Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo

Ncesc.com describes “gumbo ya-ya,” as: Gumbo ya-ya is a vibrant and evocative phrase deeply rooted in the rich culinary and cultural traditions of Louisiana. Specifically, it refers to a situation where everyone is talking at once, a chaotic yet lively atmosphere reminiscent of a boisterous family gathering or a spirited community event. It’s a term born from the heart of Creole culture, capturing the essence of communal interaction and uninhibited expression. While the phrase itself describes a scene of lively conversation, it’s also intrinsically linked to a specific variation of the beloved Louisiana dish, gumbo. The term “ya-ya” in this context playfully emphasizes the cacophony of voices, adding a layer of local color to this flavorful dish and its associated cultural context.

Gumbo Ya-Ya is served all over New Orleans but the Brennan family has mastered this iconic dish at Mr. B’s.  There, the gumbo is consistently thick, spicy and smoky (but not too smoky which is a travesty).

Paul Prudhomme was famous for his Gumbo Ya-Ya and his recipe which might be the gold standard was published by The New York Times in 1983.  If you have never made gumbo, read that recipe and others before you undertake this endeavor because this is at least a half-day’s effort if done correctly.  You will see that I started with a homemade stock that I had in my freezer, so I did not cook another chicken when I made this gumbo.  I cheated and used the chopped meat from a rotisserie chicken and it was delicious!

A couple of hints for success:  Gumbo depends on the roux.  Here, I used 1 cup of Crisco and 1 cup of A.P. flour.  Bring the oil up to a hot temperature (almost smoking) in a Dutch oven, and then stir in the flour.  Start stirring with a wooden spoon that can scrape the bottom of the pot and get into the corners.  Adjust your heat as you stir… you don’t want to burn your roux but you need a lot of heat to get to the dark color you are looking for.  It could take about 30 minutes to get the roux to the dark copper penny color you need.  Keep in mind that the darker your roux, the thinner it will be.  I have seen gumbos that are black, but I like gumbo that looks like the gumbo at Mr. B’s and that’s a dark penny color.

When the roux is dark enough, add the vegetables immediately and cook another 5 minutes or so until the vegetables soften.

Then, start adding the stock.  And make sure the stock is warm, or at least room temperature.  This is crucial.  Cold stock will ruin your gumbo.

Another tip:  Skim the foam and fat off the gumbo as it cooks.  Use a spoon as the foam comes to the surface.  You can also do the paper towel trick:  lay a sheet of paper towel over the surface of the gumbo and then lift it quickly and toss it out!