Citizens of Louisiana know their andouille sausage. Why? Because, anduille comes from the French who occupied this region back in the day, however German immigrants will claim the andouille sausage as their own.
Below we have some recipes, but for now, know that the sausage is made from pork, onions, and pepper. Some people use wine as well for flavor. This must be a French thing.
Also, note that the andouille sausage is made from the stomach, large intestine, and small intestine. Do not let this scare you. This sausage will have lots of flavor. It is used in gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, and étouffée, some of Louisiana’s most sacred dishes. In fact LaPlace, Louisiana has a festival every October to honor their andouille sausage.
* 2010 Andouille Sausage festival is October 15th, 16th, and 17th * Where: St. John Community Center * Gumbo Cook off Contest * Andouille Run * Andouille Brunch * Apron Contest * Admission is $3 for adults and $1 if you are under 12 * Friday 6pm-10pm * Saturday1pm-5pm * Sunday 1pm-5pm
ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE GUMBO WITH CHICKEN
* 1 (2-3 lb.) chicken, cut up * 1/2 lb. andouille smoked sausage or Polish kielbasa, cut in sm. cubes * 1 c. finely chopped onions * 1 c. finely chopped green pepper * 3/4 c. finely chopped celery * 1 1/4 c. flour * 7 c. (approx.) chicken stock, preferably homemade * 1 tsp. minced garlic * 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper * 1/2 tsp. garlic powder * 1/2 tsp. salt * Additional garlic powder & salt to taste * Vegetable oil for browning chicken
First remove all of the fat from chicken pieces and rub salt, garlic powder and red pepper on both sides of each piece. Let stand.
Add the onions, celery and green pepper in a bowl and let sit for 3 minutes.
Chicken Breading Combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper in a paper bag. Add the chicken pieces and shake until chicken is coated. Reserve 1/2 cup of the flour.
Pan Saute the chicken to a golden brown look and texture. Afterward, be sure to clean the pan before the next step.
Place pan over high heat, and slowly stir in the 1/2 cup flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until roux is dark brown to black, about 3 1/2 to 4 minutes, being very careful not to let it scorch. Remove from heat and immediately add the reserved vegetable mixture, stirring constantly until the roux stops darkening. Return pan to low heat and cook until vegetables are soft.
Bring the chicken stock to boil in a different burner. Slowly add the dark roux., then return to a boil. Now it is time for the andouille sausage. Add the sausage and the garlic and cook on low heat for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
While gumbo is simmering, bone cooked chicken and cut into small dice. When gumbo is cooked, stir in the chicken and adjust seasoning. Serve over rice.
Andouille Sausage Etouffee
* 3-5 cloves of garlic, minced * 1/2 cup of flour * 1 green pepper, cored and seeded * 2 medium-sized onions, peeled * 3 good-sized ribs of celery * 3 chicken breasts * black, white, and red pepper * 1/2 tsp thyme * 2 cups Chicken Stock * 6 TBS oil * 1/2 link andouille sausage * 3 scallions
1. Prepare the ingredients: mince the green pepper, onion, and celery as finely as you can. 2. Peel and mince the garlic. 3. Cut the white and half the green part of the scallions into rounds and set aside. Heat a cast iron frying pan (or large saucepan) over a medium high heat. 4. Add the oil and let it heat.
5. Add the flour and stir.
6. Sauté the roux until it is deep dark brown, stirring constantly. Traditionally, you cook until the roux is the color of an old copper penny or chocolate sauce. This will take a while. Take care not to let it burn. If it gets too hot, lift the pan off the stove, put it on an unused burner and keep stirring. If it burns, throw out the roux and start again.
7. When the roux is as brown as you dare to let it get, add the green pepper, onion, and celery. Mix them thoroughly with the roux and stir. At this point, the kitchen will begin to smell Cajun and you will know you are on your way.
8. After about 5-8 minutes you want to add the garlic. Wait three minutes and add the black, white, and red pepper. This all depends on taste so start with a small amount of each and play with it until you find your perfect mixture.
9. Add the stock and stir until it is mixed into the sauce and there are no lumps. When all the stock is incorporated, let it simmer gentlyfor 15 minutes. Stir often enough that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
10. Cut the chicken into 3/4″ chunks. Cut the sausage into similar pieces. Add to the sauce and simmer until the chicken is done, approximately 10-15 minutes. Serve over rice.
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