New Orleans Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo
A hearty, deeply spiced heritage soup slow-simmered with tender cuts of meat or seafood and aromatic spices, served steaming hot.
Ingredients
- • 1kg bone-in chicken thighs, seasoned and browned
- • 400g smoked Andouille sausage, sliced into 1cm coins
- • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- • 1/2 cup plain flour (for the dark chocolate roux)
- • 2 medium yellow onions, diced (Holy Trinity)
- • 2 stalks celery, diced (Holy Trinity)
- • 1 green bell pepper, diced (Holy Trinity)
- • 4 garlic cloves, minced
- • 6 cups rich chicken stock
- • 2 bay leaves
- • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- • 1 tsp ground filé powder
- • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- • 1 tsp salt
- • Steamed white rice and sliced spring onions, to serve
Preparation Steps
Heat vegetable oil and plain flour in a heavy cast iron Dutch oven over medium-low heat; whisk constantly for 30-40 minutes without stopping until roux turns a rich dark chocolate-brown colour.
Immediately add diced onions, celery, and green bell pepper to the hot roux to stop the cooking; cook for 6 minutes until vegetables soften.
Stir in minced garlic, thyme, cayenne pepper, and bay leaves for 2 minutes.
Slowly ladle in warm chicken stock while whisking constantly to incorporate the roux smoothly; bring to a simmer, then add sliced Andouille sausage and browned chicken pieces.
Simmer uncovered over low heat for 1.5 hours, skimming off surface oil, until chicken is falling off the bone and gumbo is thick and fragrant.
Turn off heat, stir in filé powder; ladle over bowls of hot steamed white rice and scatter with chopped spring onions.