CHICKEN AND SMOKED SAUSAGE GUMBO
6-8 servings
1 Tablespoon plus ½ cup vegetable oil
1 lb smoke sausage, ½ inch thick pieces
4 lbs chicken thighs, skin removed
1 Tablespoon Creole seasoning
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell peppers
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp cayenne
3 bay leaves
9 cups chicken stock or canned chicken broth
½ cup chopped green onions
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1 Tablespoon file powder
White Rice
Hot sauce
In a large pot, heat 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until well browned, about 8 minutes. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon, set aside.
Season the chicken with the Essence and add in batches to the fat remaining in the pan. Cook over medium heat, 5 ot 6 minutes. Remove from pan, then refrigerate until ready to use.
Combine the remaining ½ cup oil and the flour in the same pot over medium heat.Cook, stirring slowly and constantly for 20 to 25 minutes, to make a dark brown roux.
Ass the onions, celery, and bell peppers and cook, stirring until wilted. Ass the sausage, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves; cook for 2 minutes. Ass the chicken stock and cook until well combines. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered for 1 hour.
Add the chicken to the pot and simmer for 1 ½ hours, skimming off any fat that rises to surface.
Remove the pot from heat. Using slotted spoon, remove the chicken thighs from the gumbo and place on cutting board. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Pull chicken meat from bones and shred. Return meat to gumbo and stir in green onions, parsley and file powder.
Spoon rice into the bottom of deep bowls and ladle gumbo on top. Serve, with hot sauce on the side.
