KerriansKitchen

KNR, p. 136 “Chicken and Sausage Gumbo”

A friend of ours usually goes to New Orleans every year to celebrate Mardi Gras, but this year she had to miss it because of a work conflict. She loves the great food and the music, and has even thought of moving there. (I think she just wants to get away from all the snow and ice up here.) Since she couldn’t go, we thought we’d have her over for dinner, cook up some gumbo, and get some lively New Orleans music streamed in.

She likes both seafood and meat gumbos, and our recipe combines both. I’ve been told that there are as many gumbo recipes as there are cooks to make it. Apparently, as long as celery, green bell peppers, and onions are the base, almost anything else can go into the pot.

Here’s our version:

 

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Charlie & Sheila Kerrian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Equipment

  • 1 biggest spaghetti pot you have
  • 1 8" saute pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1 inch chunks, and seasoned with salt
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 pound Andouille sausage, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
  • 1/2 pound smoked sausage, cut into ½ inch chunks
  • 1/2 pound okra pods, sliced into ¼ inch slices, stems removed(or 2 cups sliced, frozen okra)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon + 4 Tablespoons butter/canola spread
  • 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups celery, chopped
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1 cup green bell pepper, seeded, then chopped into 1/4" pieces
  • 1 cup red bell pepper, seeded, then chopped into 1/4” pieces
  • 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2-3 cups low sodium chicken broth (2 cups for stew, 3 cups for soup)
  • 1 Tablespoon Bay seasoning (optional)
  • 1/2 pound cooked, peeled, de-veined shrimp
  • Cooked white rice  

Instructions
 

  • Salt the chicken, all sides.
  • In deepest pot you have, use 1 Tablespoon olive oil and sauté the chicken on medium high heat until golden brown – about 5 mins.
  • Add sausages and 1 Tablespoon chicken broth to the pot. Lower heat to medium-low, cover and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep meat from sticking. Take off heat.
  • Meanwhile, sauté the okra with 1 teaspoon butter and ½ teaspoon sea salt in pan at medium high heat for 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside, including juices.
  • The Roux: In the sauté pan, melt 4 Tablespoons butter. Add the flour 1 Tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly on medium heat to mix thoroughly, until the roux is the color of dark caramel, but not burned - about 15 minutes. Drop the heat to low, then add the onion, stir constantly until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add celery, bell peppers, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, garlic and mix together until well-coated – about 5 minutes. Mixture will be thick.
  • Add vegetable mixture to the sausage/chicken pot and mix together.
  • Slowly add back in (stir after each cup) the okra, chicken broth, and Bay seasoning. Turn heat up long enough to bring mixture to a boil, then drop heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes, continuing to stir. Add salt to taste if needed.
  • If adding the cooked shrimp, drop it into the mixture and stir together, another 5 minutes.
  • Place cooked rice in bowl, then place gumbo on top. Serve with cornbread and enjoy!

 

GumboVeggies

 

*Photos by Patti Phillips

 

 

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KNR, p. 25 “Kerrian’s Easy SuperBowl Chili”

My sister sent this recipe from Texas and she says it is hot enough to blow the doors off the horse barn. Definitely hot enough to make my eyes water and my nose run, but just the right combination of heat and flavors for the Superbowl crowd. She got second place in a chili cook-off with one can of beans, but we added the second because of the east coast taste buds.

She buys the dried habanero spices in Texas, where five-alarm chili is the norm, so be very careful with this one. Because of the dried spices, it gets hotter the second day and you’ll need the fire department on the third. It smells great when it’s simmering, so we cook it the night before or the day of the big game. Make ahead at your own risk.

 

Kerrian's Easy Superbowl Chili

Charlie Kerrian & Sis
chili
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 3 pounds ground sirloin
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 4 heaping teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 15 oz cans stewed or diced tomatoes with onions, celery and green peppers
  • 2 15 oz cans Goya black beans, pureed
  • 1/2 cup sausage, chopped and thoroughly browned
  • 3 more teaspoons sea salt
  • 4 teaspoons chili powder (hot Mexican style)
  • 4 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried habanero seasoning (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Get out your chili/spaghetti pot.  Sprinkle ½ teaspoon sea salt evenly in bottom of pot.
  • Turn on medium heat. Add ground sirloin a little at a time and brown evenly, stirring to break up clumps. Drain off the fat.
  • Add the garlic and tomatoes and stir.
  • Puree the black beans, add to the pot and stir.
  • Cook sausage in a separate pan, drain and add to the chili pot and let simmer for 15 minutes on low. Stir.
  • Add the rest of the salt, the chili powder, the onion powder, and the brown sugar, stir and let simmer for about an hour.
  • Add the habanero seasoning and stir. Let simmer for another 30 minutes.
  • Serve with your favorite toppings. 
  • Make sure sour cream is available to cut the heat and enjoy!

 

 

 

This chili is such a favorite that it’s consistently on our comfort food menu during the winter and on any gray, chilly days. Enjoy!

 

 

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KNR, p. 164 “Game Day Nachos”

NachosIMG_5067The Big Game should only be watched with nachos in hand. That’s a given. But, what kind of nachos? Is there more than one kind? Turns out there are as many different kinds of nacho recipes as there are chili or stew recipes.

Movie nachos – the kind with the fake cheese poured on top of a mound of tortilla chips. Best I ever had were served in a theater in Texas. Soooooo good. 

Party nachos – everything and the kitchen sink piled on a plate and scooped up with tortilla chips.

Super party nachos – a nacho casserole made with layers of anything the cook thinks goes together. Anything. The only constant being the tortilla chips at the bottom. You eat this with a fork. Or maybe a spoon.

Here’s our version – hearty enough to be a meal and taste tested by a few football pals, and me, of course.  🙂

Game Day Nachos

Charlie & Sheila Kerrian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Entree
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 15 ounce can Goya black beans
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 & 1/4 pound ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon chili spices (optional)
  • 2.25 ounce can sliced olives
  • 12 ounce jar sliced Jalapeno peppers
  • 4 cups shredded lettuce
  • 4 cups shredded cheese (4 cheese Mexican)
  • 15 ounces chunky Salsa
  • 8 ounces guacamole
  • Sour cream, Large bag tortilla chips

Instructions
 

  • Drain 1/4 cup liquid from can of black beans. Pour remaining beans and liquid into food processor and pulse 2-3 times; a little texture is great. Set aside.
  • Sprinkle sea salt evenly in the bottom of a large frying pan, add ground beef, break up and stir until browned. Drain off the extra fat.
  • Add pulsed beans to ground beef, mix together and heat through, stirring frequently. This is the time to add the optional chili spices.
  • While bean/meat mixture is heating, assemble the other ingredients and place in individual containers on the serving table. Guests will be able to add as much or as little of each to their pile of nacho magic.
  • Sprinkle cheese on top of ingredients of choice and melt in microwave if desired.

Notes

Optional Creamy Cheese Sauce if you want a creamy cheese sauce to pour over the chips
  • Use a medium non-stick sauce pan
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 3 Tablespoons flour
  • 1.75 cups milk
  • 2 cups shredded pepper jack or cheddar cheese
 Prep:
  • Add butter to the sauce pan and melt on low-medium heat.
  • Slowly add flour and stir until well blended. It should pull away from the pan when ready.
  • Add 1/2 cup milk at a time, mixing constantly to keep lumps from forming. Bubbles will begin to form around the edges.
  • Add cheese 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until smooth and creamy. Pour over chips while hot.

Notes: Fresh salsa is great, but we can’t always get flavorful, ripe tomatoes this time of year. As for guacamole? Again, fresh is great, but sometimes the fresh avocados are rock hard.  

 

*Photos by Patti Phillips

 

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