I was a guest recently on Windy City Weekend, a local entertainment show in Chicago.  One of their sponsors is Alessi products and I was challenged with making dishes using their products.  Since the show aired just before Super Bowl weekend I chose to make some “game day” foods and put together four recipes (Chicken And Sausage Gumbo, Jalapeño and Sun Dried Tomato Corn Muffins, Prosciutto And Provolone Wrapped Breadsticks, and Spinach And Artichoke Dip).  Here’s one of the four.  I hope you check them all out!

Chicken, Sausage, and Shrimp Gumbo
makes 6-8 Servings

Ingredients

2 tbl Alessi Olive Oil
1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, cut into 1” cubes
3/4 lb Andouille Sausage, sliced
1 lb Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lg Yellow Onion, chopped
1 lg Green Pepper, seeded and chopped
2 lg celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 tsp Alessi Garlic puree, or 4 Garlic Cloves, peeled and smashed
2 tsp Cajun Seasoning
1 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp fresh Thyme
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tbl Louisiana Hot Sauce
1 jar (7.9 oz) Alessi Roasted Red Peppers, drained and chopped
1 can (28oz size) Alessi Whole Peeled Tomatoes, broken down with a fork after opening the can
1 1/2 tbl Alessi Tomato Paste
1/4 cu Alessi Balsamic Capers, drained
32 ounces Chicken Stock
1⁄2 cup Fresh Parsley, roughly chopped

Roux
1 cu All Purpose Flour
1 cu Vegetable Oil

Finishing The Dish
4 cu Cooked Vigo Yellow Rice (cooked according to package instructions using Alessi Olive Oil)
4 Scallions, chopped
Additional chopped Parsley

Method

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Add chicken pieces and sear until chicken has browned on the surface, about 5-8 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. Add sausage to the pan and sear for about 3-5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

To make your roux, start with a clean pan. Add 1 cup of vegetable oil and 1 cup of all purpose flour to the pan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until ingredients combine. Continue to stir until mixture turns a dark brown, similar to dark caramel. Be careful not to let the roux burn. This process can take up to an hour, but usually it will be about 35-40 minutes. It’s critical that you keep stirring throughout.

Once the roux has reached the right color, add the onions, green pepper, and celery. Stir to combine and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cajun seasoning, chili powder, thyme, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and Louisiana hot sauce. Stir to combine. Add roasted red peppers, tomatoes, tomato paste, capers, chicken stock, sausage, and chicken. Bring mixture to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Increase heat to medium-high and add shrimp and 1/4 cup of parsley. Stir until shrimp turns pink and opaque, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and ladle gumbo into individual serving bowls, top with a scoop of rice, some scallions, and additional parsley. Serve hot and provide additional hot sauce for your guests.