diced

• 2 cups onion, large diced

• 1 cup celery, large diced

• 1 cup green pepper, large diced

• 1 cup red pepper, large diced

• 1 poblano chili, large diced

• 4 Tbsp fresh garlic, chopped

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp celery seed

• 2 tsp dried thyme

• 1 tsp dried basil

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 Tbsp curry powder

• 1 tsp red pepper flakes

• 2 tsp dried rosemary, pulsed in spice mill

• 1 tsp fennel seed, pulsed in spice mill

• 1 tsp ground allspice

• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 cups canned diced tomato

• 2 Tbsp pickapeppa sauce

• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 2 drops habanero, Tabasco, or other hot sauce to taste

• 3 cups fresh or frozen sliced okra

• 2 lb peeled medium raw shrimp

• 2 Tbsp gumbo file powder

• 1/2 cup dry sherry

---

Preparation

Wash chicken in cold water, place in stockpot with herbs, seasonings, onion, celery and carrot, and cover with 1 gallon water. Bring to boil and simmer until chicken is tender, approximately 45 minutes. Remove chicken from broth. Strain broth and reserve. Allow chicken to cool, pick meat off of bones and cut in large dice.

Heat bacon fat in heavy-duty soup pot. Add sausage and vegetables, sautéing lightly. Add flour to form roux and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until roux is golden-sand-colored, and vegetables are tender. Add seasonings. Add 3 quarts reserved chicken broth slowly to roux vegetable mix and bring to a boil. Add tomatoes and okra and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add raw shrimp and reserved diced chicken, simmering until shrimp are cooked, about 5-8 minutes. Combine gumbo file and sherry and stir well, then add this mixture to gumbo. Give the gumbo a taste to see if additional seasonings (extra salt, hot sauce, etc.) are desired.

Serve with steamed white rice, green onion slivers and your favorite corn bread.