My girlfriend Heather makes the best gumbo. She is famous for it in Louisiana, I’m sure!!
I’ve personally watched her make it on two different occasions, and it’s an incredible process. The love she pours into it is amazing — every detail is perfection, even down to the way she cuts her veggies so beautifully.
My family and friends love it so much that I couldn't help but share it with you. As you undertake this beautiful dish, just remember that it takes time — and each second more you pour into it will lead to unforgettable flavors.
I suggest you put your favorite music on in the background and go to work knowing that the end product will literally be good for the soul!
INGREDIENTS (for 6-8 servings)
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 cup of flour
- 1 large sweet yellow onion
- 1 large green bell pepper
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 pack of French Settlement Andouille sausage (can use any sausage if you can’t find Andouille)
- 1 deboned rotisserie chicken
- Salt and pepper
- Tony Chachere’s to taste
- 6 cups of Swanson’s Chicken Broth
- 1 bay leaf
INSTRUCTIONS
The first step is to create the rich and delicious roux. It takes a fair amount of time to get it just right, but the amazingness of this dish rests in your ability to pour love and nurturing into it.
- Melt butter first and then add oil.
- Heat on medium low to medium until hot, then whisk in flour.
- Whisk continuously until the color of dark chocolate (takes about 30 minutes to an hour). Be careful not to burn the roux. If you see black specks in the mixture, start over.
- Stir in chopped onion, bell pepper, celery and sausage into the roux; cook 5 minutes.
- Stir in chopped garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Season with salt, pepper, and Tony Chachere’s; blend thoroughly.
- Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer covered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the chicken and simmer 1 hour more; simmer an additional 3 hours if possible. This allows all the flavors to marinate. Skim off any foam/oil that floats to the top.
- Eat with a scoop of potato salad or rice.
The following photo reveals how all of the ingredients come together. Once everything is mixed together, it's hugely important that you let all the flavors meld together for at least an hour. We let it simmer for the full three hours and were thrilled at the results.
