Tony Chachere’s Easy Gumbo

The seasons are changing and the temperatures will soon be cooling down, and that can only mean one thing in Louisiana and throughout the south—gumbo season! October is the unofficial start of gumbo season, and soon, big pots of flavorful soup will simmer in almost every kitchen.

One of the best gumbos was made by Tony Chachere, the “Ole Master” of Creole cooking. Mr. Tony would often make it during one of his fishing or hunting trips, and whether it was a seafood or meat gumbo always depended on the catch of the day. Mr. Tony always loved to delight his friends with his culinary talents, and often, they would compete to see who could make the best dish out of the day’s bounty. The story goes that Mr. Tony would head for the kitchen with a shout of, “Tonight, I’m gonna make ’em cry,” a promise of unsurpassed delicacies soon to be conjured up with his Original Creole Seasoning as the special ingredient. His gumbo was always a winner!

Tony Chachere’s Easy Gumbo

Ingredients

• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 celery sticks, chopped
• ¼ Tsp. minced garlic
• 10 cups water
• 1 cup Tony’s Instant Roux Mix
• 2 to 3 pounds chicken*
• ½ pound smoked sausage*, sliced
• Tony’s Original Creole Seasoning, to taste
• Hot cooked rice, to serve
• Garnish: chopped green onion, Tony’s Gumbo Filé

Instructions

1. Spray a stockpot with cooking spray. Add bell pepper, onion, celery, and garlic, and cook over medium heat until vegetables are softened. Add 2 cups water and Tony’s Instant Roux Mix. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat heat. Cook until mixture begins to thicken; reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add remaining 8 cups water. Add chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is tender.
2. Season gumbo to taste with Tony’s Original Creole Seasoning. Serve with rice. Garnish with green onion and Tony’s Gumbo Filé, if desired.

Notes

*For seafood gumbo, replace the chicken and sausage with 1 pound peeled and deveined fresh shrimp and 1 pound crabmeat. After adding the remaining 8 cups water, bring roux mixture to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add shrimp and crab, and simmer for 15 minutes. Proceed with recipe as directed.