With another blast of frigid arctic air moving in for a full week I thought now would be a good time to share a gumbo recipe from my old friend, Kurt Loup. Over the last couple decades, it's made quite an impression on a whole lot of folks. Kurt used to make this gumbo for the first few years of the Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club's Paddlepalooza tournament. I also prepared it one year at the Little Mo Fly Fishing Fest and another year at the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) Southeastern Council expo. At the Southeastern event, I had folks taking french bread and scooping up the residues on the bottom of the pot!
Here is Kurt's recipe for chicken and sausage. For a seafood version, see below. The base recipe is the same for either version. Makes about 1 1/2 gallons.
2 cups onion
1 cup green bell peppers
1/2 cup celery
3 cups okra
1 pod of garlic
2 tablespoons oil
1 1/2 cups dark roux (1 cup flour, 1/2 cup oil) or
approximately 3-4 large tablespoons Savoie's roux
1 bunch green onions
2 tablespoons parsley
8 bay leaves
black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons file'
6 cups water or chicken stock
3 Knorr chicken bouillon cubes (if not using chicken stock)
Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning to taste
1/2 pound andouille sausage
1/2 smoked pork sausage
2 pounds boneless and skinless chicken
(3-4 pounds if with bones)
OR for the seafood version, substitute the last 3 ingredients above with...
6-12 cracked and cleaned crabs depending on size
2 lbs. peeled shrimp
Sauté first six ingredients until soft. Add roux, stirring until blended. Add stock and bring to a boil.When boiling, add remaining ingredients. Simmer for at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Ca c'est bon!
