I had an accidental dinner date with myself a while ago, accidental in that
I plan very little in my life but that didn’t stop the time from escaping as I
set out to run a few errands which took longer than I anticipated. I’ve
lived long enough to realize things change on a dime and well, am I really
in control? I mean, I planned to go to work today but the weather is
shouting, “Stay home girl!” or is it actually saying, “Whatchu doin’ plannin’
things?” Sometimes I wonder. So, there I was in a cute little restaurant
that looked like a cozy chalet nestled in a snow covered village you might
see in Colorado near the ski resorts minus the mountains of course. Cold
as it was, having dinner in what appeared to be a converted cottage/chalet
proved to be a welcomed contrast to the chain restaurants my small
hometown boasts. I consider myself fortuitous when my errands take me
out of town. It is then that I mix a little business with pleasure. I find it
glorious to sample new restaurants as I go about the business of finding
my next muse for my latest and greatest 10-minute meal. Though I would
not usually consider gumbo a muse, somehow the description flirted with
my senses making promises that linger between restoration and euphoria.
And let me tell you when she placed that little crock filled with all it’s
chunky hotness and salty righteousness in front of me, it sang to me.
Well, sang and then admonished, as food often does in my presence,
“Seriously, lady, why haven’t you made this yet?”
Eating out, for me, goes more like an audition than an experience. But
somehow the two realities have morphed into one and now are
synonymous in my world because this moment went down something like
this. An inspection of the presentation and the contents are evaluated. A
general ‘poking around’ of the dish commences to visualize it’s
constituents followed by a short inhalation of it’s smelliness. A taste or
gulp depending on the verdict of the previous assessments come next and
then either I’m flooded with a myriad of questions or I devour it like a
hungry animal and query later. I would tell you if I’m entertaining
company while I’m conducting my evaluation that I am an active
participant in social graces but sometimes that is simply not the truth as I
can be quite engrossed in my endeavor. It is my burden to bear but yours
to enjoy. I give you Chicken and Shrimp gumbo.
This recipe will take a bit longer than 10 minutes if you take your time with the roux. I do it pretty fast over high heat but I stay with it so I don’t burn it.
Chicken And Shrimp Gumbo
By Published: February 16, 2010
- Yield: 4 Servings
- Prep: 10 mins
I could eat this any time of the year.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken tenderloins frozen and whole
- 1/2 lb. frozen shrimp prepared
- 3/4 stick butter
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 cans chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 T. cajun seasoning mix
- 1 T. ground sage
- 1 T. thyme
- 1 T. chicken base can use bullion
- 1/2 jar salsa
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 T. olive oil
- 3 T. flour
- 2 T. hot sauce
- 1 cup rice prepared according to package
- salt and pepper to taste but the chicken base is salty
Instructions
- In a small pan add one cup water and bring to boil then add the rice. In a
large pan we are going to make a roux. This is like making a gravy. It’s
important to brown it for a deep color that is customary for gumbos. But I
do it a little differently for flavor and time restraints.
- In a large pan combine the butter, oil, garlic, onions, bay leaves and
sautee’ for about a minute. Now add the flour and stir. Cook this until the
flour browns to a very deep golden color. About 4-5 minutes depending on
how high the heat is and how much you stir. Be careful not to burn it.
Now add the broth and water and stir. Add the chicken and allow to boil
for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining spices, salsa, hot sauce and
shrimp. Boil for about 2 minutes. I usually cut the tenderloins into bite
sized chunks before serving or you can cut it before you cook.
-
Serve over rice.
