Authentic New Orleans Style Gumbo

Ingredients

For the Roux:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (a little more may be needed)

• 2/3 cup oil (vegetable or canola oil)

For the Gumbo:

• 1 bunch celery, diced (leaves and all)

• 1 green bell pepper, diced

• 1 large yellow onion, diced

• 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

• 1 bunch fresh chopped parsley, finely chopped

• 2–3 cloves garlic

• 1–2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning*

• 8–10 cups chicken broth*(You can add a little chicken bouillon paste to enhance flavor)

• 12 oz andouille sausage, sliced into “coins”(Substitute Polska Kielbasa if needed)

• Meat from 1 rotisserie chicken*

• 2 cups shrimp (uncooked or pre-cooked)

• Hot cooked rice, for serving

Instructions

1. Make the Roux®*: In a large, heavy bottom stock pot combine flour and oil. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring constantly for 30–45 minutes. This part takes patience—when it's finished it should be as dark as chocolate and have a soft, "cookie dough" like consistency. Be careful not to let it burn! Feel free to add a little more flour or oil as needed to reach this consistency.

2. Brown the sausage. In a separate skillet on medium-high heat place the sausage slices in one layer in the pan. Brown them well on one side (2–3 minutes) and then use a fork to flip each over onto the other side to brown. Remove to a plate.

3. Cook the vegetables in broth. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth to the hot skillet that had the sausage to deglaze the pan. Pour the broth and drippings into your large soup pot.

4. Add remaining 5 1/2 cups of chicken broth. Add veggies, parsley, garlic and roux to the pot and stir well.

5. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 5–7 minutes, or until the vegetables are slightly tender. (Skim off any foam that may rise to the top of the pot.) Stir in cajun seasoning, to taste. Add uncooked shrimp, if using, and cook 2 minutes.

6. Add meat. Add chicken, sausage, and pre-cooked shrimp, if using.

7. Taste and serve. At this point taste it and add more seasonings to your liking—salt, pepper, chicken bouillon paste, garlic, more Joe's stuff or more chicken broth—until you reach the perfect flavor. Serve warm over rice. (Tastes even better the next day!)