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. Nana has also shared her popular okra gumbo.

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