Shrimp & Chicken Gumbo Kit's Way : )

 

In Honor of Fat Tuesday today, I made Gumbo for dinner. I have to admit it's been a while since I last made it, so it took me  a minute to gather my thoughts. It didn't take long for it all to come flying right back to memory and soon we had a luscious Louisiana favorite on the table. It had been so long that my Cajun seasoning had turned to stone and I was left to my own devices as far as spices went. All and all it was a hit and super comforting on this cold and rainy day. Caz hates okra, but he did indulge me by trying it my way...crunchy and fried as a topping instead of slimming the inside of the dish. Give this deliciousness a try.

Ingredients:   

1 1/2 pounds chicken legs and thighs

1/2 pound breakfast sausage

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 to 4 celery ribs with tops, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup bacon grease or cooking oil for rue, plus extra for cooking vegetables

1/4 cup flour

5 to 6 cups chicken broth

1 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3 bay leaves

3 tablespoons cornstarch for thickening if necessary

1 pound shrimp, peeled and tails removed

1 cup white rice 

2 cups frozen breaded okra

Seasoning: 

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon thyme

1 tablespoon paprika

2 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon dried parsley

Directions:

In heavy bottom stock pot or dutch oven, poach chicken until thoroughly  cooked, about half an hour or so. When chicken is done, cool, remove from the bone and discard bones. Chop in bite size pieces. Set aside. Remove and save chicken broth in a bowl. This will be your stock.

In the same pot that is now empty, add sausage to pot and brown. If necessary add a few tablespoons bacon grease or oil and turn heat to medium high. Add bell pepper, onion, celery and garlic. Cook until onion and bell pepper is tender and garlic is fragrant, stirring as needed. Turn off heat while you make the rue.

In a skillet on medium high heat, add the bacon grease or oil and whisk as you slowly add the flour. Cook flour mixture until the color becomes a light reddish brown. This may take a few minutes, but do not turn up heat. The flour needs this time to cook the floury taste out and the rue will only burn. When rue is finished cooking, stir into the vegetable mixture. Don't return the pot to the heat at this point. 

In a medium bowl mix all the herbs and spices and add the contents of the bowl to the pot. Add the chicken, broth, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and the bay leaves to the pot. Return to medium low heat and allow to thicken. If mixture does not thicken to the right consistency, them mix cornstarch with enough water to make a loose paste and add to hot ingredients in pot. 

Add shrimp in at the last and continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes on low heat.

Add rice to a pot with 2 cups boiling salted (1/4 teaspoon salt) water. Bring to a boil again and turn heat to simmer. Cover and set timer for 20 minutes. Rice will be perfect and fluffy.

Deep fry breaded okra in a pot of oil on medium high heat until crispy. Drain on paper towels.

To plate, add rice to a bowl or plate and top with gumbo. Top with crispy fried okra. Enjoy!

Fat Tuesday Recipes

All In Cajun Jambalaya

There’s something about the French Quarter that draws me in. I love the smell of the ocean and the breeze that blows at the waters edge. There is so much history in this city. And it speaks to me every time I go. I love New Orleans and it’s people… and the food…well, there’s just nothing like it. So in honor or Fat Tuesday, I’m pimping CG out in style with my favorite Cajun dish and Mardi Gras cake. This is the best Jambalaya evah…F'true…HONEST!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound andouille sausages or your favorite link style sausage, cut into ¼ inch coins
½ pound boneless ham, cubed bite size
1 large onion, diced large
3 ribs celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced large
1 red bell pepper, diced large
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
5 to 6 cups canned chicken broth
1 large can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs, cubed or 1 pound of chicken pieces.
1 pound large gulf shrimp, deveined and peeled

Directions:
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add sausages and ham and cook until lightly browned, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove meat and set aside while you cook the vegetables.

Add onion, celery, carrots, bell pepper and garlic to saucepan. Cook on medium heat until vegetables are al dente, about 3 minutes. Add rice, broth, tomatoes, sausage, ham, Cajun seasoning, cayenne, bay leaves, salt, pepper and chicken. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer 35 to 45 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Cooking time will depend on the type of chicken you are cooking. Chicken should be cooked until done and not pink. When chicken is done, add the shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes or until white shrimp are pink in color. Continue to stir the pot until done.

Garnish with scallions and serve hot with rustic crusty bread, hot sauce.

I got this recipe from Rhodes frozen bread. I tweeked it a bit and it's fabulous! Happy Mardi Gras!

Lemon cream King Cake
Ingredients:
12 Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls or 8 Rhodes Texas™ Rolls, or l Loaf Rhodes™ White Bread dough, thawed to room temperature
8 oz  cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
the zest from one lemon
1 egg, beaten

GLAZE:

3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 tablespoons milk or half & half

purple, green and gold sugar or sprinkles

A token or baby to hide inside. (DON'T FORGET TO WARN EVERYONE ABOUT THE TRINKET INSIDE BEFORE THEY EAT IT!)
Directions:
Spray counter lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Roll combined rolls or loaf into a 10x18-inch rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest. In a bowl, combine the cheese and powdered sugar. Add the lemon extract and zest and mix well. Remove wrap from dough and spread filling over all but 1/2-inch along all edges. Brush one long edge with egg. Roll up lengthwise starting with the long edge that has not been brushed with egg. Pinch seam to seal. Form into a ring and pinch ends together to seal. Place on large sprayed baking sheet and cover with sprayed plastic wrap. Let rise 45-60 minutes. Remove wrap and bake at 350°F 30-35 minutes. Cover with foil last 15 minutes, if necessary, to prevent over-browning. Cool completely and cut a slit into the bottom of cake with a knife and hide token inside.


Add all glaze ingredients to a bowl and stir well. Ice with glaze. Decorate with sugar, sprinkles or color icing with gold, purple and green and glaze cake.