Spicy Rooster Gumbo Food

CHICKEN AND SPICY SAUSAGE GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the sausages and brown until nicely colored all the way around, about 7 minutes. Remove from the pan and let rest; reserve the drippings. When cool, slice the sausages into 1/4-inch rounds and set aside.
• Add enough oil to the sausage drippings to make 1/2 cup. Add the flour to the fat and cook over medium heat, stirring slowly and continuously and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the mixture has thickened somewhat and turned chocolate-colored, 25 to 30 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers and fennel and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the paprika, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne. Mix to blend, then add the Worcestershire sauce. Set aside.
• To the softened vegetables, add the garlic; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the spice mixture and stir until well combined. Stirring continuously, slowly add 6 cups of the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaves. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Return the sliced sausage to the pan. Add the shredded chicken and all but a few handfuls of the green onions. Cook for another 30 to 40 minutes, until the flavors have melded and the gumbo has thickened further, adding more stock if the gumbo gets too thick (you should still see some liquid).
• Serve in bowls and garnish with green onions.

SPICY ROOSTER GUMBO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Place chicken stock in a 2-gallon stockpot. Place on back burner, bring to boil, and reduce to a simmer.
• Mix together salt, cayenne, black pepper, cumin, paprika, and coriander and set aside.
• Cut the rooster or chicken into 8 pieces, removing the backbone and discarding. Place the ham hocks in the stock to simmer.
• Season the flour with salt and pepper and place in a shallow dish. Generously coat the chicken parts with some of the spice mix. Set aside the remaining spice mixture. Dust the seasoned chicken parts in the seasoned flour and set aside the remaining flour.
• In a cast-iron skillet heat the chicken fat almost to smoking. Fry the chicken parts over high heat to crisp the outside, but not cook the inside of the chicken. Remove the chicken from the oil and drain on paper towels and add to stock. Keep the remaining chicken fat in the pan.
• Toss andouille with a few drops of oil and place in a baking dish. Roast until fat is rendered and the surface of the andouille is caramelized, about 15 minutes. Remove and put the andouille aside.
• Heat the reserved chicken fat almost to smoking. Very carefully whisk in the remaining flour. Lower the heat to medium. Whisk the flour into the roux and continue to whisk in a circular motion around the cast-iron pan. The flour will move through a range of colors from hazelnut to brick red and on to dark brown. Place 1/2 of the onions and all of the green bell peppers, garlic, and bay leaves in a large, heatproof bowl or container.
• When the roux has reached a deep, red brown color, carefully pour the hot roux over the onion/pepper mixture and stir to combine.
• Add the roux mixture to the stock, a few spoons at a time, leaving 5 minutes between each addition, until it is all added. Add half of the remaining seasoning mix. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes or until rooster is cooked and tender.
• Strain into a large pot. Saute remaining onions and red peppers until softened and add to strained liquid. Remove meat from cooked chicken. Discard chicken bones. Add chicken pieces and andouille rounds. Place gumbo in serving bowls and finish with a spoonful of rice and sliced scallions.