This is a Finally Friday! post that I am revisiting from last year. I can assure you we will be having Turkey Gumbo in New Orleans. YUM! I hope you enjoy…this is the perfect recipe for leftover turkey!
Thanksgiving always means gumbo! Not on the day, but with the leftover turkey. This has been a tradition in my family for so many years I won’t tell you! Friday is cold turkey sandwiches on sourdough bread with all the trimmings then I take the meat off of the bones, place the bones in my dutch oven, cover with water, bring to a boil and simmer overnight. I add any leftover gravy as well. This is so delicious! In Louisiana you’d be served a delicious potato salad with this, but we opt for a crisp green salad with crusty french bread.
Here’s the recipe! Note: this dish is spicy and perfect when accompanied with ice cold beer.
Turkey Gumbo
Start with a roux, 2 cups of vegetable oil and 2 cups of all-purpose, unbleached flour. Mix this in a heavy iron skillet or dutch oven and stir over medium heat until the roux is the color of rich, dark peanut butter.
Add the Cajun “Trinity”: 1 large yellow onion, finely diced; 1 bunch of celery, finely diced; 2 sweet green peppers, finely diced; 1 bunch scallions with the green ends, diced; 1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley; 5 cloves of garlic, minced. Add this mixture to the finished roux and cook over medium heat until the veggies are wilted, the onion transparent.
Remove the bones from the dutch oven and add the “Trinity” mixture as well as 4-5 cups of meat from the turkey. Add a couple of tablespoons of hot pepper sauce, a couple of tablespoons of cajun seasoning blend, a dash of cayenne and salt, if desired. Allow the mixture to simmer for an hour or so. After the first half hour I also add 2 cups of sliced andouille sausage that has been sliced thin and lightly sauteed in a pan until just browning. You can also add sliced okra at this point if you want.
Make a pot of sticky white rice and serve the gumbo over a large scoop of rice. Easy, delicious and such a great way to deal with leftover turkey! I can already taste the deliciousness!
