Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo

I love gumbo. I usually like to make it with lots of seafood, but that can get really expensive. So this was my cheap-o version. Also, I sin terribly by adding some fish sauce into this. Please don't tell any of my peeps in Louisiana. I'm pretty sure that wouldn't go over well.

Need:
an onion, chopped
3-4 celery sticks, chopped
a bell pepper, chopped (green preferred, but Joe went to the store and he can't read my mind)
Chicken or seafood broth
butter
flour
shredded cooked chicken
sliced andouille sausage
rice
oregano
bay leaf
fish sauce
a bottle of beer
Add if you've got it: sliced okra and filé powder (powdered sassafras leaves)

 

In a heavy-bottomed pot, melt butter and add flour. Do this on LOW. It takes a good 30-40 minutes to develop a nice, dark roux. Do it slowly and have patience, otherwise you'll screw it up. Stir constantly.

 

Chop up your bell peppers, onions, and celery.

 

Slice the andouille sausage.

 

After about 20 minutes, it starts to darken.

 

This is what it should look like when you're ready to add to it. I'm trying to show you that it should be about the color of a penny.

 

Add your chopped vegetables and saute for about 3 minutes.

 

Add the broth, beer, palm-ful of oregano, a bay leaf, and some fish sauce.

 

After about 20 minutes of the soup simmering, add your shredded chicken and the sausage. Let simmer on low for at least 20 more minutes. You're welcome to add some cayenne to this recipe to kick up the spice level. I didn't because this was the meal we ate before trick-or-treating. I haven't built up the kids' resistance to heat yet.

 

Add soup to a bowl of rice, some Tabasco sauce for heat and yum. A very satisfying meal.