Ren's Gumbo
1/4 cup oil*
1/4 cup flour
1 Onion - diced
1 Green Pepper-diced
1 clove garlic (I use 5), crushed - use a press or a grater
1 tsp thyme leaves (then later I sprinkle more in to taste)
1 tsp Filé powder (then later I sprinkle more in to taste)**
salt and pepper to taste
Hot sauce to taste
2 16 oz cans of whole or diced tomatos (keep the juice)
6 cups of water***
1 package of Kielbasa cooked, cut into small pieces
3 chicken breasts cooked, cut into small pieces
In a large stock pot heat the oil, add the flour. Cook at a medium heat constantly stirring to brown the flour. (Don't burn it - you have to start over if you do) It should be a light brown color. This is called a roux. As soon as the roux is done add the, onion, peppers, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper. Saute until the onions are soft. If it gets a little too dry while you this cooks, add a little wine or beer, just a splash. Add the tomatos with the juice from the can. Add the 6 cups of water. (***I actually break the amount of liquid up like this: 2 cups of beer, 2 cups of water with a chicken boiulon cube, 2 cups just water) Bring to a boil. Add the chicken and kielbasa. Bring to boil again, then turn down to simmer for 30 minutes at least.( I usually let it simmer as along as I can) About halfway through this I check the taste and add the hot sauce, extra thyme, and the File.
Serve over bowls of rice or with crusty French bread to dip in it.
* Instead of oil, I use bacon grease. Whenever we cook bacon I save/freeze the grease just to use in this. It's horribly unhealthy but it tastes better. RIght before you serve, spoon the grease off the top to cut back on the oil. Or leave it in if you don't mind.
** Filé powder is made from Sassafras leaves and is used in a lot of Cajun food as a thickener. It is usually put in towards the end. It has a very mild flavor. I use it in place of okra - which Dan hates. Ockra is also used as a thickener. And I think they carry Zatarain's Filé powder at Krogers.
*** the alcohol burns off and leaves a richer flavor behind.
1/4 cup flour
1 Onion - diced
1 Green Pepper-diced
1 clove garlic (I use 5), crushed - use a press or a grater
1 tsp thyme leaves (then later I sprinkle more in to taste)
1 tsp Filé powder (then later I sprinkle more in to taste)**
salt and pepper to taste
Hot sauce to taste
2 16 oz cans of whole or diced tomatos (keep the juice)
6 cups of water***
1 package of Kielbasa cooked, cut into small pieces
3 chicken breasts cooked, cut into small pieces
In a large stock pot heat the oil, add the flour. Cook at a medium heat constantly stirring to brown the flour. (Don't burn it - you have to start over if you do) It should be a light brown color. This is called a roux. As soon as the roux is done add the, onion, peppers, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper. Saute until the onions are soft. If it gets a little too dry while you this cooks, add a little wine or beer, just a splash. Add the tomatos with the juice from the can. Add the 6 cups of water. (***I actually break the amount of liquid up like this: 2 cups of beer, 2 cups of water with a chicken boiulon cube, 2 cups just water) Bring to a boil. Add the chicken and kielbasa. Bring to boil again, then turn down to simmer for 30 minutes at least.( I usually let it simmer as along as I can) About halfway through this I check the taste and add the hot sauce, extra thyme, and the File.
Serve over bowls of rice or with crusty French bread to dip in it.
* Instead of oil, I use bacon grease. Whenever we cook bacon I save/freeze the grease just to use in this. It's horribly unhealthy but it tastes better. RIght before you serve, spoon the grease off the top to cut back on the oil. Or leave it in if you don't mind.
** Filé powder is made from Sassafras leaves and is used in a lot of Cajun food as a thickener. It is usually put in towards the end. It has a very mild flavor. I use it in place of okra - which Dan hates. Ockra is also used as a thickener. And I think they carry Zatarain's Filé powder at Krogers.
*** the alcohol burns off and leaves a richer flavor behind.
posted by Ren at 11:35 AM
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