Here are the recipes!

Well, I am a day late, but they are here anyway.  Gumbo is good ALL the time, no need to wait for Mardi Gras!  And since the King cake is decorated with my kids' favorite colors, I may be making this more often as well.  King cake is a tradition in New Orleans around Mardi Gras time.  They used to bake a plastic baby in the cake, and whoever's piece had the baby, had to bring the King cake the next day or have the next party.  I subbed with a pecan or almond.  When I bake it, I don't use the nut or baby, can you just see a kid choking on it?  I can't believe they let Jon's class do that.  I bet that doesn't happen anymore!  Don't let the length of ingredients scare you for either of these recipes.  It's all yummy and perfect on a cold rainy day.

Chicken Gumbo – Adapted from Emeril

1 tbsp + 1/2 c vegetable oil

1 lb smoked sausage (andouille or kielbasa), cut in 1/2 inch thick slices

4 lbs chicken, bone in, skin on or skin off

1 tbsp Essence of Emeril (or other Creole type seasoning)

1 c AP flour

2 c chopped white onion

1 c chopped celery

1 c chopped green bell pepper

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

3 Bay leaves

9-10 c low sodium chicken stock

Garnishes:

Chopped green onion

Parsley

File powder

Hot sauce

Rice

1.       In a large pot or enameled cast iron Dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp veg oil over medium-high heat.  Add sausage and cook until well browned.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.  Set aside

2.       Season chicken with Essence and add in batches to the fat remaining in the pan, don’t overcrowd.    Cook over medium-high heat until well browned (doesn’t have to be fully cooked yet).  Remove chicken, let cool, remove skin and refrigerate until ready to use.

3.       Combine remaining 1/2 c veg oil and flour in the same pot as the chicken drippings.  Cook over medium heat, stirring slowly and constantly, for 20-25 min, to make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate.

4.       Add onions, celery and green bell pepper, cook stirring until wilted, 4-5 min.  Add the sausage, salt, cayenne, bay leaves, stir for 2 min.  Stirring slowly, add the chicken stock until well combined.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally for 1 hr.

5.       Add the reserved chicken to the pot and simmer for 1 1/2 hr, skimming off any fat that rises to the surface

6.       Remove the pot from the heat (check to make sure the chicken is fully cooked).  Remove the chicken and let cool slightly.  Remove the chicken from the bone and shred meat, add back to pot.

7.       Serve over rice with file powder, green onions and hot sauce.

King cake

3 1/2 c AP flour

1/2 c sugar

1 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp fine sea salt

4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (2 packets)

Grated zest from 1 lemon

1 c lukewarm water (not more than 115F)

5 egg yolks

1/2 c butter softened (1 stick)

1/2 c chopped dried fruit, optional

1 pecan or almond, optional

1 egg, lightly whisked with 1 tbsp milk

1.       In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, nutmeg, salt, yeast and lemon zest.  In another bowl combine water and yolks.

2.       Add egg mixture to flour mixture.  Blend in the butter and fruit, using hands or mixer with a dough hook.

3.       Knead with hands on a floured surface or with a mixer.  Dough is finished when it is smooth and satiny.  Butter or spray a large bowl and place your dough ball in.  Cover and let rise in an draft free place for 1 1/2 hr.

4.       Punch down the dough and shape into a cylinder or braided ring, and move to a baking sheet covered with parchment.  Press the pecan or almond into the ring until it is completely hidden.  Drape the dough with a cover and let rise in a draft free place for about 45 min.

5.       Preheat oven to 375F.  Just before baking, brush dough with egg wash.  Bake 30 min.  Slide cake to a wire rack to cool to room temp.

6.       When cool, make the icings and let drizzle over the cake.  Then sprinkle the colored sugars over the icings immediately, forming rows of green, purple and yellow strips.

Icing

3 c powdered sugar

1/4 c lemon juice

3 Tbsp water

1.       Combine and whisk until smooth.  If too thick, add more water.

Colored sugars

1.       Add 1/4 granulated sugar to a container with a lid.  Add appropriate food color, cover and shake until all sugar is colored.

2.       Repeat for other 2 colors