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.  

Spaghetti Squash How To

Not sure what spaghetti squash is? You know what it is but don't know what do do with it?  Well no matter the reason you haven't had it, you are about to learn what it is and how to cook it! 

The spaghetti squash is an oblong seed-bearing variety of winter squash.  The fruit can range in either from ivory to yellow or orange in color.  The orange varieties have a higher carotene content.  It's center contains many large seeds.  It's flesh is bright yellow or orange.  When raw, the flesh is solid and similar to other raw squash.  When cooked the flesh falls away from the fruit in ribbons or stands like spaghetti.  

  

Still intimidated?  Well just go purchase yourself a spaghetti squash turn on your oven to 400 and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes.  Once the time is up place on a baking sheet and let set 10-15 minutes.  You can slice it any way you want as long as one way it is halved!    

I slice length wise it is easier to remove the seeds.  To remove the seeds I just cut them out with scissors.  I go down the sides then from the bottom of the seeds and pull them out.  You are not wasting any of the squash trust me.  This squash could feed a small village.   You can save the seeds and bake later.  This is not a have too by no means. 

Once the seeds are out I start to fluff the flesh with my fork.  I do not want to be to rough cause I want it to maintain its spaghetti like appearance.  

When you cooked the squash you baked it long enough that you will be able to completely remove the entirety of the squash from its outer layer.  Absolutely no waste!!  I put mine strait into tupperware because I had no immediate plans for it.  Although I did set aside just for a bite.

I place just enough in one bowl and put a wet paper towel over it and microwave it for 1 minute and 30 seconds.  This insures that the squash is completely cooked and hot enough to melt the butter I am going to top it with, as well as 1 TB of pesto.   If you are serving as a meal you can place a skillet over medium heat and let the pan get hot.  Then add the squash and once its sizzling add 1/4 cup of water to make some steam.  Toss around for another minute then your ready to go!

Please do not forget this is so versatile.  Besides its hints of sweetness this is a great calorie substitute over pasta!  You won't hardly know the difference once topped with toasted garlic and olive oil or even some pasta sauce.  It makes a wonderful fall dish.