Fat Tuesday 2012

Early this morning, I finished making gumbo for our Fat Tuesday celebration at Huber.

My Favorite Chicken, Sausage, and Shrimp

• 1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  
• ½ cup all purpose flour
  
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
  
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
  
• 1 green pepper, chopped
  
• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
  
• 2 cans (14.5 oz.) chicken broth
  
• 1 can (14.5 oz) beef broth
  
• 1 can stewed tomatoes
  
• 1 lb. boneless,skinless chicken thighs
  
• ½ lb. chorizo sausage, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
  
• ½ cup loosely packed parsley leaves, chopped
  
• 1 Tablespoon minced fresh thyme
  
• 1 Tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves
  
• ¾ teaspoon salt
  
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
  
• 1 lb. medium shrimp, shelled & deveined
  
• 1 cup long grain rice, cooked as directed on the package

Instructions:

1. In a large soup pot, heat oil over med-low heat. Gradually stir in flour, and cook, stirring, until mixture is dark brown ~ about 15 minutes.
   
2. Mix the broth in slowly and blend until smooth.
   
3. At the same time you start the roux start to cook the vegetables: In a non-stick skillet, over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and heat until hot.
   
4. Add celery, garlic, green pepper, and onion and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
   
5. To the roux-thickened broth add the stewed tomatoes, chicken, chorizo, herbs, salt, black pepper and the vegetables.
   
6. Add 4 cups of dark beer or water and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 40 minutes. Skim off any fat that comes to the surface.
   
7. Add the shrimp and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until the shrimp turn opaque.

It wasn't the recipe I wanted to make (which was Alton Brown's from the Food Network), but the flavor was good.