Len's Recipe of the Month - March 2020

On this culinary journey of mine, I am also looking to learn and try something new.   And being cooped up in the house as a result of the pandemic is another factor.

The photo above is my latest kitchen adventure.   Louisiana sausage gumbo.

As per most of my cooking, Valerie Bertinelli provided the impetus for this one.   She did it on her Food Network show and...well...it's got sausage.   You had me at "saus."

But here's the wrinkle with any Louisiana-based...or Cajun...recipe.  It all starts with the roux.   The base of all Louisiana cooking, it is the foundation of any dish with a sauce or a gravy.

Now Valerie warned me.  Making a roux requires impatience.  It's comprised of two very basic ingredients.  One cup of canola oil.  One cup of flour.   But it could easily burn, so you cannot leave the stove until your mixture of water and flour turns from blonde to tan to dark brown.   And to do so, you MUST keep stirring it.   Constantly.

Valerie says the color change happens within 25 minutes.    

Len says his roux changes to the proper color in 65 minutes.

My wrist still hurts.   

But the results are so worth it.

First, you can prep your ingredients.

Dice one onion.

Dice four to five celery stalks.

Dice two green peppers.

Ladies and gentlemen, those three items comprise what Louisiana cooks call the Holy Trinity.   So many Cajun dishes involve them.

Take two pounds of smoked sausage and slice them into 1/4 inch pieces.   To mix things up and provide a lot of heat, use Andouille sausage for some of the pieces.

Now start your roux.   If yours is like mine, get very acquainted with your kitchen.  You will be there for a while.

Mix the oil and flour together in a Dutch oven that you have heated.

And keep stirring.

And stirring.

And stirring.

And stirring.

At some point, you will get a nutty brown color.  Your roux is done.   If, at any time, you see black specks in the mixture, that means your roux has burned. Either start over or go to McDonald's.

Into the roux, pour the Holy Trinity and let it all cook together for about five minutes.

Mince a few cloves of garlic and add that.

Now add two cans of diced tomatoes.   

Now add four cups of chicken broth.

Season it all liberally with a good Cajun seasoning mix.   McCormick's makes a good one.

You finally add the sausage at this point.  Make sure everything in the Dutch oven is covered by the liquid.

The longer you simmer this all, the better.   Two hours seems right.

About a half-hour before you want to eat, take a bag of frozen okra...yes, 
okra...and saute it quickly in a pan to get the chill off.   Then add it to the Dutch oven for the last 30 minutes.

It is pure magic in your mouth.

Enjoy.

Just remember to keep stirring!

Dinner last night:  Leftover Chicken Scarpariello.