gumbo-laya recipe

it seems like mardi gras came a couple weeks early with tonight's recipe! i was in the mood for some cajun cuisine so i just couldn't wait for fat tuesday! this recipe quickly became a favorite in our house. it is hearty and filling but much less complicated than actual gumbo and it healthy too! it is a gumbo-jambalaya combination (hence the name) and tonight i am having it with grits. it also is good served over brown rice (or other rice of choice) or on its own with a side of cornbread or biscuits! the recipe below makes quite a large pot, serving 6-8, but the leftovers freeze well! 

gumbo-laya 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound spicy andouille (or smoked) chicken/turkey sausage, sliced 

2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces 

frozen cajun/mirepox vegetable mix (diced onions, celery, peppers) 

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp Creole sesoning

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon, heaping, tomato paste

½ pound okra, sliced 

1 (28 oz) can organic diced tomatoes with juice

2 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

to serve: grits, brown rice, biscuits or cornbread 

1. heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil; once the oil is hot, add the sliced sausage in, and allow it to caramelize and brown for a few minutes; once well browned, remove the sausage from the pot, and set aside
2. add the chicken pieces into the pot along with a sprinkle or two of salt and pepper, and allow them to brown in the oil/sausage drippings for about 2-3 minutes; remove the chicken pieces from the pot, and set aside with sausage
3. add in the diced celery, onion and bell pepper, and caramelize it for about 2-3 minutes in the oil, then add in the bay leaves, the Creole seasoning, the cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. stir to combine
4. add in the garlic and stir, and once it becomes aromatic, add in remaining ingredients, including sausage and chicken, and stir to combine
5. allow the stew to simmer gently on low/medium-low, uncovered, for 20 minutes
6. serve with hot sauce over brown rice or grits or with cornbread or biscuits

(adapted from The Cozy Apron) 

i love this recipe and i made it for my roommates and they liked it quite well too! the true test will come when my grandfather, a new orleans native, tries it out! hopefully it will live up to his standards! enjoy this now before mardi gras or file it away and serve with a side of king cake in a few weeks! laissez les bon temps rouler!

xoxo,
clp