Louisiana chefs offer their gumbo recipes

In an homage to gumbo, Louisiana chefs Isaac Toups and Brian Landry offer their versions.
Chicken and sausage gumbo according to Toups — “This is Gumbo 101: the first gumbo you learn in the Cajun kitchen. It’s surely the most popular gumbo on the planet.”
Toups and Jennifer V. Cole are authors of the book, “Chasing the Gator: Isaac Toups & The New Cajun Cooking.” Toups also owns Toups’ Meatery in New Orleans.
New Orleans native Chef Brian Landry brings his roots to Marsh House in Nashville, Tennessee, with his seafood gumbo. A variation on the classic NOLA dish, the shrimp, crab and andouille gumbo packs just as much flavor and makes for an easy dish to make at home.
Landry is also owner of Jake Rose in New Orleans where he promotes Duck & Andouille Gumbo — made with rich, tender duck meat instead of the usual chicken, and smoky andouille, this hearty gumbo is full of flavor.

CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE GUMBO
Chef Isaac Toups
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 lb. andouille sausage (or your favorite smoked sausage), cut into half-moons
3 tsp. kosher salt, divided
2 ribs celery, diced
10 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp. ground black pepper, divided
½ cup grapeseed oil
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 large onion, diced
4 bay leaves
1 (12-oz.) bottle amber-style beer
5 cups chicken stock
1 tsp. Louisiana Liquid Snake Hot Sauce
Cooked rice
Sliced green onions, for garnish
1 tsp. Smokey Green Hot Sauce
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the chicken thighs with 2 teaspoons of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the black pepper. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, skin side up, and roast for 20 minutes, or until the skin is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set aside. Don’t throw that fat away, it’s going in the gumbo later.
In a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat, make a dark roux, using the oil and flour, about 45 minutes. Once the roux is the color of milk chocolate, add the trinity of onion, bell pepper and celery, and stir once every 5 seconds for about a minute until the vegetables begin to soften and caramelize. The roux is rocking hot, so these vegetables are going to cook really quickly. Don’t walk away! After a minute, add the garlic and bay leaves and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
Deglaze the pot with the beer, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon until all the browned bits are released. Stir constantly until it returns to a simmer. Add the stock and continue stirring until it returns to a simmer. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper and the cayenne. Add the reserved chicken thighs (skin, bones, everything) and their fat and the sausage. Bring back to a bare simmer, being careful not to let it boil and not to let the roux scorch, reduce the heat to the lowest setting on your stove, and cover. Simmer for 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, scraping the bottom each time. Your gumbo should begin to thicken, but not like gravy. If it starts getting too thick before the 3 hours are up and you have to hit it with a little water to thin it, do so.
Do not skim that fat off the top.
Serve with rice. Toups puts the gumbo down in each bowl first and then puts the rice on top. Garnish with sliced green onions. To bump up the heat, add another dash of Louisiana Liquid Snake.
Serves 4

DUCK AND ANDOUILLE GUMBO
Chef Brian Landry of Jake Rose, New Orleans
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups diced onion
1 cup diced celery
2 Tbsp. dry oregano
1 Tbsp. ground clove
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper
2 lbs. andouille sausage (cut into half moons)
1 cup diced green bell pepper
¼ cup garlic (minced)
1 Tbsp. Allspice
2 Tbsp. dry thyme
Bay leaf
2 lb. duck meat (roasted and pulled)
2 oz. Worcestershire sauce
3 qts. duck stock (or chicken stock)
2 Tbsp. filé
Salt and black pepper to taste
In a 2-gallon stock pot, heat the oil over high heat. Add the onion and cook until caramelized. Once onion is browned but not burnt, whisk in the flour. Stir constantly until a dark brown roux is achieved. Add celery, oregano, clove, chili powder, paprika and chili flakes. Cook until the celery is tender. Next add the andouille and the duck meat. Cook for approximately 10 minutes until the sausage begins to render. Add the bell pepper, garlic, allspice, thyme and bay leaf. Cook until bell peppers are tender. Add the duck stock one ladle at a time, stirring constantly. Bring to a rolling boil then reduce to a simmer.
Whisk in filé. Cook for approximately one hour. Add stock as needed to maintain volume. Skim any impurities or oil that collects at the top. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with steamed rice.
Yield: 12 servings

SEAFOOD OKRA GUMBO
Marsh House, Nashville
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups diced onion
6 blue crabs (quartered)
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced green bell pepper
¼ cup garlic (minced)
Bay leaf
1 Tbsp. dry oregano
1 Tbsp. dry thyme
1 Tbsp. dry basil
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper
2 ripe tomatoes (diced)
2 cups okra (sliced)
2 oz. Worcestershire sauce
3 qts. chilled crab stock (or shrimp stock)
1 lb. Louisiana shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 cup crab claw meat
1 cup shucked oysters
Salt, black pepper and Tabasco, to taste
2 Tbsp. filé
In a 2-gallon heavy bottom stock pot, heat the oil over high heat. Whisk the flour into the oil. Stir constantly until a brown roux is achieved. Add the onion and cook until caramelized.
Once onion is browned but not burnt, add the crabs. Stir well. Next add the celery, bell pepper, garlic, dry herbs, chili powder, paprika and chili flakes. Cook until the vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes, okra, and Worcestershire. Add the crab stock one ladle at a time stirring constantly making sure there are no lumps of roux. Bring to a rolling boil then reduce to a simmer.
Cook for approximately ½ hour. Add stock as needed to maintain volume. Skim any impurities or oil that collects at the top. Add the shrimp and cook for approximately 5 minutes until the shrimp are just cooked through.
Now, add the crabmeat and oysters and continue to simmer until the oysters begin to curl. Season with salt, pepper and Tabasco. Whisk in filé right before serving. Serve with steamed rice.
Yield: 10 servings