GUMBO RECIPE NEW ORLEANS RECIPES

Steps:

• Chicken Marinade: In a large, shallow glass baking dish, mix together soy sauce, 4 tablespoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoons paprika, 2 chopped onions and 2 tablespoons black pepper. Place the chicken in the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
• Saute bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until brown. Add the onion and garlic. Continue to cook 5 minutes. Mix in flour and sausage. Cook 5 minutes more; stirring frequently. Add the ham, thyme, cayenne, chicken stock, tomatoes, reserved juice and green peppers and bring to boil. Stir in rice and cover. Cook for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely and refrigerate.
• Two hours before you intend to serve the jambalaya, discard marinade and bake chicken breasts at 500 degrees F (250 degrees C) for 12 minutes, or until the flesh is firm when pressed with finger. Remove from oven. Cool and slice into bite-size pieces.
• Reduce oven's temperature to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Place covered jambalaya on large baking tray filled with to water. Bake until warm, about 2 hours.
• Just before serving the jambalaya, boil 5 quarts of water. Add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes until they are firm to the touch. Drain well. Toss shrimp and chicken with jambalaya mixture and serve.

Steps:

• Prepare the following, placing each in the same medium bowl as you complete it: Trim and dice 1 medium green bell pepper (1 1/2 cups), 1 medium yellow onion (1 3/4 cups), and 3 celery stalks (1 1/2 cups).
• Prepare the following, placing each in the same small bowl as you complete it: Mince 6 garlic cloves; coarsely chop the leaves from 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, if using, until you have about 1/2 cup; add 2 tablespoons of the salt-free Cajun seasoning, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 bay leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper; stir to combine.
• If using raw chicken, dice 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, and the remaining 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning. If using rotisserie chicken, pick the meat and shred (about 4 cups); discard the skin and bones. (No need to season the rotisserie chicken meat.)
• Cut 14 ounces andouille sausage crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Cook in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the sausage is browned all over and releases its fat, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate.
• If using raw chicken, add 1 tablespoon of the neutral cooking oil and the chicken to the pot. Cook, stirring often, until the chicken is browned all over, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to the plate of sausage. (Skip this step if using rotisserie chicken.)
• Reduce the heat to medium. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, the remaining 1/4 cup neutral oil, and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour. Cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pot with the wooden spoon, until the roux resembles the color and texture of melted milk chocolate, 10 to 20 minutes. It will go from smelling like flour to toasted popcorn to nutty coffee. Don’t turn your back on the roux or it will burn!
• Increase the heat to medium-high and add bell pepper mixture. Stir to coat in the roux. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic mixture and return the sausage and chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until the gumbo is thickened slightly and the flavors have melded, 35 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, thinly slice 1/2 bunch scallions and cook white rice for serving if desired.
• Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. (You'll likely need to add more salt if starting with rotisserie chicken.) The gumbo can be served immediately or the day after (which is when it tastes best). Serve with a scoop of cooked white rice, scallions, a dash of Crystal hot sauce, and filé powder as desired. Filé powder adds herbal notes and thickens the gumbo a bit.