Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo makes for a satisfying Mardi Gras meal
A big thank you to Mother Nature for giving us some glorious signs of Spring the past couple of weekends. We won’t talk about the cold snaps because focusing on the positive is always best.
The past couple of months have seemed to be screaming by at a very quick pace, unlike most winter months, but maybe it’s not a bad thing. It’s so hard to believe Mardi Gras is in about a week.
When we were first dating, my husband delighted my taste buds with some homemade Cajun food. I can’t remember which dish it was, but I do know that gumbo is probably my favorite Cajun dish. It has okra in it, so that’s a fantastic start. Cajun food wasn’t a cuisine I had much exposure to growing up in the Heartland and being of Lebanese heritage. Until a couple of years ago, I’d never even traveled to the Big Easy.
Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday, is the feast prior to Ash Wednesday in Christian faiths. Seen as the last “hurrah” before Lent starts, its festivities are traditionally filled with Hurricane drinks, delicious Cajun food and festive celebration. My husband claims the party atmosphere for Mardi Gras in New Orleans is crazy fun, but I’ll stick to celebrating at home. For the past 10 years, we’ve co-taught a Mardi Gras cooking class together featuring Hurricanes, a few Cajun dishes and of course, King Cake.
Because next week is Mardi Gras, I wanted to make sure you were armed with a good Cajun recipe in case you want to celebrate. Even if you don’t celebrate, this gumbo is good any time. Its rich, dark roux gives it deep, intense flavor. Plus, Andouille sausage is delicious, and gumbo has okra in it, which happens to be a favorite vegetable. If you can’t find fresh okra, just use frozen – it works well.
The absolute best part of Mardi Gras is the delicious King Cake that’s traditionally decorated with colored sprinkles: purple for justice, gold for power and green for faith. Whoever gets the plastic by figurine hidden inside the cake is supposed to have good luck and prosperity for the year, and they also get the job of bringing the King Cake to the next year’s celebration.
While we used to have a stash of these plastic babies, I believe we are down to one. The party favors for our Mardi Gras cooking classes in in the past have been beads and plastic babies. Sometimes people use pecans instead of plastic babies. Pecans are usually more readily available in pantries. Be sure to warn your guests if you use the plastic baby – you don’t want anyone choking.
Party or no party, this gumbo will warm you from the inside out in on a cold winter’s day.
Adriene Rathbun is an enthusiastic Wichita cook who offers cooking classes through her business, Social. Reach her at socialcookingclasses.com or ar@adrienerathbun.com.
Chicken & Andouille Sausage Gumbo
¼ cup canola oil
2 pounds Andouille sausage, cut into bite-sized slices
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces (or chicken breasts)
Roux:
½ cup butter
½ cup olive oil
1 cup flour
4 celery stalks, chopped
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt
Cajun seasoning, to taste (some are spicier than others)
8 cups chicken stock
1 pound okra, sliced
White rice, cooked, for serving
Green onion, chopped, for garnish
In a large cast iron skillet, over medium high heat, brown the chicken and sausage until browned and cooked through. Place chicken and sausage on a plate.
Make the Roux in the same skillet by adding the fat and flour over medium heat, stirring constantly, until dark brown color. Then add the Holy Trinity – celery, onions and green bell peppers – and cook for 5 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan. Add bay leaves, salt and Cajun seasoning, chicken stock, sausage and chicken and cook for 30 minutes. Add okra and reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, or until okra is tender.
Serve in bowls with a scoop of rice, gumbo and top with chopped green onions.
This story was originally published February 18, 2020 at 12:42 PM.
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