Julio's Delicatessen

Click here for a PDF of this recipe without photos.

After reading this blog, my colleague, former boss, and good friend Rhonda Linginfelter offered to share with me the details of her never-before-disclosed Gumbo recipe.  There are as many recipes for gumbo as there are people who make it, but this one really can’t be beat.  This is perfect for a cold winter day – particularly a Sunday during football season.  This makes a ton, so make it for a group or plan to freeze some.

Recipe courtesy of Rhonda Linginfelter, Nashville, TN

• 3 chicken breasts, cooked
• 1 lb breakfast sausage
• 1 lb Andouille sausage
• 1/3 cup + 4 Tb canola oil
• 2 lbs okra (fresh, cut into ½-inch sections or 2 bags of frozen cut okra)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 large green pepper, diced
• 4 cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 16 oz tomato sauce
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 1/3 cup flour
• 6 cups chicken broth or water
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tb Chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 2 tsp Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
• 2 lbs shrimp (peeled and deveined; head and tail removed)
• 1 Tb sugar
• White rice for serving

Prep – Before making the roux, prep all of the other ingredients.

Allow about an hour for prep.  Shred the chicken into small pieces and set aside. Cook the breakfast sausage, then drain and set aside.  Cut Andouille into small pieces and set aside.  In a small skillet, heat 2 Tb canola oil, then add okra.  Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes.  Remove from skillet and set aside.  In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 Tb canola oil.  Add the onion and green pepper and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, and half of the tomato paste.  Bring to a simmer and stir to combine.  Add okra, breakfast sausage, and Andouille.  Stir, cover, and turn heat to very low.  In a separate pot, bring chicken broth or water to a simmer.

Making the roux – In a separate pot (ideally cast iron or enameled iron), combine the flour and 1/3 cup of canola oil.  Cook over low heat, stirring or whisking almost constantly, until it reaches a light brown color – 15 to 25 minutes.  Do not overcook.

Assembling the dish – As soon as the roux reaches the desired color, add the hot water or broth.  Whisk together until the consistency is completely uniform and there are no remaining lumps.  Add all of the seasonings except for the sugar and stir to combine.  At this point, combine the roux mixture with the tomato and vegetable mixture in a large pot.  Stir to thoroughly combine, then bring to a slow simmer.  This can simmer for 30 minutes or several hours.

Finishing the dish – 15 minutes before you’re ready to serve, add the shrimp and chicken to the pot.  Stir to combine and cook until the shrimp is no longer pink.  Turn off heat, add the sugar, stir, and serve with rice.