Andouille & Chicken Etouffee

This is the last post of Cajun week with the Creole Contessa.  This has been such a fun week.  I hope you agree?  2 things that I have been wondering is that I made some Creole dishes which are different than Cajun and what is the real difference between Gumbo & Etouffee.  So what are the distinctions.

I Googled and found the following from the Ochef :  “In broad terms, Creole cooking is city cooking, based on French traditions, but with influences from Spain, Africa, Germany, Italy, the West Indies, etc. Cajun cooking is peasant food, the cooking the Acadians (later Cajuns) developed as they learned to live in the south Louisiana swamps. Creole food is more refined and subtler. Cajun food is pungent and more highly spiced.”

What I noticed in execution is that in the preparation of my Etouffee, I started with the roux and when I make a gumbo, I put the roux in at the end.  What I read as the difference is that traditionally gumbo is served as a soup and Etouffee is a dinner.

 Before I get into the ingredients and directions for this etouffee, I present the final offering from the Creole Contessa with her lead in:

“It’s Day 7 people, Feed Your Soul Too and I, have really cooked some wonderful Cajun food this week.  I couldn’t end Cajun Week without bringing you something real sweet and simple. I decided to make my peach cobbler and turn it into a rustic tart…that’s all there is to a gallete. It’s sounds a lot fancier than it really is.”

 

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 cup red and green bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 – 15 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon creole seasoning
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pound each cajun chicken and chicken andouille sausage
• 3 tbsp Creole seasoning
• 2 tbsp Emeril’s seasoning
• hot sauce to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup green onions, sliced

Directions

Rub the chicken with the spices and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Grill in a skillet on medium heat for 2 – 3 minutes per side and put in a 325 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Add the sausage to the pan and cook a good 3 – 4 minutes per side.  Set aside.

1. Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat, cook until it starts to brown sprinkle in the flour while mixing and simmer until it turns a dark brown, about 10-20 minutes.
2. Add the onion, celery and peppers and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes.

1. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for a minute.
2. Whisk in the stock, add the tomato, creole seasoning and Worcestershire sauce and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add the chicken and sausage and cook until cooked, about 5 minutes.
4. Season with hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste.
5. Simmer for 30 – 60 minutes over cooked rice.  .  Enjoy!