Gumbo & Grits

Gumbo & Grits

   Everyone has their own recipe for gumbo and mine is mine. My daughter Katie has a love affair with grits just like her momma. This gumbo is one that I have tweaked over the years to fit our tastes. The grits are from Palmetto Farms and they are in my opinion the best. Alber's in a box will work in a pinch but you will never go back after trying those real yellow grits. This whole dish is warm and comforting on a bad day, a cold day or a Monday just because. Give it a try and tell me what you think.

Ingredients

• 2 Cups of Grits
• 8 Cups of Water
• 1/2 Cup of Butter
• 1/2 Cup of Flour
• 1/4 Cup of Oil or Lard ( I like lard, just save it from your bacon)
• 5 Chicken Thighs
• 1LB of Shrimp, raw and de veined
• 1LB of Chopped Andouille Sausage
  
• 1 Bell Pepper
• 1 Chopped Onion
• 2 Chopped Cloves of Garlic
• 3 Chopped Stalks of Celery
• 2 Chopped Carrots
• 1/4 teaspoon of Cayenne
• 1 teaspoon of Salt
• 1 teaspoon of Black Pepper
• 1 Cup of Chicken Broth

The How To

   Season those chicken thighs and brown them in a large stock pot. You can brown them in a bit of oil and butter. Set the chicken aside and start the roux.The most important part of this dish is the roux. You can cook it for five minutes or an hour depending on how deep you want the flavor and how much time you have. I'm impatient on most days and only stir it around for about five to ten minutes. Place the oil in the same stock pot over medium heat until it is just getting hot. Add the flour in and stir, keep stirring until it turns brown to your liking. Add in that onion, carrots, celery and keep stirring for another five minutes. Add the sausage and stir for a minute or so. Now add the chicken and all of those seasonings. Keep stirring until it all starts to smell delicious and sizzle. Add the stock and lower the heat to a low simmer and let it cook for about 30 minutes.
   Now, let's talk grits. Bring the 8 cups of water to a boil with about a teaspoon of salt in the water. When the water is at a rolling boil, WHISK in the grits. Lower that heat down to low and cover the pot. Stir then every few minutes to keep them nice and smooth. Simmer for 30 minutes until thick and smooth. Turn the heat off, add 1/2 cup of butter, stir and put the lid on for a few minutes.
   While the grits are soaking in the butter stir the gumbo and add the shrimp. Those shrimp will be done in about three minutes so shut the heat off after that and give it a good stir.
   Give those grits one more good stir to mix the butter in well. Dish a large spoonful onto a plate and place a big scoop of gumbo on the top. Enjoy!