Ever since Jillian and I attended a recent Slow Food Workshop where we made gumbo and bread pudding, I’ve been dying to try my own version at home. Well, actually I take that back. The desire to make homemade gumbo goes back to when I went to New Orleans last year and got a taste of what real Southern gumbo was like (heavenly, I assure you). But I was overwhelmed by the rumored “hours of non-stop stirring” it takes to make the perfect roux and wasn’t quite sure when and how much to add of the file (pronounced fee-lay, made of ground sassafras leaves) necessary for a perfect pot of gumbo. Luckily, our workshop dispelled those rumors…it only takes about 15 minutes to make a roux (Southerners I’m sure will disagree, but a 15 minute roux still makes a delicious pot!) and file can be found at a lot of supermarkets and online. And you only need a small amount so a bottle will last you a while.
Other than the roux and file, gumbo is made up of all things you stick in your every day soup recipe…so don’t let gumbo intimidate you! Plus, if you still have some turkey leftovers – that is what gave me the excuse I needed to make this dish – gumbo is a great alternative to yet another turkey sandwich. Chicken can be used interchangeably and you can really use any kind of sausage you’d like. Chef Dave Hogue, who was our workshop leader and whose recipe I adapted, used Andouille. It’s a traditional choice and definitely rich in flavor, but I’m always looking for ways to lighten things up a bit. Aidells has a great line of chicken sausage that still adds a good punch to the dish without adding the extra fat. They are a Bay Area producer, available able Trader Joes and Safeway, so you can feel good about supporting a local sausage maker!
4 cups chicken/turkey stock (turn you T-day bird carcass into the base for this!)
10 cups shredded turkey (see note above)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 package (about 5 links) chicken sausage, cut into bite-size chunks (I used Aidells’ smoked mushroom and chicken)
1 can (16 ounces) diced tomatoes
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, thinly chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon file powder
4 cups long grain brown rice, cooked
First prep all your ingredients. Shred the turkey, open your diced tomatoes and chop all your veggies and sausage. Now it’s time to make a roux, which is the base of your gumbo and provides the dish with one of the gumbo’s two thickening agents (file is the other one). In a large pot over medium heat, add the flour and the oil. Have a whisk handy because you will have to stir the mixture frequently. As the roux develops, it will begin to get a deep golden brown – note that if you start with whole wheat flour it starts off a bit browner than with white flour but will still get much browner as it gets closer to being done. Here is a picture of our roux so you know what color it should look like when it’s done. The roux starts to brown slowly but then really picks up, so keep an eye on it. It took me 15 minutes to get it to its desired color (this is a good time to have a friend in the kitchen to talk to while you stir).
Once the roux is ready, add your bell peppers, onion, celery, and garlic. Stir the veggies for 1-2 minutes until soft, then add the chicken stock, tomatoes, and all spices EXCEPT the file powder. Cover and let simmer for 1 hour. After an hour, add the turkey, sausage and file powder and simmer for another 15 minutes. Scoop 1/2 cup of rice into the bottom of each bowl and serve gumbo over the rice. Enjoy!
{ 1 comment }
I was on the receiving end of Christina’s gumbo. It was wonderful!! A great way to use all those left over tidbits of turkey. Thanks Christina.
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