MA HARPER'S CREOLE GUMBO

Ma Harper's Creole Gumbo image

Provided by Food Network

Time 1h40m

Yield 30 cups (15 to 20 bowls)

Number Of Ingredients 20

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 pound chicken meat, light or dark, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons oil
1 pound smoked or hot sausage, sliced
2 large onions, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1 head garlic, chopped
6 whole blue crabs, cleaned and back shell removed
2 teaspoons thyme
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
5 ribs celery, chopped
3 small bay leaves
1 bunch green onion, chopped
3 quarts chicken or seafood stock
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Cajun seasoning, to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Rice, for serving
Gumbo file powder, for serving

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place flour in a baking pan and bake, watching and stirring occasionally until flour is a nutty brown color. Sift to remove the lumps of flour.
Saute chicken in oil in a large pot. Add sausage and cook until it begins to change color. Add onions, bell pepper and garlic and let cook until onion is clear. Add crabs and let cook until the crabs have changed color. Add thyme, cayenne, celery, bay leaves, green onions and flour and let mixture cook 5 minutes. Add stock and season with salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning. Cook for 45 minutes over medium heat, then stir in parsley. Serve over rice. Add gumbo file to each serving.