Gumbo Ya Ya

“Ya Ya” is Cajun for “a loud party.” I guarantee these three meats will create a party of flavors in your mouth!

 

 

Yield: 6-8 servings

 

Ingredients

 

1 pound Andouille sausage, cut in chunks, not rounds (in or out of natural casing as per preference)

 

1/2 cup grape seed oil

 

2 tablespoons grape seed oil, divided

 

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

 

2 cups chopped onion

 

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

 

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

 

1 cup thinly sliced celery

 

2 garlic cloves, pressed or grated

 

2 teaspoons Silas’ Cajun blend

 

¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

 

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)

 

6 cups chicken broth

 

2 pounds skinned and boned chicken thighs, cut in 1-inch pieces

 

½ cup chopped ham

 

3 cups hot, cooked brown rice

 

Toppings:

 

Chopped fresh parsley

 

Cooked and crumbled bacon

 

Hot sauce

 

Spring onion bulbs thinly sliced in rings, rings carefully separated to maintain the rings.

 

 

Steps

 

1. Heat skillet over medium heat.
2. Add 1 tablespoon oil. When oil shimmers, add onions. Sprinkle onions with salt.
3. When onions are soft and translucent, add celery.
4. Saute until celery softens.
5. Add Cajun seasoning.
6. Add bell peppers and saute until bell peppers are heated through, soft, but not limp.
7. Remove from heat and reserve in a bowl.
8. Return skillet to stove over medium heat.
9. When hot, add ½ tablespoon oil. When oil shimmers, add Andouille chunks and ham.
10. Allow meat to brown on one side, turn and brown the other side.
11. Remove from heat and add to bowl of vegetables.
12. If skillet is dry, add 1/2 tablespoon oil. Return to heat.
13. When oil shimmers, add chicken and quickly fry, stirring to keep the chicken from sticking to the pan.
14. When chicken is just cooked through, remove from heat. Pieces should be plump and moist, not dry. Add chicken to bowl.
15. Heat chicken broth in a saucepan.
16. Heat ½ cup of oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot and just beginning to bubble or shimmer, sift flour over oil and immediately whisk. Continue to whisk constantly until flour becomes a milk chocolate brown. Be careful, as the flour may brown quicker than with other oils. Unless one is an expert is making a dark roux, this is the suggested color for your finished roux. Darker and it may taste burned.
17. Add garlic to roux.
18. Remove from heat.
19. Slowly whisk hot chicken broth into roux until the desired consistency is reached.
20. Add meat and vegetables to roux. Return to heat and stir carefully until hot.
21. Place an island of rice in individual serving bowls.
22. Spoon gumbo over rice.
23. Serve immediately with desired toppings.