GUMBO YA-YA

Gumbo Ya-Ya image

Yes, there's a gumbo called ya-ya. Many people believe gumbo can only be made with seafood but there's a less expensive way to make a delicious pot of this dish. Still, just because gumbo ya-ya is made with chicken and andouille sausage doesn't mean it's a poor man's gumbo. Since andouille can be hard to find outside of Louisiana, I use smoked sausage, which is more easily available. We also add enough herbs and spices to this gumbo to make it sing with the classic flavors of Louisiana.

Provided by Food Network

Time 1h45m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

3/4 cup canola oil
2 pounds chicken wings, drumettes and flats separated, tips removed
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium Spanish or white onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
5 sprigs fresh thyme
12 cups low-sodium chicken stock
24 ounces smoked sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups cooked white rice, for serving
1 bunch green onions (3 to 4 bulbs), sliced 1/4 inch thick, for serving
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves, for serving

Steps:

Heat 1/2 cup of the oil an 8-quart heavy-bottomed pot over medium to medium-high heat. Coat the chicken wings with 2 tablespoons of the Creole seasoning in a large bowl. Pour 1/4 cup of the flour over the chicken and coat evenly, then slowly add additional flour as needed until all of the chicken is completely coated (see Cook's Note). Working in batches, fry the chicken wings until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the wings to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
Carefully add the remaining 1/4 cup oil to the pot and heat until smoking (there should be a thin faint white smoke coming off the oil). Whisk in the remaining 3/4 cup flour and cook, whisking continuously, over medium-high heat until it turns into a dark chocolate brown roux. If the roux is browning too quickly, remove the pot from the heat and continue whisking until the roux reaches the desired color. Turn the heat down to low and stir in the celery, onions and peppers with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the vegetables are coated with the roux, about 1 minute. Add the garlic, cayenne, bay leaves, thyme and 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning and turn up the heat to medium-high. Whisk in the chicken stock in three parts to make sure it's fully incorporated. Add the chicken wings, sausage, Worcestershire sauce and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning. Stir to combine.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, using a ladle to skim off any foam that rises to the top, until the gumbo is slightly reduced and thickened, about 1 hour. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Combine the green onions and parsley in a small bowl or on your cutting board.
To serve, ladle the gumbo over bowls of cooked white rice and garnish with the green onion and parsley mixture.