| Turkey Gumbo
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup water
1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes (with juices)
1 (10.5-ounce) can chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1/2 pound dried andouille sausage, sliced into ¼-inch pieces
2 cups cooked dark meat turkey, diced
1 (10-ounce) package frozen okra, thawed
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
3 cups hot cooked rice
Makes 6 servings.
Notes: Gumbo is a traditional dish served in the South. This variation uses dark meat turkey instead of the traditional sausage and shrimp. To spice it up, we've added andouille sausage to accompany the standard okra, onion, celery and green pepper. The browning of the flour takes patience but is an important step in achieving the gumbo's rich flavor. Andouille sausage is a spicy, smoked Cajun pork sausage. There are two varieties: fresh and dried. This recipe calls for the dried version, which is typically found near the gourmet cheese and deli meat area of the grocery store. If using fresh sausage in this recipe, precook it in a separate skillet before adding it to the gumbo.
Place the flour in a large Dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat for about 7 minutes, or until the flour is very brown. Stir constantly with a wire whisk to keep the flour from sticking to the bottom. When the flour is completely browned, remove from the Dutch oven and set aside.
Heat the oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, green bell pepper and garlic. Saute for about 8 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Sprinkle the vegetables with the browned flour and cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Add the water, the tomatoes and their juice, the chicken stock and bay leaves. Bring the gumbo to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the andouille sausage and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add the cooked turkey, okra and Cajun spice seasoning, and cook for another few minutes.
Serve the gumbo over fluffy white rice.
Variations: If dark turkey meat is unavailable, turkey breast meat or chicken are both adequate substitutes. Traditional gumbo also contains about 1/2 pound of medium-size, peeled, deveined shrimp. If you choose to include the shrimp in your recipe, add them at the very end with the turkey and okra. Cook them just until they turn pink.
Recipe adapted from: gildedfork.com | 
