Easy Gumbo Recipes

EVERYTHING GUMBO

Steps:

• In bowl, mix the paprika, coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper, thyme, and bay leaves. Reserve the seasoning blend.
• Chop and reserve the Trinity-Plus-Two mix of onion, peppers, celery, and garlic.
• Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Add about 2 tablespoons oil and when hot, add chicken pieces, turning occasionally. When browned, remove to a plate. Remove the casings from sausage and slice on an angle in large chunks. Brown the andouille in a drizzle of oil and remove to plate. Pour off the fat, then add the remaining 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup flour, whisk constantly until medium-golden brown in color. Cook's Note: think peanut butter.
• Add the vegetables and seasoning blend to the pot, salt, and pepper and stir 6 to 8 minutes, to soften the vegetables a bit. Add the tomatoes and beer to the pot and reduce beer by half, 2 minutes. Add the stock, chicken, and andouille back to the pot, simmer to combine the flavors, then cool completely and store for a make-ahead meal.
• To reheat the gumbo: Place the gumbo in a covered pot over medium heat, stir in the crab or shrimp and heat through or cook shrimp, until pink and firm. Top with scallions and serve with scallion rice, if desired.

EASY SAUSAGE AND SHRIMP GUMBO

Steps:

• Cook and stir oil and flour in a skillet over medium heat until mixture is thick and the color of peanut butter, about 20 minutes.
• Stir onion, green bell pepper, and celery into flour mixture; cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add sausage; cook and stir until browned, about 5 minutes. Add Cajun seasoning, garlic, and black pepper; cook and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Pour chicken stock over vegetable-sausage mixture; reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add shrimp and cook until shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

QUICK & EASY CHICKEN-SAUSAGE GUMBO

Steps:

• Cook sausage over high heat in Dutch oven 5 minutes, stirring often.
• Remove sausage with a slotted spoon.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Add enough oil to drippings in Dutch oven to equal 3 tablespoons, and whisk in flour; cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, 5 minutes.
• Add onion and next 3 ingredients; cook 5 minutes, stirring often.
• Stir in broth and next 2 ingredients.
• Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.
• Add sausage and chicken; simmer, covered, 5 minutes.
• Serve over rice.

SEAFOOD GUMBO

Steps:

• In a heavy Dutch oven, combine flour and oil until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir about 10 minutes more or until mixture is reddish brown. , Add the onion, celery, green pepper and green onions; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, water, okra, paprika, salt, oregano and pepper. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. , Add shrimp and parsley. Simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes more or until seafood is done. Remove from heat; stir in Cajun seasoning.

HALF-HOUR CHICKEN GUMBO

Steps:

• In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium. Add flour, and cook, whisking constantly, until pale golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in bell peppers, onion, garlic, and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Add 4 cups water; stir in okra and sausage. Bring to a boil. Stir in shredded chicken, and warm through, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; if desired, serve with cornbread.

EASY CHICKEN GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan, add the lardons and onion, and fry for 5 mins until the bacon is starting to crisp and the onion is soft. Add the peppers, chicken and flour, and fry for a further 5 mins or until the chicken is golden brown and the flour is starting to take on a a biscuty colour.
• Stir in the Cajun spice mix and garlic, then slowly add the chicken stock, stirring all the time. Add the okra, passata and some seasoning and simmer for 20 mins, uncovered, over a medium heat. Stir frequently during cooking to loosen the flour from the base of the pan.
• Sprinkle over the spring onions and serve with rice and black beans.

QUICK 'N EASY GUMBO

Steps:

• Pour a glass of nice red wine and have a drink.
• Put some Italian opera on the stereo and turn volume up.
• Start a big pot of rice, I prefer white rice to serve this gumbo over.
• Rice is on the top shelf to the right.
• Cut meat into nice bite-sized slices, keeping fingers clear of blade.
• Heat oil over medium heat in a big pot and slowly saute meat with garlic and onions.
• Try not to eat too much of the meat while you cook or allow family members to.
• Precooked meats like the pork will speed process.
• Uncooked meats like chicken or shrimp can be quickly boiled in chicken broth and tossed in later.
• Never under cook chicken.
• Saute until lightly browned.
• Add broth to the pot and bring to a boil.
• Lower heat to medium and then add all the other ingredients one at a time starting with firmer vegetables first (they need more cooking) and soft last.
• Toss in spices last.
• Cook over medium heat until all ingredients are blended and cooked to your liking.
• Not over cooked or too soft is how I like it.
• Maybe fifteen minutes tops.
• The longer you cook the more the flavors will blend, but I prefer separate identifiable flavors so I cook less.
• Now taste your results being careful not to burn your tongue no matter how hungry you are.
• You're going to need that tongue later.
• Add ingredients according to your liking.
• I like to toss in some of the wine I'm drinking and I always add more garlic and salt and pepper to taste.
• Don't make it too spicy or your wife will not enjoy it.
• Serve over rice in big bowls.
• Put salt and pepper and Tabasco on the table for others to adjust flavors to their liking.
• You can now add more Tabasco to your own bowl and give your wife a wink.
• Turn off the TV and try talking to each other for a change.
• Finish the bottle of wine and go for a walk around the neighborhood after dinner to aid digestion.
• Enjoy!

"BIG EASY" GUMBO

Steps:

• In 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Gradually stir in flour with whisk; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly, until flour is chocolate colored. (Do not burn mixture.)
• Reduce heat to medium. Stir in onion, bell pepper, celery, Creole seasoning and garlic. Cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in broth. Add chicken, sausage and black-eyed peas. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in shrimp; cook 5 minutes or just until shrimp are pink.

GUMBO

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat the oil. Fry the okra, stirring constantly, for 10 to 12 minutes or until most of the slime disappears. Season with Essence. Add the tomatoes, onions, and celery, stirring occasionally, cook for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are wilted. Season with salt and cayenne. Add the bay leaves, thyme, garlic and water. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for 30 minutes. Serve with rice and garnish with green onions and Essence.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.