Gumbo with chicken and corn bread

In a large skillet, heat a generous splash of sunflower oil (about 75 ml) over high heat. Season the drumsticks with salt and pepper. Fry the drumsticks for a good 2 minutes so that they get a little color on the skin. Then remove the chicken from the skillet, place it on a plate and turn down the heat slightly.

Add 75 g of flour to the hot oil and cook the roux over medium-high heat. The big difference from a classic roux, is that the roux does not need to cook for 2 minutes. It should cook for 15 to 20 minutes in this preparation. The goal is to achieve a very dark red color. It is absolutely necessary to stir constantly to keep the roux from burning.

Clean and dice the onion, celery and green bell bell pepper. Also press 3 cloves of garlic.

When the roux is dark, add the onions, celery and green bell bell pepper. Mix this for a good 5 minutes before adding the garlic, a can of diced tomatoes, a crumbled chicken stock cube, 1 tablespoon of smoked parika, 3 bay leaves, 2 sprigs of thyme, pepper and 800 ml of water. Add the drumsticks to the sauce and 250 g of smoked sausage cut into thick slices. Close the lid and cook the gumbo for over 2 hours on low heat.

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Grease a square or rectangular mold and place baking paper in it to prevent the corn bread from sticking after baking. In a large bowl, knead 75 ml sunflower oil, 75 g soft butter, 75 g sugar, 50 g honey and a generous pinch of salt. Add 3 eggs, 150 g flour, 300 g polenta and ½ bag of baking powder. Mix. Add 350 ml of milk. Knead until homogeneous.

Pour the batter into the baking pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the cornbread is cooked inside. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Chop two young onions as finely as possible. A nice bowl of gumbo garnished with spring onions and a generous piece of corn bread on the side. Enjoy!