Something From Nothing ~ Week 8

Last week was the two-year Anniversary of this blog.  As you know, I always like to make something special to mark the occasion.  However, being in my "use it up" mode, I did not want to spend a lot of money. I prefer to make something delicious and elegant without the expense....it's so much more rewarding!  So, with that in mind, I looked at the leftover situation....



Some leftover cooked chicken, the rest of a bag of frozen shrimp, and one half of a smoked sausage....hmmmm.....one word...GUMBO! Strange how when I think of ways to spoil myself, Southern or ethnic foods usually play a part.  On to the roux....

I never really thought that just by cooking flour and oil together, one could obtain that deep, caramel-colored roux that is portrayed in cookbooks.....but, I pressed on..

Ten minutes into the stirring on medium heat...

While the roux did its thing, (while I stirred it frequently) I cut into small dice, the trinity....bell pepper, onion, and celery..

Twenty minutes in...and, well, I could not believe it! I had achieved a dark, caramel-colored roux!

I diced the smoked sausage, and added it to the chicken, and prepped vegetables...

Now it was time to add those vegetables to the aforementioned roux...

I should add that the fragrance of this lovely dish was at this point, wonderful and enticing...when the vegetables were getting tender, about ten minutes later, I added the chicken and sausage...

It was at this point, that I took a sharp turn from the recipe....and threw the whole mixture, along with some chicken stock, thyme, bay leaf, cayenne pepper and salt, into the crock pot on high...

Off I went, doing Pixie-related chores until late afternoon....then, I prepared an envelope of yellow rice...

I added the peeled and deviened shrimp at this point, since the rice takes about twenty minutes to cook....and although shrimp cook quickly, it was being done in the slow cooker, so I wanted to give them some time to flavor the dish.  Now, time to slice some scallions for garnish and flavor...

I placed a couple of ice cream scoops of the rice in the center of the bowl.....and ladled in the gumbo....the results?

Let the good times roll! It was delicious, spicy, and complex...click here for the recipe I started with...thank goodness that wonderful chef Emeril Lagasse went to New Orleans! Stay tuned for week nine, a surprise from Kitchen Angel, and a special tribute.

Eat well, my friends...love and kindness to all,

Pixie