Wave 2 - Gumbo!
 

I'm excited about this recipe. I *love* gumbo, but with 1 whole cup of oil, my usual recipe doesn't quite fit the program, to say the least! I really wanted to make some for Mardi Gras, though, so tonight I experimented with making a low fat roux, and it worked very well. I used white flour because I wanted to make sure that I didn't burn it, but next time I'll try whole wheat.

This is probably fine for Wave 1; I classified it as Wave 2 because of the flour, but really, it's only 1/4 cup divided among 12 servings, so the amount is pretty negligible.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
10-12 servings

1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
5 celery ribs, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 1/2 quarts chicken broth
2 cups spicy V-8 (or just use more broth)
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon Tony Chachere's creole seasoning (or to taste--I use 2 Tbsp)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
6 chicken breasts, cut into pieces
1 lb smoked turkey sausage, cut in half lengthwise and sliced*
2 lbs sliced okra

(* If you'd rather leave out the sausage, add some pureed chipotle peppers to get a nice smoky flavor without the fat.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread evenly in a heavy pan and bake, stirring every 5 minutes, until it's as brown as you'd like it but not burnt. Go at least as dark as peanut butter. It took mine about 35 minutes.

In a large heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sausage and brown quickly. Remove meat from pot.

Add celery, bell pepper, onion, and garlic to the same pot. Cook for about 5 minutes; then add the browned flour. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 4-5 more minutes.

Add all the liquids, seasonings, chicken, sausage, and okra. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for an hour or so.

Serve over brown rice and enjoy!


Jeri