Taste The Soulful Goodness of My Cozy Creole Gumbo Recipe...

Stephanie Blanc
Jun 20
4 min read

Photo Credit: Purroy Productions. Like my chef hat? Tap here for the link.

Hey guys!!! Welcome back to my mini-blog-series, called "Crescent City Chronicles," inspired by my recent venture to The Big EZ!

Now, my previous blog posts highlighted a few BIG EZ recipes that are popular, signature staples, to the New Orleans experience (Banana Foster Dessert Recipe, Hurricane Cocktail Recipe, Sazerac Cocktail Recipe, & Muffuletta Sandwich Recipe) but in THIS blog post we're getting deep down, into the nitty-gritty, heart, & soul of New Orleans cuisine. And NOTHING, screams NOLA heart & soul quite like a nice, hot, spice-infused bowl of creole gumbo.

As mentioned in my earlier blog post from this "Crescent Chronicle"...While in NOLA, I took the initiative to enroll myself into a hands on cooking class at the New Orleans School of Cooking, and gumbo was one of the appetizing dishes that we made for our 3 course meal, ANDDD that I'll be sharing with you in this blog post. And guys...Not only is creole gumbo already SO good on its own, but it's one of those dishes that can be easily paired with bread, rice, OR even made it into a gumbo pot pie, which I’ll show you how to easily do at the end of this blog post. You’ll be so set to enjoy your comfy bowl of creole gumbo for that next rainy dreary day. Read on for peace, love, & gumbo! Watch me make it here!

Like my personalized wooden spoons?! Tap here for link to customized wooden spoons!

"Cozy Creole Gumbo"

Ingredients

-¼¼ Cup Oil (Lard if preferred)

-¼ Cup Flour

-½ Cup Sliced, Andouille Sausage

-½ Cup Diced, Green Onions

-1 Cup Diced, Shallot Onions

-½ Cup Diced, Celery

-1 Cup Diced, Green Bell Pepper

-1 Tbsp Minced Garlic

-1 Cup Shredded, Chicken

-1 Cup Shredded, Crab Meat (Confession: I used imitation crab meat cause I like it & its way cheaper haha (insert covering eye emoji), BUT it still came SO freakin' good!!!

-4 Cups Chicken Stock (Chicken if you prefer)

-1 Tbsp Sliced, Dried Garlic

-Add'l Seasonings I Purchased For Flavor

Garnish

-Sliced Pieces French Baguette

Reference ingredients used in image above. Tap here for link to customized wooden spoons!

Now for some cultural history! Usually, when one hears the terms “gumbo” or “jambalaya,” apart from the actually foods...They elude to the idea of a melting pot, which is the epitome of what New Orleans represents in culture & cuisine.

BUT the actual origins of gumbo are deeply rooted in West African culinary traditions. The original term is believed to have come from the Bantu word “ki nGOMBO,” meaning, “okra,” which was used as a thickening agent in their version of the stew-like dish. Over time the dish underwent a cultural evolution with the convergence of African, Native American, & European styles of cooking & hence a star was born. Now, there is WAY more to the story, as I literally just scratched the surface. Just take it as a little trivia for now.

OK so, first & foremost the most important step to any good creole gumbo is making the roux, & not to brag or anything, but Chef Lynn kept, repeatedly, saying how great I was doing with my roux & how I had the most beautiful roux in the class SEVERAL times. So needless to say, I think you’re in pretty good hands here!

Directions

Step 1 - In a small skillet over medium heat, heat up the oil & add the flour, whisking continuously to make a roux. Now, you’re going to want to keep whisking nonstop, and it’ll gradually brown over time until it gets looking sort of like a hershey chocolate-type consistency. Now the intensity of the brown color isn’t LAW; You can go lighter w/your roux or darker...I prefer going darker because I believe it adds more of a smokiness in flavor & beautifully highlights the other ingredients more.
Step 2- Add in half of the onions, celery, & green bell pepper, otherwise known as the “holy trinity” & used quite a bit in New Orleans cuisine.
Step 3 - In a large pot, we’re going drizzle some oil and add the sausage. Cook sausage over medium high heat, allowing it to stick to the bottom of the pot. Once browned on both sides, add shredded chicken & continue to cook. Now remove from the pot. Add the remaining ingredients in a large pot & this will be the rest of our green peppers, onions, & green bell peppers to the pot & sauté.
Step 4 - Deglaze the pot with stock, scraping the bottom to remove anything stuck. Add remaining stock & bring to a boil.
Step 5 - Once the stock comes to a boil, carefully add your roux to the pot. Once roux is completely poured, allow stock to return to a boil. Add your preferred seasonings & sliced garlic to taste. Reduce to a simmer & cook for 1-hour or more.
Step 6 - Now add your crab meat at the complete end, so that it doesn't overcook. Continue to simmer until you can’t resist the aroma any longer. Serve gumbo over rice or without rice, accompanied by sliced French bread pieces. Garnish w/green onions. Makes 4-6 servings.

Tap here for link to customized wooden spoons!

Interested in Making It a "Cozy Creole Gumbo Pot Pie"???

Now, if you’re interested in elevating your gumbo a bit...Consider turning it into a pot pie! All you have to do is purchase some some store-bought semi-dough (or make from scratch if you prefer) at room temperature and place it on top of the bowl crimping the sides. Then bake it at approx 10-15 min at 375 degrees the et voila! There you have it-a gumbo pot pie!