Cajun Mamma Gumbo

A family recipe from Tammy Johnson.

Getting ready: 30 min · Cooking: 1 hr · Feeds: 12

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 1 C. chopped onion
• 1 C. chopped celery
• 1 C. chopped green peppers
• 8 to 9 cups chicken stock (you can use canned broth or water & bouillon)
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• One 16 oz. pkg. Polska Kielbasa
• Tony Chachere's original Creole Seasoning, to taste
• Rice, for serving
• Shelled raw shrimp or crawfish (optional)
• Chopped okra (optional)
• Zatarain's Gumbo File (ground sassafras leaves), for sprinkling

Directions

1. For a good pot of roux take equal amounts of oil and flour out. I'll use 1/2 cup each for this recipe.
2. Place oil in a pan and get it very hot until it goes to smokin. Once it's smoking put your flour in being very careful because it may splatter.
3. Immediately begin briskly stirring the flour into the oil using a long handled whisk. Constantly move the flour around until you get the color you desire. The darker the color the deeper the flavor. If you see any black specks start over because you didn't keep her movin well enough and burnt the base. I make my roux base as dark as possible without burning it. (Deep rich flavor)
4. After you get the color you want, throw in 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 C. each of chopped onion, celery and green peppers, stirring all the time with your whisk. Do this for a tad to cook the veggies some and then remove from heat. Keep stirring for a bit after removing from heat.
5. Now get a big pot and pour in 8 to 9 cups of chicken stock (you can use canned broth or water & bouillon). Get this boiling and stir in roux base by spoonfuls.
6. Chop 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts & one 16 oz. pkg. Polska Kielbasa into bite size pieces. Throw meat into the boiling broth. Boil until chicken is done.
7. Now add the spice > Tony Chachere's original Creole Seasoning. Taste broth & add this seasoning according to your likin.
8. Now steam some rice, place a spoon full or two in a bowl and ladle up the Gumbo on top.
9. Tip: This makes a big pot of Gumbo. You can half everything to make a smaller mess.
10. Tip: You can add shelled raw shrimp or crawfish to the broth at the last minute if you like shellfish. Also if you feel like having this really Cajun style, add some chopped up okra. Fried okra even better.
11. Tip: We always make a big bowl of potato salad & some toasted garlic French bread to go with the Gumbo. Also pass around a spice jar of Zatarain's Gumbo File (otherwise known as ground sassafras leaves) to sprinkle on top according to each person's liking.
12. Tip: I freeze the left over roux in glass jars after all the meat is stolen out. Then when me & hubby want a quick fix, I just unthaw and add some meat.

The story behind it

I love a good Gumbo so I learned how to make a roux and made up my own concoction. After you learn to make a roux there's nothin to making a good Gumbo. This is the best thing to fix for a crowd! Ok now I'll hush cause my fingers hurt and believe it or not I'm through. Hope you enjoy what I call Cajun Mamma Gumbo! (Correction made on 9/30/2005)