4chicken or pork andouille sausage links, sliced into thin discs (about 12-16 oz)
3tablespoontomato paste
32ozchicken stock
½cup red blend wine*
2tablespooncreole seasoning*
1tablespoongumbo file*
114.5 ozcan fire roasted diced tomatoes
2tablespoonyour favorite hot sauce
dash of cayenne
salt and pepper, to taste
1teaspoondry thyme
3bay leaves
1-2lbslarge or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (shells reserved)
Browning Chicken
4skin-on, bone in chicken thighs
1cup all-purpose flour
1teaspoonsalt
1teaspoonfresh ground black pepper
2tablespoonbutter
1tablespooncanola oil, plus more if needed
Shrimp stock
reserved shrimp shells
2cupwater
Instructions
1. Peel and devein your shrimp, and reserve the shells to make a shrimp stock. In a small saucepan, add reserved shells and 2 cups of water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, until liquid is reduced by half. Turn off heat (reserve for later to pour the stock through a fine mesh sieve directly into the gumbo). 2. While the shrimp stock simmers, sauté your veggies. In a large stock pot over medium-low heat: sauté onion, celery, pepper, carrots, and garlic in tablespoon canola oil and 4 tablespoon butter. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables start to soften. 3. Make your dark roux. Slowly stir in ⅓ cup flour, and stir until well combined. Cook flour, stirring frequently for 5-7 minutes, until flour takes on rich, caramel color. Be careful to stir frequently- flour will burn! You want to let the flour really cook and take on a rich, deep flavor. It should begin to smell nutty when it is close to ready. 4. Once your roux is ready, add the creole seasoning, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste, and thyme. Stir to combine and allow to cook 1 minute, until fragrant. Next add the tomato paste, red wine, fire roasted diced tomatoes, chicken stock, hot sauce, bay leaves, sliced andouille, gumbo file and shrimp stock (strain from saucepan through a fine mesh sieve, and discard shells). Stir or whisk together well, and allow to cook covered, on low heat. 5. While the gumbo cooks, brown the chicken. Add 1 cup flour and salt and pepper to a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Coat chicken thighs in flour mixture and set on a platter. In a large frying pan, heat 2 tbs butter and 1 tbs oil over medium-high heat, and brown the chicken, skin side down first- for 3-4 minutes a side. Add additional canola oil if the pan becomes dry while frying. Transfer browned chicken directly to the pot with the gumbo. 6. Once the chicken is added to the gumbo, cover and cook on low- stirring occasionally,, for 1 hour. 7. While the gumbo cooks, cook your rice according to package directions. 8. After 1 hour- using tongs, carefully remove the chicken thighs from the pot to a cutting board. Allow to cool enough to handle, and remove the skin and bones and discard. Shred the meat with 2 forks, and return chicken meat to the pot with gumbo. 9. Add the raw shrimp, cover, and cook 5-7 minutes on low heat, until shrimp are opaque and fully cooked. Remove bay leaves. 10. Serve gumbo hot over rice, and garnish with thinly sliced green onions.