3 posts tagged “okra”

Firehouse Chicken Stew
Serves 24

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 yellow onions, chopped
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 poblano or Anaheim peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
6 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch slices
10 garlic, chopped
6 large sprigs fresh thyme
3 dried bay leaves
2 12-ounce bottles brown ale, such as Newcastle
4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 pound okra, stemmed, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
12 cups canned low-sodium chicken stock
2 28-ounce cans peeled whole tomatoes with their liquid, crushed
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, (about 6 ears)
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Juice of 1 lemon
Hot sauce, for serving (optional)

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup of flour, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Add the chicken, and toss well to evenly coat. Heat 1/2 cup olive oil over medium-high heat in a wide 20-quart heavy-bottomed pot. Add half of the chicken, and brown, turning once, until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a large bowl. Add remaining 1/4 cup oil to the pot and brown remaining chicken; transfer to the bowl and set aside.

Add the onions, peppers, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves to the pot, and season well with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add ale and bring to a simmer, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add potatoes, okra, chicken stock, tomatoes and their liquid, corn, and red pepper flakes, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add reserved chicken, reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until vegetables and chicken are tender and cooked through, about 25 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk remaining 1/2 cup flour together with the milk until smooth. Stir mixture into the stew and return to a simmer. Cook until very thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Reseason with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice. Serve with a dash of hot sauce, if desired.

Shrimp and Crab Gumbo (served over Dirty Rice)
Serves 10 to 12
 
2 pounds medium shrimp 
8 ounces turkey sausage, casing removed 
2 medium onions, minced 
2 medium green bell peppers, cored and seeded, cut into 1/4-inch dice 
1 pound okra, cut widthwise into quarters 
2 jalapeño peppers, ribs and seeds removed, minced 
1/4 teaspoon gumbo filé 
1 1/2 teaspoons salt 
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme 
3/4 cup Dark Roux  (recipe follows)
6 cups Shrimp Stock (recipe follows)
3/4 cup chopped canned peeled tomatoes 
6 blue crabs (6 to 8 ounces each), optional 
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over for shells 
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 
Dirty Rice (recipe follows)

1. Shell and devein shrimp, leaving tail sections intact; reserve shells for stock. Break sausage into 1/2-inch pieces; in a skillet, cook over medium heat until all the fat has been rendered, about 8 minutes. Mix in onions, green peppers, okra, jalapeño, and filé. Cook until onions have softened, about 10 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and thyme. Reduce heat to low; cook 5 minutes more. Set aside. 

2. In a stockpot, melt dark roux over medium heat; heat shrimp stock in a medium saucepan over high heat. Gradually pour hot stock over roux, whisking to combine well. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and add reserved sausage-and-vegetable mixture and tomatoes. Stir gumbo well, and let cook for 1 hour. 

3. If using whole crabs, cut them in half lengthwise, and add to gumbo. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add shrimp, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until opaque. Add crabmeat and parsley, and cook 2 to 4 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot over dirty rice. 
 
Dark Roux
Makes 3/4 cup
 
1/2 cup vegetable shortening 
3/4 cups all-purpose flour 

1. Place rack in center of oven. Heat oven to 325°. On the stovetop, melt shortening in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Gradually sift flour over shortening; whisk to combine. Mixture will be thick and pasty. Continue to whisk until light brown, 10 to 12 minutes. 

2. Transfer skillet to oven; let roux cook until very dark brown, 3 to 3 1/2 hours, whisking every 45 minutes (whisk every 30 minutes if pan is not cast iron). The roux can be kept, refrigerated, for up to a week before using. 
Note: This can also be made on the stovetop; be careful not to let it burn.  In step 2, cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until dark brown, 45 to 60 minutes.
 
Shrimp Stock
Makes about 6 cups

1 tablespoon vegetable shortening 
1 medium onion, cut into eighths 
1 carrot, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 
1 celery stalk, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 
2 dried bay leaves 
2 quarter-inch-thick slices lemon 
1 jalapeño pepper, cut in half lengthwise 
6 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley 
2 sprigs fresh thyme 
1 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon black peppercorns 
Shells from 2 pounds of shrimp 

1. Melt shortening in a stockpot over medium heat. Add all remaining ingredients. Cook, stirring often, 10 minutes. Add 3 quarts water, and cover; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, 1 hour. Strain; discard solids. The stock may be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or frozen up to 3 months. 
 
Dirty Rice
Serves 10 to 12

1 1/2 cups long-grain rice 
2 1/2 teaspoons salt 
1 tablespoon unsalted butter 
3 tablespoons vegetable oil 
1 medium red onion, finely chopped 
2 cloves garlic, minced 
1/2 pound chicken livers, cleaned and finely chopped 
2 scallions, trimmed, white and green parts, cut crosswise into 1/8-inch pieces   
2 celery stalks, including leafy greens, finely chopped 
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper 
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano, or 2 tablespoons dried 
1 jalapeño pepper, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped 
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

1. Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in rice, 1 teaspoon salt, and butter. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 15 to 17 minutes, until water is absorbed. Set aside. 

2. Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until brown, about 10 minutes. Add chicken livers; cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add rice and all remaining ingredients. Cook, tossing and stirring, until hot, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately. 

Gumbo (from Martha Stewart's kitchen)
Makes 8 to 10 servings
 
1/4  cup all-purpose flour 
3  tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
1  pound andouille sausage, sliced crosswise, 1/4-inch thick 
2  pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces 
1  green bell pepper, seeded and chopped 
1  yellow onion, chopped 
2  ribs celery, sliced 
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 
4  tablespoons unsalted butter 
4  cups homemade chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth 
One  35-ounce can crushed tomatoes 
6  ounces okra, sliced crosswise, 1/4-inch thick 
6  sprigs fresh thyme 
1  dried bay leaf 
Cooked white rice, for serving 
 
1.   Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat; add flour. Toast, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to stop it from cooking. 
2.   Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring often, until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, transfer to a large bowl, and reserve. Add the chicken, and brown, turning once, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, and add to the bowl with the sausage. Add the pepper, onion, and celery to the Dutch oven. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, and add to the sausage and chicken. 
3.   Reduce heat to medium-low, and add the butter to the Dutch oven. Once melted, sprinkle in the toasted flour, and stir until combined. Continue cooking until bubbles form and mixture becomes very thick and dark brown, about 4 minutes. Add the stock, tomatoes, okra, thyme, bay leaf, and reserved meat and vegetables. Raise heat and bring to a boil; let simmer, uncovered, until chicken is tender and liquid has thickened, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove thyme, and serve hot over rice.