By the Old Patrol Chef
Gumbo is not only rich in vitamins and nutriments, but it also tastes good and is one of those "stick to your ribs" dishes to enjoy on a cold wet day.
This looks and sounds like a complicated recipe to make but it really isn't. It is, however, a bit labor intensive in that the Patrol cook can't just wander off from it or not pay full attention in preparing the roux and that it'll come out right. Actually, the roughest part is in making the roux. The cook must watch his fire's temperature and do a lot of stirring so not to burn the roux. The rest of this recipe is more of just putting the other ingredients together in the Dutch oven with enough stirring to keep the rice from sticking on the oven's bottom and letting time and the proper heat cook the gumbo to perfection As in any gumbo, you first must make the roux.
All Ingredients:
1/2 cup Vegetable oil 2 pounds Sausage, smoked
1/2 cup Flour, white 1/4 cup Green onion tops, cut up
1 cup Celery, diced 1/4 cup Parsley, fresh chopped
1/2 cup Onion, chopped 1/4 cup Rice, long grain
1/2 cup Green bell peppers, chopped 1/2 tsp Salt
4 cloves Garlic, minced (optional) 1/4 tsp Pepper
1 pound Chicken breasts, boneless To taste Red pepper
1 pound Chicken thighs, boneless To taste Tabasco hot sauce
Note: Fish, shrimp, crab and oysters can be substituted for chicken and sausage.
Roux: Place vegetable oil in oven over medium heat (or about 10 hot briquettes if using open fire). When the oil is hot, then add in the all purpose white flour, stirring the flour into the oil and cooking both together until it turns medium brown in color.
Instructions: Chop the chicken parts into small pieces. After making the roux,
add in the celery, onions, and green pepper, cook until tender. Add the garlic
(optional) and cook an additional 5 minutes. Add 2 quarts of warm water and
mix well. Add the chicken and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add
seasoning to taste and cook 1 hour. Skim any off and discard.
Cut sausage into 1/4 inch circles and add to the pot. Add enough water to fill
pot to approximately 1/2 inch from top. Continue cooking 2 hours skimming oil
as required. Gumbo can cook all day, it gets better as it cooks. Approximately
30 minutes before serving, add the onion tops and parsley. Serve in large bowls
like soup. Garlic bread goes well with gumbo. Serves 10 12 Scouts
Hardware:
Dutch Oven, 12 inch
Spatula (silicone) or Wooden Spoon
Knife
Can Opener
Preparation/Cooking Time: 3 1/2 hours