Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

As the temperatures begin to drop here in the South, we start to look for something hearty to warm our souls.  One of the most classic dishes of Louisiana is chicken and sausage gumbo!  This isn't a fish recipe but it is one of my most requested recipies and well as one that every good chef should have in their recipe book.  There is more than one way to cook gumbo, and this is my personal recipe that has put smiles on many faces; feel free to start here and make it your own!

• Prep Sausage into slices and season chicken with your choice of Cajun seasonings (if using rotisserie chicken, pull meat off the bones, keeping the juice at the bottom). Dice your trinity. If you are using chicken thighs, place them on the smoker on a low heat (200-250 degrees F). You don’t want to cook the chicken fully; just partially cook it and add some smoke flavor. If you don’t have a smoker, you could use a regular grill or brown it in a skillet. You may also choose to boil your chicken in a separate pot to make your own stock.
• Put oil and flour into your pot (cast iron or magnalite preferably) on low to medium heat to cook your roux. Stir constantly until dark chocolate color (not milk chocolate). This may take around an hour depending on your heat. Be careful not to burn it. I prefer to use a wooden spatula. 
• Begin to heat your stock with chopped or minced garlic to a simmer.
• Add your holy trinity to the roux and begin to cook it down for about 15-20min.
• While your trinity is cooking, brown your sausage in a separate skillet.  
• Add some stock to the sausage to deglaze the skillet, and add all the contents to your roux and trinity mix.
• Slowly add stock using a ladle, stirring constantly until all the stock has been added. (If the roux separates a bit, it’s ok; it will come back)
• Add seasoning and bay leaves and let cook for approx. 20 min while stirring occasionally.
• Add 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. (You can skim the excess oil off the top if you’d like) If using smoked chicken, then pull off the smoker and cube. Add to gumbo once it’s reached a boil.
• If using rotisserie chicken, add after the boil.
• Simmer for at least 2 hours. Stir occasionally 
• Before serving, slowly add the cold bottle of water.
• Add filé and hot sauce individually to taste and serve over rice or potato salad.

C’est Bon!