Spicey rooster gumbo

1 Servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
15 pound Rooster or roasted chicken if don't have access to a rooster; cut into 8 pieces, do not remove back bone, up to 7
2poundsAndouille sausage; sliced into 1/2\" thick rounds
2Smoked ham hocks
5Red bell peppers; cut into large dice
5Yellow bell peppers; large dice
5Green bell peppers; large dice
8largesYellow onions; large dice
3cups+ 3 cups high gluten flour
3cupsRendered chicken fat
5Bay leaves
4teaspoonsChopped garlic
gallonRich chicken stock
2cupsPilaf rice
1cupSliced scallions
2poundsOkra; sliced
2Eggs
2cupsButtermilk
2cupsCornmeal
Fryer oil
4teaspoonsKosher salt
2teaspoonsCayenne pepper
1teaspoonGround black pepper
2teaspoonsGround cumin
2teaspoonsHungarian paprika
2teaspoonsGround coriander

Directions

SEASONING

by Jan Birnbaum

Place chicken stock in pot twice as large as its volume. Place on back burner, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Mix all of the spice ingredients and reserve.

Prep meats and vegetables as required in above descriptions.

Place the ham hocks in the stock to simmer.

Place half of the onions and all of the green peppers as well as the chopped garlic and bay leaves in a large flat pan to prepare for the roux making.

Season the chicken parts with the spice mix to generously cover. Dust the chicken parts in seasoned flour.

In a cast iron skillet, heat the chicken fat almost to smoking. Fry the chicken parts over high heat to crisp the outside but not cook the inside of the chicken. Drain and add to stock.

Cut the sausage. In a few drops of oil, roast the sausage at 300ø F so as to render out the fat and caramelize the surface of the sausage. Remove and reserve.

In a large flat cast iron skillet, bring the chicken fat almost to smoking.

Very carefully whisk in the flour. Lower the heat to medium. Whisk the flour into the roux and continue to whisk in a circular motion around the cast iron pan. The flour will move through a range of colors from hazelnut to brick red and on to dark brown. When you have reached a deep red brown color, carefully pour the hot roux over the prepared peppers, onions and spices stirring constantly until sizzling stops.

Every 5 minutes add the roux to the stock a few spoonfulls at a time. Add half of the seasoning mix. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes or until rooster is cooked and tender.

Strain back into a large pot. Saute balance of vegetables and add to stock.

Pick cooked chicken. Add chicken pieces and sausage rounds.

Place gumbo in serving bowls and finish with a spoonfull of pilaf rice and sliced scallions.

Posted to recipelu-digest by "Nathan Neal" <<nneal@...> on Feb 20, 1998