Rick's "Country Ceasar's" Cajun Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

"Gotta chicken?" - Warren Ceasar, 1993

Many of my friends and family have requested my recipe for gumbo and should be happy that it exists in its best described form, here on the web. It's not as easy as jotting down the ingredients and measurements, as there are some techniques that have to be employed while creating it. To me, it becomes a spiritual experience. The aroma it creates my kitchen makes me feel like I am hanging with friends and family on the Calcasieu River, north of Lake Charles. Gumbo is life -- and a lot of fun to make. I recommend putting on your favorite Cajun or zydeco CDs and popping open a cold can of beer or seven. It will surely create the experience of "being there" as you create the national dish of Louisiana.

The origin of the word, "Gumbo," is a West African word for "okra." One can only surmise that this dish, in its original form, was brought to America by African slaves that worked on the plantations of Southern Louisiana. The first versions of gumbo, were no doubt, okra stews. It was the introduction of the French Acadians that introduced roux into Louisiana cooking. My version of gumbo contains no okra, but there are many varieties of gumbo that use okra.

Before I submit this recipe, you have to know a bit of history first. I learned to cook this version from a dearly departed soulmate of mine, Warren Ceasar -- Leader of the Creole Snap Band, trumpet player for Clifton Chenier. He and his band stayed at my place on occasion, and Warren would always batch up a pot of gumbo.

Warren departed this world suddenly and way too young, from an aneurism in 2000. He was a very dear friend of mine and will be missed -- until we cook again one day -- on the other side. This is the way I make it, inspired by one of the most influential and extraordinary persons I've ever known.

Ingredients:

1 big chicken (cleaned and whole)
1.5 lbs of smoked pork sausage, (preferably from the Best Stop in Scott, LA)
Water
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large onion quartered
1 green bell pepper, chopped
5 green onions chopped
1 rib of celery
1.5 cup of all purpose flour
1 cup of canola oil
7 bay leaves
1 tablespoon of gumbo file
Salt to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
Handful of chopped parsley
1 pot of cooked rice (I use Falcon Mills Toro Rice from Crowley, LA)
(Serves a bunch of hungry, happy people.)

1) Make a stock by adding the whole chicken to a large pot with a lid, covering it with an inch of water.

Stock: The secret to any good gumbo is a rich stock. That's the key. My favorite stock for gumbo uses a whole chicken, one large onion quartered, a rib of celery, 2 bay leves and a lot of times -- whatever else I can find in the produce bin of the fridge. Sometimes I'll throw in a carrot or two for flavor.

A note about celery: I've learned from Warren as well as several Cajun restaurant chefs, this tidbit about celery: While celery is used widely in many Creole and Cajun dishes, "real" Cajun gumbo does not call for celery. Celery, like tomatoes, is considered a Creole ingredient by many Cajun chefs. I use 1 rib of celery in my stock, just because it adds a very sublime and subtle flavor.

2) Bring the chicken, water, a little salt, and your stock ingredients to a boil; reduce heat to low and cover.

3) While the stock is brewing, make the roux by adding the flour and oil into a cast iron skillet -- constantly stirring from the 'git-go.' Start with a medium high heat and be quick to ride the heat back to low/medium low/medium, etc. Stir constantly until it becomes the dark brown color of an old penny. This will take the good part of 45 minutes to an hour. Remove from heat and let it sit, stirring occasionally until it quits cooking. Then let it sit, leaving it alone for about 45 minutes so the oil will rise to the top, and you can pour it off and discard it for a slightly "healthier" and less greasy gumbo.

"Stay back, Jack! This shit'll burn ya!"- Warren Ceasar

Roux: Roux is a bit of an art. Roux is what gives the gumbo its unique flavor, color and character. It is the one ingredient that sets Louisiana cuisine apart from any other in the world. It takes a while to make and require constant attention to keep from burning. Warren always said to "ride it", meaning to make slight adjustments to the heat to keep it from burning or not browning quick enough. There is a fine line between creating a dark brown roux and a scortching mistake on your stove top. Warren also encouraged by-standers to "stay back" as the roux, while cooking is extremely hot. He referred to it as "Cajun napalm" because should it ever splash on you, it sticks -- and keeps burning. So keep your kids and animals (and curiously intoxicated friends) back at a safe distance while you stir.

4) By this time, your stock should be close to ready. Turn off the heat, remove the cover and let it cool down before removing the chicken and whatever else you done throw in there. Have another beer ('cuz you deserve it) and put on another CD, preferably one of Jimmy Breaux's solo discs.

5) Remove the chicken and your stock ingredients and strain the stock through a sieve. You'll need another big pot to do this without making a mess.

6) Throw the stock veggies away, or use them in some other dish -- not this one. Pick the meat off the chicken and set it aside.

7) Pour the stock back into the gumbo pot and heat it to a boil.

8) Add your bay leaves, chopped vegetables (except for the parsley and a handful of chopped green onions), salt and cayenne to the stock. Stir it up.

9) Reduce the boil to medium.

10) Add the roux. You'll have to scrape it in, so watch yourself -- don't get splattered by the boiling stock. When you add all the roux, add one cup of cold tap water (something Warren did, even he didn't know why!) "But it does somethin', Jack!" he used to say. What it does is, it lowers the temperature of the liquid so that the oil and flour in the roux doesn't separate. Too high of a temperature will cause separation, therefore ruining your gumbo.

11) Slice up your sausage and add it in the gumbo.

12) Boil the gumbo for a good twenty minutes, removing any foamy scum off the surface.

13) Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally and tasting (carefully) to adjust for salt and pepper.

Note: You might like to add a teaspoon or two of thyme, a tad of brown sugar for sweetness, a dash of Worchestershire, a litte bit of browning sauce, a cup of wine or a dash of bitters. It's now "your gumbo" and you can add your own unique spin. These are some of the lagniappe ingredients I've deployed on occasion.

14) Stir in the gumbo file about 5 minutes before time to serve.

Chicken meat: I add the chicken meat at the bottom of each gumbo bowl, unless I know the entire pot is going to be eaten in one day. The chicken, if added into the gumbo, will get stringy and it's just a cosmetic thing, but I like the chicken meat to be in nice small chunks, rather than a sinuous mess resembling rice noodles.

15) Serve it up in a bowl with a sprinkle of chopped green onions and chopped parsley. Serve the rice in a separate small dish for each person, along with some hot french bread and don't forget the Tabasco.

Bon ap, Jack.

___________________________________________________________

Beck's Caramel Almond Popcorn (Crack Corn)

(Makes 16 to 18 cups)

BECK'S CORN (CRACK)

Rick's sister, Beck makes this stuff a couple times per year. We spend the rest of the time begging her to make it.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pans
¾ cup corn kernels
2 ½ tablespoons canola oil
2 cups almonds, lightly toasted [I buy whole, raw
almonds and toast them myself]
2 cups packed light-brown sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda

1) Preheat oven to 250°
Butter 2 baking sheets; set aside.

2) Place corn kernels and oil in large pot, partially covered, over medium heat.

3) Once popping begins, shake pan frequently; when popping slows down, about 3 seconds between pops, remove pan from heat and uncover.

4) Transfer popped corn to a large bowl; add almonds. Set aside. [Beck salts the popcorn with Popcorn Salt
– of course, Beck LOVES salt.]

5) In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, butter and corn syrup over medium-high heat; stir to dissolve sugar and melt butter. Cook, stirring constantly, until it reaches 255° on a candy thermometer.

6) Remove pan from heat; stir in extracts, salt and baking soda. [It will foam up after you add the soda.]
Working quickly, pour over popcorn and almonds; toss with wooden spoons while rotating the bowl. When completely coated, divide evenly between prepared baking sheets.

7) Bake, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour and 20 minutes; popcorn will crisp when cooled.

8) Enjoy; enter a twelve-step program for caramel corn addiction.

___________________________________________________

Rick's Chicken Madras ("Injun Gumbo")

Rick began cooking Indian cuisine in 1983. He's gotten purdy decent at it.

(Serves 4)

5 cups chicken stock
1 pound of boneless chicken (cubed)
2 tablespoons of ghee (or sub with oil)
1 can of chick peas
1/2 onion sliced thin
1 Roma tomato cubed
5 tablespoons of Madras (spicy) curry powder
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 tablespoon of salt
1 tablespoon of fresh grated ginger
2 tablespoons of fresh chopped cilantro
Steamed Basmati rice

 
1. Sprinkle the chicken with a tablespoon of curry powder; set aside.
2 Brown the onions with ghee in a karhai or deep skillet until soft then add chicken and brown.
3. Add fresh ginger, salt, sugar, remainder of curry and stock. Stir the pot. Put some rice on.
4 Let that stuff simmer and stir regularly, tasting for seasoning.
5 Dump in the can of chick peas after about 10 minutes, once you got the rice going.
6. Simmer it on medium blaze for about 15 more minutes -- your rice should be finished by now.
7. Dump in those tomatos I mentioned and stir, making sure the heat is lowered.
8. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with that rice and some roti bread.

Quick, put on some bhangra and light some champa...