Louisiana Gumbo

Ingredients

    1/4 cup all-purpose flour

    1 tablespoon canola oil

    1 onion, chopped

    1 large green bell pepper, diced

    1 stalk celery, minced

    4 cloves garlic, minced

    4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

    1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped

    10 okra pods, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch-long pieces

    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

    1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

    1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

    1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

    1 bay leaf

    1/2 cup long-grain white rice

    6 ounces medium (41/50 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined

    4 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, or thigh meat, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

    2 ounces andouille or kielbasa sausage, thinly sliced

    salt, to taste

    hot sauce, to taste

Directions

Heat a significant iron cooking pan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring perpetually with a picket spoon, till the flour turns a deep golden color, seven to ten minutes. Transfer the flour to a plate and let cool. there'll be a powerful aroma just like burnt toast. use caution to not let the flour burn; cut back the warmth if flour appears to be browning too quickly. Alternately, toast the flour in a very pie plate in a very 400°F kitchen appliance for twenty minutes.

Heat oil in a very serious pot over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic; sauté till the onions area unit gently suntanned, concerning seven minutes. Stir within the cooked flour. step by step stir in broth and convey to a simmer, stirring. Add tomatoes, okra, pepper, thyme, oregano, cayenne and herb. cowl and cook for quarter-hour. Stir in rice and cook, covered, for quarter-hour longer.

Add shrimp, chicken and sausage; simmer till the shrimp is opaque within, the chicken is not any longer pink and also the rice is tender, concerning five minutes longer. Discard the herb and season with salt. Ladle into bowls and serve with sauce.