Chicken Gumbo

Serving for 4 persons

Ingredients

3 1/2 oz (100 g) of chorizo sausage, skinned and finely diced

2 tablespoons of oil

3 1/2 tablespoons of flour

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 onions, finely chopped

2 green capsicums, seeded and chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

13 oz (400 g) of can chopped tomatoes

32 fl oz (1 litre) of chicken or vegetable stock

6 1/2 oz (200 g) of okra, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon of dried thyme

1 bay leaf 

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 cup basmati and wild rice, rinsed

3 skinless chicken thigh fillets

8 oz (250 g) of peeled large raw prawns

Tabasco (optional)

Method

1. Put the chorizo sausage into a saucepan and stir fry over a medium heat until it is crisp at the edges. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.

2. Add the celery, onions, capsicums and garlic and stir fry in the remaining sausage fat for 5 minutes, or until soft. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.

3. Reduce the heat to low and add the oil to the remaining sausage fat in the pan. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly until blended. Continue cooking on a very gentle heat for 5 minutes until the mixture turns a rich brown (stir frequently).

4. Add the tomatoes, stock, okra, parsley, thyme, bay leaf and cayenne pepper and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes until the okra thickens the soup. Stir frequently.

5. Increase the heat and bring to the boil again, then stir in the rice. Reduce the heat to low and add the chicken (cut into bite sized pieces), and the vegetable mixture set aside previously. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through completely. (Add extra stock if needed).

6. Add the prawns and the reserved chorizo and simmer for a minute, or until the prawns turn pink and the sausage is heated through.

7. Remove the bay leaf, season to taste, and serve with Tabasco if you like.