by Brian Vandenbroek

Created on: December 02, 2010   Last Updated: December 03, 2010

When I moved out on my own, Cajun cuisine was one of the first regional foods I fell in love with. One of the first dishes I taught myself to make was gumbo because it seemed to epitomize the spirit of Cajun cooking. Not only is gumbo hearty and delicious, but it takes on the "everything but the kitchen sink" approach to food that seems uniquely Cajun. To this day I have a special fondness for the chicken and sausage gumbo I learned to make and have since made my own little alterations to. I hope the recipe works as well for you as it has for me.

Seasoning Mix (see below.)

8 boneless chicken breast halves

1.5 cups all purpose flour

1 cup lard

2 cups chopped white onions

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 cup chopped celery

3 qts chicken stock

1 lb smoked sausage such as kielbasa

1 large clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

1/8 tsp white pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

2 bay leaves

2 cups sliced fresh okra or 1 10oz pkg frozen okra, thawed

1 cup sliced green onions, green parts and white

1/2 cup minced flat leaf parsley

5 cups hot cooked brown rice

SEASONING MIX:

1/2 tsp each salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, celery seed

1) In a large bowl mix together the seasoning mix.

2) Remove skin from chicken breasts as needed and cut into bite sized pieces. Add chicken to the bowl with the seasoning mix and toss until the chicken is well coated.

3) Put 1/2 cup flour in a plastic bag. Add chicken, shake to coat all the pieces thoroughly. Remove chicken, shaking to remove excess flour.

4) Heat lard in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. When lard is heated, add chicken in batches, stir until golden brown on all sides. Remove chicken to a plate as it cooks and set aside.

5) Add enough lard back to the pot to give you a total of 1 cup. Add flour and cook over medium low heat, whisking constantly until you have a mahogany colored roux, 30-45 minutes.

6) Remove from heat. Add onion, bell pepper and celery, stirring constantly. Return pot to heat and cook vegetables until they're wilted and onion is transparent. Slowly stir in chicken stock, stir until thoroughly combined.

7) Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and add sausage, garlic, and seasonings. Add chicken and simmer 25 minutes, stirring often. Add okra and cook 20 minutes more.

8) To serve, place 1/2 cup rice in each soup dish. Spoon gumbo over rice. Sprinkle the top of each dish with some green onion and chopped parsley and serve.

Don't be intimidated by the thought of making a roux. The flavor added by cooking the flour until it's the color of mahogany adds a nutty flavor to the dish that's incomparable. Just remember to keep whisking until the roux hits the desired color. When it does, removing it from the heat and adding the vegetables will halt the cooking process and keep it from burning.

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