Gumbo

Instructions

1. Season and brown the chicken Season 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves generously on both sides with salt and black pepper. Heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the 3 seasoned chicken breast halves and cook until browned on both sides, then remove the 3 browned chicken breast halves from the pot and set aside.
2. Brown the sausage Add 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices, to the same Dutch oven with the remaining 1/4 cup vegetable oil and any chicken drippings. Cook the 1 pound sliced sausage until browned, then remove the browned sausage and set aside with the chicken.
3. Make the roux Sprinkle 1/2 cup all-purpose flour evenly over the remaining oil in the Dutch oven. Add 2 tablespoons of the 5 tablespoons butter to the pot. Cook the mixture of 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup oil, and 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes, until the roux turns a medium to deep brown color and smells nutty. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and let the roux cool slightly.
   Stir constantly to prevent burning; adjust heat as needed.
4. Cook the aromatics Return the Dutch oven with the cooled roux to low heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter (of the total 5 tablespoons). Once the 3 tablespoons butter melt into the roux, add 1 large chopped onion, 8 cloves minced garlic, 1 seeded and chopped green bell pepper, and 3 chopped celery stalks. Cook the onion, garlic, green bell pepper, and celery in the roux for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened and fragrant.
5. Add Worcestershire and parsley Stir in 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, salt to taste, black pepper to taste, and 1/4 bunch coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley (stems and leaves). Continue cooking the mixture of aromatics, roux, 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and 1/4 bunch parsley for another 10 minutes, stirring often so nothing sticks.
6. Add water and bouillon Add 4 cups hot water to the pot and whisk to combine the 4 cups hot water with the roux, vegetables, 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, and 1/4 bunch parsley until the mixture is smooth. Add 5 beef bouillon cubes and whisk or stir until the 5 bouillon cubes dissolve into the 4 cups hot water and roux mixture.
7. Return chicken and sausage Return the browned 3 chicken breast halves and the 1 pound browned smoked sausage slices to the Dutch oven. Bring the mixture of roux, 4 cups hot water, 5 bouillon cubes, vegetables, chicken, and sausage to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, allowing the flavors to develop and the chicken to cook through.
8. Add tomatoes and okra After 45 minutes of simmering, add 1 can (14 oz) stewed tomatoes with juice and 2 cups fresh sliced okra to the pot. Stir the tomatoes and 2 cups okra into the gumbo base with the chicken, sausage, and vegetables. Cover again and continue to simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
9. Finish with green onions, shrimp, and parsley Just before serving, add 4 sliced green onions (white and green parts), 1/2 pound peeled, deveined, and cooked small shrimp, and a handful of additional chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves to the gumbo. Stir the green onions, 1/2 pound shrimp, and parsley into the hot gumbo and cook for a few minutes until the shrimp are heated through.
10. Serve Serve the gumbo hot over cooked white rice and accompany each bowl with crispy French bread. Garnish with extra chopped flat-leaf parsley if desired.