Gumbeaux La La Stew

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound Andouille or smoked sausage, sliced
• 2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• Kosher or sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 celery stalks, finely diced
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 large green bell pepper, finely diced
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 pound okra, sliced into 1/4 to 1/2-inch slices
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 2 cups hot chicken stock
• 1/2 pound peeled and cleaned medium size raw shrimp
• 1 tablespoon Italian parsley (flat-leaf parsley)
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
• Garlic Rice (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Add olive oil to a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add sausage to the Dutch oven, and allow it to brown for several minutes. When well browned, remove the sausage from the Dutch Oven and set it aside.
3. Add the chicken pieces to the Dutch oven along with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Let chicken brown in the drippings for about 2-3 minutes; remove the chicken pieces from the Dutch oven, and set aside.
4. To the Dutch oven add the celery, onion and bell pepper, and caramelize it for about 2-3 minutes in the oil.
5. Add the bay leaves, Creole seasoning, cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; stir to combine.
6. Add the garlic, stirring constantly, until it becomes aromatic.
7. Add the tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute.
8. Add the okra, tomatoes with juice, hot chicken stock and browned sausage and chicken. Stir to combine, and simmer gently over low/medium-low heat, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
9. Add shrimp, and let simmer for only 2 minutes more so as to not overcook the shrimp.
10. Stir in the parsley and cilantro.
11. Serve over the Garlic Rice.

Garlic Rice

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large cloves garlic, run through a garlic press
• 2 cups Basmati or jasmine rice
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
• 3 cups water

1. Add olive oil to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. When the oil is hot, add the pressed garlic, and stir to combine.
3. When the garlic becomes fragrant, add the rice, salt and pepper and stir constantly for about two minutes.
4. Add the water, stir well, and let the rice simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes, covered.
5. Fluff with a fork and serve.