Creole Gumbo With Buffalo Andouille
February was filled with gumbo goodness as I judged the Destin History Museum Gumbo Cook off and attended the Annual Sandestin Gumbo Festival with partner SoWal.com. My Virtual Potluck blogging crew was also approached by a company called The Buffalo Guys to try some of their products, one of which was their buffalo andouille.
Though I had my fill of others gumbo during the month, I wanted to cook my own this week, so I set out to create Chicken And Buffalo Andouille Gumbo.
Ready for Gumbo!
I really enjoy buffalo, and have eaten it many times, most often in Colorado where my sister has lived for more than twenty years.
The Buffalo Guys are located in Northwest Kansas, and are committed to providing top-quality buffalo meat to consumers. They herd more than 500 buffalo that are range-raised on 3,300 acres of native buffalo range. Peter and Ken, The Buffalo Guys, do not use any MSG, nitrates or fillers in their products.
Buffalo meat is higher in iron, lower in fat, and has more protein than beef or chicken. It is loaded with B12, and is huge on taste!
If you would like to try The Buffalo Guys great tasting products, they are offering readers a 15 percent discount on all orders through the month of March! Click here to order, and use the code word VIRTUALPOTLUCK!
For more delicious Virtual Potluck recipes containing The Buffalo Guys products, go toDiabetic Foodie’s Round-Up Page. Also, Follow The Buffalo Guys and 30A EATS on Facebook!
Delicious Gumbo With Buffalo Andouille
Chicken and Buffalo Andouille Gumbo
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 pound buffalo andouille, or smoked andouille sausage, cut crosswise 1/2-inch thick pieces
- 4 pounds chicken thighs, skin removed
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped bell peppers
- 3 cloves of garlic, smashed and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs of oregano, leaves removed
- 9 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon file powder
- White Rice, recipe follows
- Hot sauce
Directions
In a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven or large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until well browned, about 8 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and add in batches to the fat remaining in the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until well browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan, let cool, and then refrigerate until ready to use.
Combine the remaining 1/2 cup oil and the flour in the same Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring slowly and constantly for 20 to 25 minutes, to make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate, but do not burn.
Add the onions, celery, garlic and bell peppers and cook, stirring, until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the reserved sausage, salt, cayenne, oregano and bay leaves, stir, and cook for 2 minutes. Stirring, slowly add the chicken stock, and cook, stirring, until well combined. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
Add the reserved chicken to the pot and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, skimming off any fat that rises to the surface.
Remove the pot from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken thighs from the gumbo and place on a cutting board to cool slightly. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Pull the chicken meat from the bones and shred, discarding the bones and skin. Return the meat to the gumbo and stir in the green onions, parsley, and file powder.
Spoon rice into the bottom of deep bowls or large cups and ladle the gumbo on top. Serve, passing hot sauce on the side
White Rice:
2 cups long-grain white rice
4 cups water, chicken stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 bay leaf
In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the rice, water, butter, salt, and bay leaf and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit, covered and undisturbed, for 5 minutes.
Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Discard the bay leaf and serve.
