“Trinity”
January 21 | Cold Spring, New York
Joe learned how to make gumbo from watching his grandmother cook batches of it in her 1950s Louisiana kitchen. Now he makes it out of his own kitchen on special occasions (or whenever he has a poultry carcass lying around) using the same, well-worn cast iron skillet his grandmother used. In this episode, Joe shows Jennifer how to make a proper Cajun roux and how to temper it before adding it to the simmering stock (to minimize its “Cajun napalm” quality), which Joe seasons with his own blend of “leaves and seeds.” Jennifer also learns a thing or two about sassafrass leaves, okra, and the trinity of black, white, and red pepper. Listen in.
RECIPE
Joe’s Chicken-Andouille Gumbo
Serves 12
1 pound andouille, cut in ¼-inch half rounds, roasted @ 350°F for 45 minutes
2 quarts plus 3 cups good chicken stock
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Trinity (reserve @ 1 cup for “tempering” the roux):
2 medium onions, diced
4 stalks celery, sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
Seasoning mix (reserve @ 1 tablespoon for seasoning the roux):
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne
3 tablespoons gumbo filé (+ more for serving)
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Roux:
1 cup fat/oil (Joe uses ghee)
1 cup all-purpose white flour
4 cups cooked chicken/turkey (cut in bite-size pieces)
2 10-ounce bags frozen okra
Cooked white rice, for serving
- Heat the 2 quarts stock in a large pot. In a large heavy-duty skillet, preferably cast-iron skillet, heat 2-3 T. oil/fat and add the onion, sautéing until translucent. Add garlic and fry for 30-45 sec. Add seasoning mix (reserving 1 T.) and sweat for a minute or so, add celery and bell pepper (reserving 1 cup for the roux), and cook until wilted. Add cooked and seasoned vegetables to warm stock and simmer gently for ½ hour.
- Make the roux: Wipe your skillet clean and melt the oil/ghee over medium heat. Add the flour before the fat gets hot and whisk until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, until the roux is the deep golden color of peanut butter, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and temper the roux with the reserved onion-celery-bell pepper-garlic mixture, stirring constantly to cool (slightly) and then the reserved spice mix. Add the remaining broth and return to heat to cook for another 20 minutes, stirring regularly. Season to taste with salt.
- Scrape the roux into the simmering broth and let cook, at a slow simmer, for 45 minutes. When ready to serve, add the sausage, chicken, and okra, cooking for 10-15 minutes to blend the flavors. Serve hot over cooked white rice with gumbo file powder sprinkled on top.
