I have always loved gumbo! Ever since I had my first taste of it at Lucille’s BBQ when I lived in CA. Finger-lickin’ great gumbo! I have tried gumbo at several other restaurants but none have come close to Lucille’s. So, when I was searching for a way to use the okra that I always buy and then toss in the trash because I forgot to use it, I came across gumbo recipes, and Paula Deen’s recipe appealed to me.
I have never made gumbo before, so, I thought, why not give it a shot! (You will need to give yourself some time for this recipe, but it is so worth it!)
This recipe was so good, I may not need to go back to Lucille’s!
Ingredients
- 3 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons margarine
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 bunch flat leaf parsley, stems and leaves, coarsely chopped, plus chopped leaves for garnish
- 4 cups hot water
- 5 beef bouillon cubes
- 1 (14-ounce can) stewed tomatoes with juice
- 2 cups frozen sliced okra
- 4 green onions, sliced, white and green parts
- 1/2 pound small shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked
Directions
1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat (I do not have a Dutch oven, so I just used my stainless steel pot.)
2. Cook the chicken until browned on both sides and remove.
3. Add the sausage and cook until browned, then remove.
4. Sprinkle the flour over the oil, add 2 tablespoons of margarine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until brown, about 10 minutes. Let the roux cool. (This was the first time I had made a roux. I was nervous that I would burn it. But, if you have the stove at medium heat and sprinkle the flour, and stir continuously, you will be fine. Don’t be nervous when it starts to brown. That is the color you want 🙂 Very important. Let the roux cool.)
5. Return the Dutch oven to low heat and melt the remaining 3 tablespoons margarine.
6. Add the onion, garlic, green pepper and celery and cook for 10 minutes.
7. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, to taste and the 1/4 bunch parsley. Cook, while stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.
8. Add 4 cups hot water and bouillon cubes, whisking constantly.
9. Add the chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. (I did not have that much time to wait for the next step. So I added the chicken and sausage, brought it to a boil, then added the tomatoes and okra. Simmered for 40 mins and added the green onions, etc.)
10. Add tomatoes and okra. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Just before serving add the green onions, shrimp and chopped parsley.
It was delicious! Thanks to Paula Deen! She sure knows how to whip up a great gumbo! You will lick your bowl clean!
