Skylar’s Creole Gumbo

April 30, 2020

Jill Melton

Chef Skylar Bush created this gumbo with local products like Pure Pasture Farms chicken, Wedge Oak Farm sausage, and Virgin Bay seafood in mind. Like most stews, this gumbo is always better the next day, after all the ingredients have gotten nice and friendly for a while.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil

1 pound andouille sausage, sliced to 1/4 inch thick pieces

2 1/2 cups shrimp, peeled and deveined

7 cups chicken or shrimp broth, divided

1 bunch celery, diced, leaves and all

1 large green bell pepper, diced

1 large red bell pepper, diced

1 large yellow onion, diced

1 bunch green onion, finely chopped

1 bunch fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

4-6 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

1 tablespoon File – ground sassafras leaf

meat from rotisserie chicken, pulled from bone and shredded

3dashes hot sauce

salt and pepper to taste

cooked white rice, green onions, hot sauce, and parsley for serving

Preparation

1. Create a roux by combining flour and oil in large, heavy-bottomed pot and cooking over medium-low heat, stirring constantly 30-40 minutes. The roux should be dark mahogany or chocolate-like in color and have the consistency of playdough. Be patient and careful not to burn.

2. In skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage until golden brown. Transfer sausage to towel to dry. Add shrimp and ½ cup broth and cook until shrimp are cooked through. Set aside with sausage.

3. To the pot with the roux, add skillet drippings and remaining broth. Add vegetables, herbs, and spices and stir to incorporate. Bring to a boil over medium heat for 6-7 minutes, until vegetables are tender, skimming any foam off top of pot.

4. Add chicken, sausage, shrimp, and hot sauce and continue to simmer 15-20 minutes until desired thickness. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Serve over white rice with green onions, hot sauce, and parsley to garnish.