Andouille Chicken Sausage & Seafood Gumbo

2 hours/moderately difficult but manageable/8 servings
nutrition per serving:
487 calories, 46g protein, 23g carbs, 24g fat, 4g sugar

ingredients

• 1.5-2 lbs of unpeeled and deveined shrimp
• 1/2 cup of butter, divided
• 6-8 cups chicken broth
• 1 pound andouille chicken sausage or smoked sausage, sliced
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large onions, diced
• 2 green bell peppers chopped
• 3 ribs celery chopped
• 4 cloves garlic chopped
• 3 tablespoons cajun seasoning*
• 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 green onions sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped, divided
• 1 pound lump crab meat
• 3 tablespoons of file powder
• white rice for serving*

directions

1. Peel and de vein shrimp, placing the shrimp shells aside. Refrigerate shrimp until needed.
2. In a large pot, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat.
3. Add the shrimp shells and cook until pink. Then add chicken broth.
4. Bring broth to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and keep warm until needed. (You just made shrimp broth!)
6. In a separate large Dutch oven, cook sliced sausage until browned.
7. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.
8. Add oil and remaining 1/4 cup butter to Dutch oven.
9. Heat over medium heat until butter is completely melted.
10. Add flour and stir with wooden spoon until smooth.
11. Reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring frequently until roux is a dark caramel color. This will take 30 to 40 minutes.
12. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
13. Add green pepper and celery and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring often.
14. Add garlic and seasonings and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
15. Remove shrimp shells from the broth in the first pot.
16. Pour the shrimp broth into the Dutch oven.
17. Add the sausage.
18. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 1.5 hours.
19. Add green onions and half of the parsley.
20. Add shrimp. When shrimp are pink, remove from heat and stir in crabmeat.
21. Add file powder and stir.
22. Simmer for an additional 30 minutes or until it reaches desired consistency.
23. Remove bay leaves and serve over cooked rice with remaining parsley or with some chopped green onions.

NOTES

*adjust the cajun seasoning to your taste.

*Add hot sauce to your bowl of gumbo if you dare!

* Many like to use okra to thicken gumbo instead of file powder. I’ll write more about how to do this in the future!