Viva Italia Gumbo Ratatouille W Sausage And Chicken Recipes

CHICKEN AND ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE GUMBO

Steps:

• Cook sausage in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring constantly until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove sausage to a bowl and reserve drippings in the Dutch oven.
• Cook chicken in the drippings over medium heat to brown both sides, about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside.
• Heat oil in the Dutch oven. Add flour; cook and stir constantly over medium heat until roux is thick and the color of chocolate, 20 to 30 minutes. Be careful not to burn or you'll have to start again.
• Add celery, onion, and bell pepper; cook and stir for 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes longer. Stir in hot broth and bring to a boil.
• Add chicken breasts, Worcestershire sauce, Creole seasoning, thyme, pepper flakes, and bay leaves. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 1 hour. Remove chicken and let cool.
• Add sausage to the gumbo and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Shred cooled chicken and add to the gumbo with green onions. Simmer for another 30 minutes.
• Remove gumbo from the heat. Discard bay leaves and sprinkle gumbo with file powder. Serve over hot rice.

RATATOUILLE WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Trim and discard the stems from the zucchini and summer squash and slice them into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.
• Peel the onion and dice into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces. Cut the peppers in half, remove and discard the stems and seeds, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Remove and discard the stem from the eggplant and cut into 3/4-inch chunks.
• Cut the Italian sausage into 1/4- to 3/8-inch-thick slices and place in a large stock pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until browned. Add the zucchini, squash, onion, and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables start to soften. Add the eggplant and cook for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are almost tender. Stir in the tomatoes and Italian seasoning, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 10 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are cooked through. Serve warm.
• Food Trivia
• Everyone has their own version of how to cut an onion without crying. I'm not convinced that any of them work, but the most popular versions seem to be: 1) freeze the onions for half an hour before chopping; 2) peel them under running water; 3) don't slice the onion root, which releases the strongest fumes; 4) breathe through your nose while chopping. And we can't forget to include holding a piece of bread in your mouth as you chop, although I suggest you try this one when no one else is around.
• VEG OUT
• Do I even have to say you can leave out the Italian sausage?