Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Ingredients:                                                                                                serves 6 – 8

1kg Chicken leg, thigh & breast meat diced

250g Smoked Andouille or Polish Sausage – diced

250g Chorizo sausage – diced

1 Red and 1 green bell pepper – diced

1 Sweet Potatoes – diced

½ Head Celery – diced

4 – 5 Cloves of garlic – finely chopped

2 Large onions – diced

1 Red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

120g Tomato Puree

1 Tbsp Each of finely chopped oregano, thyme,

1 Tbsp Cayenne pepper, hot smoked paprika

75g Plain flour

75g softened butter

2L Chicken stock

Salt & pepper to season

1Tbsp Corn oil, or veg oil

Bunch of spring onions, sliced for garnish

1Kg Tiger prawns, peeled, de-veined (heads & tails intact) for garnish (optional)

Small knob of butter

1 – 2 Tbsp Filé powder (ground sassafras leaves)

Lemon wedges for garnish

Method:

1) Heat the oil in a large saucepan, and seal the chicken, andouille and chorizo sausage. Do it in batches and in that order as the chorizo will discolour the chicken and andouille sausage.

2) Pour of any excess fat from sealing the meat, and in the same saucepan sweat of the ‘holy trinity’ of onion, celery and peppers, for about 5 minutes or so.  Add the garlic, chilli, herbs and spices, (except the filé powder) and cook gently for a further 4 – 6 minutes, until the spices have released their aroma.

3) In the mean time combine the flour and butter to form a roux, and gently cook in a separate pan, being careful not to burn it. Cook it until it turns a light nutty brown colour. The longer and darker you cook the roux at this stage, the deeper and darker the sauce of the finished gumbo.

4) Add the sealed meats, sweet potato and chicken stock to your main saucepan. Combine all the ingredients thoroughly, and then add the roux.

5) Simmer gently for around 25 – 35 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the meats are cooked through. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the filé powder to your discretion.

6) Sauté the prawns in a little butter, salt and pepper until just tender.

Serve the gumbo in deep bowls on a bed of Creole boiled rice, garnish with a couple of prawns, spring onions and a lemon wedge for some extra zing.