Tee's Gumbo Recipe

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Ingredients:

• 3 chicken breasts
• 1 lb andouille sausage (any smoked sausage if you can't get this)
• 1 lb cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp
• 3 medium onions, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic (or you can use dried)
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 c oil
• 8 tbsp butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 c flour
• 1 14 oz can stewed tomatoes
• 4 cans water
• 2 tsp chicken base (or replace the water with chicken stock)
• 1 tsp cumin (more to taste)
• 1 1/2 tsp gumbo file
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp corn starch

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium high heat and brown the chicken.  Set it aside and cook the sausage then set it aside too.  Add 5 tbs of butter and sprinkle in flour.  Stir constantly until the flour browns.  Remove the pot from the heat to let the roux cool.  ** Roux sets the tone for the flavor of the stock.
2. Chop the vegetables, all but the green onions. **The onions, celery and bell pepper are your cajun trifecta.  These are the base of deliciousness for any cajun cooking.  My sister told me long ago that the key is to use enough of them.  Most people skimp on this part, but don't.
3. Put the roux back on medium heat and add the veggies.  Saute for 10 min or until the onions are translucent.   While that's cooking, dice up the chicken.
4. Add stewed tomatoes, water and chicken base (or chicken stock), spices and diced chicken.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  I like to simmer with a lid on, but that's up to you.
5. Stir in the green onions, sausage and shrimp and simmer for 10 minutes.  Then stir in the cornstarch (mixed with a little water) and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and serve over rice.

PS Yes.. that's one of the bowls I threw on my pottery wheel.  Love that bowl.