Chicken and sausage gumbo

Name: Chicken and sausage gumbo
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 55 min
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients: 1 kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks; 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste; 1 tsp black pepper; 150 ml vegetable oil; 400 g andouille or other smoked pork sausage, sliced into rounds; 120 g plain flour; 2 onions, chopped; 1 green pepper, chopped; 3 celery sticks, chopped; 4 clove garlic, finely chopped; 1 tsp dried thyme; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 0.75 tsp cayenne pepper; 2 bay leaves; 1.5 l chicken stock, warm; 4 spring onions, sliced; 15 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped; 400 g long-grain white rice, to serve; hot sauce, to serve

2 h 20
Prep 25 min
Cook 1 h 55
Serves 8
medium

Start cooking

A deep, smoky Louisiana stew built on a slow-cooked dark roux, with chicken thighs, smoked sausage and the onion, pepper and celery trinity.

Method

1
Season the chicken with the salt and black pepper.
2
Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in the pot over medium-high heat and brown the sausage slices, then lift them out.
3
Brown the chicken in two batches until golden on the outside, then lift it out.
4
Add the rest of the oil, lower the heat to medium-low and whisk in the flour to make a smooth paste.
5
Cook the roux, stirring constantly and scraping the base, until it is the colour of milk chocolate and smells toasty.
6
Tip in the onions, pepper and celery, which stops the roux darkening, and stir until the vegetables soften.
7
Add the garlic, thyme, paprika, cayenne and bay leaves and stir for a minute.
8
Pour in the warm stock gradually, stirring until smooth, and bring to a simmer.
9
Return the chicken and sausage and simmer uncovered, stirring now and then and skimming off oil, until the gumbo is silky and the chicken very tender.
10
Meanwhile, cook the rice in a separate pan.
11
Season the gumbo with salt and more cayenne to taste, then stir in the spring onions and parsley.
12
Serve in bowls over a mound of rice, with hot sauce at the table.

Notes

If black specks appear while the roux cooks, it has burnt and will taste bitter. Start the roux again; it is worth it.
The darker the roux, the deeper the flavour but the less it thickens. Milk chocolate brown is a good balance.
Gumbo tastes better the next day. Sliced okra can go in with the vegetables for a thicker, more traditional texture.

Equipment

Large heavy pot (at least 6 litres), Flat-edged wooden spoon, Whisk, Saucepan for the rice

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