Spicy Chicken & Andouille Gumbo Over Buttered Rice

  

You know what the colder weather brings?  Warm me up dinners.  I am stock piling all my favorite soups and stew recipes along with a few experiments.  Today's experiment....  Spicy gumbo.  When I was in culinary school in Galveston, I had plenty of run ins with some true Cajuns.  Those people if you don't know, love them some food.  They have a dang good reason too, they cook it so well.  Full of spice and flavor and the time put in the meals you can taste on the plate.  When you eat creole Cajun food you will fall in love first bite, then all over again with the next one =)

I start by boiling 4 chicken thighs in highly season water for 1 hour.

1 TB crushed red pepper flakes

1 TB cyan

1TB onion powder

1/4 cup Sriracha

1/4 cup salt

Once chicken is cooked remove from pot and cool.  When you are able to handle it you can begin to remove skin and debone the chicken.  Slice two links of andouille sausage and mix with cooled chicken.  At this point I like to hit it with more Sriracha, Louisiana, and cayenne.  I want my gumbo spicy.  If your palate is more mild you can omit any of the spices listed.

While you chicken is cooking you can begin to make your roux.  Not gonna lie I've made a dark roux before and I did not feel like standing over a hot stove for 30 minutes to cook flour in some fat.....  Well I was going too until I saw a awesome jar of pre made creole Cajun roux at the supermarket.  I didn't have too high of hope for it when I bought is so I did taste it when I got home.  Have you ever taken a bite of a cookie made with salt not sugar.  Or are a fan of unsweetened tea but unknowingly took a swig of sweet tea?  Well that was my reaction.  I was spitting in the sink and sucking down water from the faucet.  It was perfect!!

Ok so in a stock pot add 32 oz of beef broth and 32 oz of water.  Now for some more seasoning.  I like to add about 1/4 cup of chicken bouillon, salt, pepper, 1 TB garlic powder, 1 TB onion powder, 2 heaping TB of red pepper flakes, 1 heaping TB cayenne, 1/4 Sriracha and 1/4 cup Louisiana.  Bring to boil then add 3/4 cup of dark roux.  You will whisk in until completely dissolved.  The gumbo will begin to thicken.  Once the roux is dissolved add your meat.  You want it to start soaking up as much flavor as possible.  Let simmer and stir occasionally for 30 minutes.

If you gumbo isn't as tight as you would like ( I like it to hold on to the rice not make it soupy) then you can make a quick slurry pretty much frowned on by every chef in the world, but you know what who the heck cares.  There is a time and place for everything and right now you may need a quick solution.  1/4 cup corn starch 2 TB water.  Completely mix then stir in gumbo.  It will immediately thicken.  Bring to boil again then remove from heat.  In my experience 1 hour on the stove didn't make it less flavorful than if it would have been on there 3.  Serve over hot buttered rice.

For the rice add 4 cups of water to sauce pan and boil.  Add 1/4 butter and melt then add 2 cups of white rice.  Stir, lower heat to simmer and place lud on pot.  Cook 25 minutes.  After it is cooked fluff with fork.