This lil ol’ recipe originates from Louisiana, USA. You may have noticed it in Disney’s Princess and the Frog. It revolves around Tiana’s Dad’s gumbo and I was always curious keen to try it. My first taste of it was actually from Nova. It was hearty and delicious. This cold grey weather lately has had me craving it and I always say the best way to warm up is through your stomach. Slow cookers are awesome for brewing gumbo flavours. This recipe is super convenient for you to leave at home and then come back to when it’s ready (= more time to study for exams!).
Special thanks to Ettrick Gardens for the veggies in this recipe and Havoc Pork at the Farmers’ Market for having the special sausage specifically for Gumbo! It’s well worth getting it for the awesome taste bud kick it delivers. I was surprised to find the spices are basically just Cajun seasoning. I made my own Cajun seasoning and my bf thought the whole bowl of it was for this one recipe and tipped the whole thing in before I could stop him. Needless to say, our make came with that spicy gumbo heat that it is well known for. You can also add cream to chill out the spice, and for an even richer soup.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
- 400g andouille sausage or chorizo, cut into thick slices
- 1 can of diced tomatoes
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium bell peppers, diced
- 2 medium celery stalks, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 400g frozen shrimp
- 1 bunch spring onions, sliced
Method
- Place flour in an oven proof pan/tray and brown in the oven at 200 degrees C for 10 minutes, stirring once.
- Once flour is browned, whisk it together with the chicken broth in a large bowl to thicken it, add broth to the slow cooker.
- Add tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, celery, garlic, bay leaves, half of the spring onions and seasonings into a slow cooker.
- Lightly fry to cook the sausage for 5 mins. Pat excess oils off with a paper towel, before adding cooked sausages to the slow cooker.
- Slow cook on high for 4-5 hours.
- Add the shrimp (thawed) and cook for another 30 minutes.
- Serve with a sprinkle of spring onion, as is or with pilaf rice.