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Fried Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

Ingredients
  

  • 1 (3-4 pound) chicken

Chicken Seasoning

  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 & 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Gumbo

  • 1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 medium onion cut into small dice
  • 1 poblano chile stemmed, seeded and cut into small dice
  • 1 green bell pepper cored, seeded, and cut into small dice
  • 1 jalapeño pepper stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 & 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 & 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground white pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 & 1/2 tsp filé powder
  • 3 quarts chicken broth
  • 1 lb andouille sausage
  • 3 cups okra (about 1 pound), in half-inch slices

Instructions
 

  • Cut the chicken into eight pieces with the skin on. Cut thebreast meat from the bones and chop into 2-inch pieces. Lay the chicken on aplate or sheet pan and season evenly on both sides with salt and pepper. Dustwith flour and shake off excess.
  • Heat 1¼ cups of the oil in a large cast-iron skillet to 350°F over medium-high heat (a pinch of flour should sizzle in the oil when it’s ready). Fry the chicken in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, about 3 minutes on each side, until light golden (the chicken does not need to cook all the way through; it just needs to color). Transfer the chicken to a plate lined with paper towels.
  • Add the flour to the oil and stir gently with a whisk, preferably one with a long handle (see Note). Leave the heat on medium-high for the first 10 minutes. As the roux starts to darken, lower the heat in increments. When the roux reaches a light brown color, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until the roux takes on a smooth dark brown color, about 40 minutes total.
  • With a wooden spoon, carefully and slowly stir the onion, celery, peppers, garlic, salt, black pepper, cayenne, chili powder, white pepper, paprika, and filé powder into the roux. (Don’t use the whisk because the roux will be very thick at this point.) Be careful when adding the vegetables to the roux because it will create a burst of steam. Allow the roux to cool briefly.
  • Transfer the roux to a large soup pot. Heat the roux over medium-high heat, stir in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Whisk the stock frequently as it comes to a boil—to prevent the roux from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes. Every now and then, skim off the oil that rises to the surface; a good bit will float to the top as the soup cooks.
  • Add the chicken and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Add the sausage and simmer very slowly for about1 hour, skimming all the while, until the chicken falls away from the bones. Taste the stock. If it still has a strong roux flavor, add a few more cups of stock or water.
  • Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the okra and sauté, stirring or flipping the okra in the skillet, for about 8 minutes until it’s lightly browned and the gooey slime has cooked out.
  • Add the okra to the gumbo and simmer an additional 15 minutes.
  • The gumbo is finished when there is no more oil rising to the top. As with all soups and stews, gumbo is always better the second day, so you’ll be happy to have plenty of leftovers.

Notes

Note: Although you can stir the roux with a metal spoon, I highly discourage it. A spoon collects liquid and makes it easier to splash out of the pan and burn you. By contrast, a whisk allows the roux to pass through it and reduces the possibility of splashing, as well as getting into the sides of the pan. It’s important that you whisk the entire bottom of the pan when cooking roux; if you miss a spot the flour can stick and burn, which will give the entire pot an acrid flavor. Remember to stir slowly—roux has been called “Cajun napalm” because, if it gets on your skin, it sticks and burns. And beware, roux will catch on fire if left unattended.