When Uncle Chris was just a toddler, Pa’s brother-in-law was in seminary, so Nana and Pa visited him and his wife in New Orleans.  Pa’s sister made authentic gumbo using a recipe that a local had shared with her.  Nana has used this same recipe, with her changes, ever since.  If you need instructions for cooking a whole chicken, you can look at Nana’s chicken and dressing recipe.  Another option that her girls often do is buy the rotisserie chickens that are already cooked.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ – 3-pound whole chicken (Save chicken broth.)
• ½ cup oil
• ½ cup flour
• 1 cup bell peppers
• 1 cup onions
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 2 cup carrots
• 1 ½ pounds Eckrich smoked sausage
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ¹/₈ teaspoon cayenne
• 2-3 tablespoons parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• ¹/₈ teaspoon powdered clove

Instructions

• Pressure the chicken in water. (For more details on cooking a whole chicken, look at Nana’s chicken and dressing recipe.)
• When cooled, remove meat from the bone set aside. (Make sure to save the broth.)
• Make a roux by cooking oil and flour until it’s the color of pecans. (You will think you have burned it!)
• Add chopped vegetables and sauté for 10 minutes.
• Add sausage and cook for another 10 minutes.
• Add water to reserved chicken broth until you have 2 quarts of liquid. Pour into roux and sausage mixture.
• Add chicken.
• Add spices.
• Cook at least one hour, or all day if you wish.

“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”
Psalm 34:8