Sausage Gumbo

It was another soup night with temperatures in the low 30's again tonight.  I went back to the cookbook Easy Soups From Scratch with Quick Breads to Match and decided to make Sausage Gumbo.  There are lots of versions of gumbo and this one is quick and easy.  This recipe makes the roux in the microwave, which I've never done before but it worked quite easily.   It used Gumbo File powder that I found at a local deli in our neighborhood called Husky Deli.

Husky Deli has been around since 1932 and I stop in there often since it is just a few stores down from Bakery Nouveau where I frequent often. 

Husky Deli is a popular lunch spot with their wide variety of sandwiches 

and paninis.

They are also known for their homemade ice cream where there is usually a line of people and popular as an after-school destination. 

The notes on this soup say that the soup is super-adaptable.  It calls for smoked turkey sausage, but you can substitute 12 oz. of peeled and deveined shrimp and add them with the okra.  I used Jenni-O Turkey Breakfast Sausage Links. 

You can also make the soup vegan by substituting a large chopped garnet yam for the sausage and using vegetable broth rather than chicken broth.  I used frozen black-eyed peas, not as mushy as canned black-eyed peas.  

Serves 4-6

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup safflower oil

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

3 celery stalks, thinly sliced

7 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning

5 cups chicken or vegetable broth

3 cups black-eyed peas

12 oz. smoked turkey or pork sausage links, cut into bite-size pieces

2 cups frozen sliced okra

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

2 tsp. gumbo file powder

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

hot sauce, for serving

1.  In microwave-safe bowl with 4 cup capacity, whisk together the flour and 1/4 cup plus 3 Tbsp. of the safflower oil.

2.  Microwave on high for 3 minutes, and then use an oven mitt to remove the bowl from the microwave and whisk the mixture; be very cautious because hot roux can cause severe burns.  Return bowl to the microwave and cook on high, whisking every minute, until the mixture is the color of an old copper penny, from 3 to 7 minutes, depending on your microwave.

3.  While the roux cooks, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. of the safflower oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery and saute, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. 

4.  Add the garlic and Cajun seasoning and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Carefully pour the hot roux into the pot and stir to coat the vegetables. 

5.  Add the chicken broth, black-eyed peas, and sausage to the pot.  Cover, bring to a simmer, and reduce the heat to medium-low.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.  Add the okra, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, until the okra is tender, about 10 minutes. 

6.  Remove the pot from the heat, add the vinegar and the file powder, and stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.

7.  Ladle the gumbo into bowls and serve immediately with a bottle of hot sauce at the ready.

To Make Ahead:  Let the roux sit a room temperature in the bowl until completely cool, and then pour it into a container with a tight-fitting lid, like a canning jar.  Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.  Before using, whisk the roux thoroughly.  The soup can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and reheated gently; add a bit of warm broth if needed to adjust the consistency.