Chicken Gumbo
From Sutter Home Winery Culinary Director and Executive Chef Jeffrey Starr
It’s hard to imagine books more steeped in the culture and tradition of the Deep American South than the Ya-Ya novels. Food plays an important part in the lives of the Ya-Yas and there is arguably no more quintessentially Southern dish than Gumbo.
There are practically as many Gumbo recipes as there are feisty Southern women!
Sutter Home Culinary Director and Executive Chef Jeffrey Starr’s version is not complicated to prepare and has layers of rich, smoky flavor. The secret is to cook the roux long and slowly and serve with fluffy white rice, your favorite cornbread recipe and Sutter Home wine. White Zinfandel is Chef Starr’s personal pick. The slight sweetness of the wine cuts through the spice of the Gumbo.
Chicken Gumbo
4 cups very finely chopped onion
1 ½ cups very finely chopped celery
1 cup very finely chopped green bell pepper
1 ¼ cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons very finely chopped garlic
1 gallon chicken stock (canned broth is OK)
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 28 oz. can chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons chile paste
3 lb. chicken thigh meat, skinless, cut into 1” pieces
1 lb. andouille sausage, cut ½” thick on a slight bias
½ lb. tasso (Cajun smoked ham), cut into ¼” cubes
salt, to taste
3 cups finely chopped green onions
2 bunches of Italian parsley, finely chopped
Makes 2 gal.
Combine the onion, celery, and green bell pepper.
Roux - In a heavy pan, preferably cast iron, heat the vegetable oil over high heat until just slightly smoking. With a wire whisk, gradually stir in the flour. Cook, whisking constantly, for about 8 minutes. Be careful not to let the roux burn. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the roux turns dark red-brown, about another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately add half of the onion-celery-bell pepper mixture. Stir constantly for another 5 minutes, stir in the garlic, and set aside. (The roux will be liquid until the vegetable mixture is added. It will turn immediately thick and rather dry looking after the vegetables are added. This is normal)
In a large saucepan (3 gallon), bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the roux by spoonfuls, stirring constantly, until the roux is blended before adding more. Add the cayenne, black pepper, tomatoes with juice, chile paste, chicken, andouille, and tasso. Cover pot and simmer on low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining vegetable mixture and salt. Simmer uncovered for another hour, stirring occasionally. (When stirring, make sure you stir deep, scraping the pan bottom so that the gumbo doesn’t burn). Skim any fat that rises to the top.
Add the green onions and parsley and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Check seasoning (salt, cayenne, pepper, chile paste) and adjust as necessary
If made a day in advance, quickly cool gumbo in an ice bath, stirring occasionally to hasten cooling, until room temperature. Refrigerate. The gumbo will taste better if made a day in advance.
Before reheating, remove any fat that has risen to the top.