Yield: 6 to 8 servings.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 5 medium onions, roughly chopped
- 3 1/2 pounds chicken + 3 pounds chicken wings
- 1 1/2 pounds Andouille Sausage, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a heavy bottom pot or dutch oven heat 1 cup peanut oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Slowly whisking in flour until fully incorporated, making a roux. Cover pot and place on middle rack in oven for two hours, whisking every 15 minutes.
- In a large stockpot add chicken, wings, 3 coarsely chopped onions, and a handful of black peppercorns. Cover with enough water to cover chicken by 4 inches and bring to boil. Turn down the heat and let simmer until whole chicken is cooked, about 2 hours. Pull whole chicken out leaving the wings to simmer for another hour. When the whole chicken is cool enough to handle pull meat and set aside. Strain stock, discarding all solids, including wings. You should have between 6 to 8 cups stock.
- In a large pot heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over moderately high heat. Add sausage and cook until golden brown, about 6 minutes, turning once. Remove sausage and turn the heat down to moderate. Add onions and cook until soften, about 8 minutes. Whisk in roux and slowly add stock and simmer for 30 minutes. Add reserved chicken and sauté sausage and cook for about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice.
***What makes this recipe really sing: Ask any New Orleanian and they will tell you gumbo is all about the roux. I have given you the secret to a perfect yet easy version. Also, organic chicken is a must here. It has much more flavor then most mass produced brands found in grocery stores.
***: Okra is a traditional ingredient in Gumbo, so if it is in season chop into 1/3-inch pieces and add when you add the reserved chicken. Sometimes I add chopped kale just to make sure I am getting my veggies in.