The concept of another belt-loosening holiday meal can make one duck for cover rather than pluck another cover-up from the dark recesses of the closet.
Mardi Gras, or “Fat Tuesday,” is so named because traditionally, good Christians cleared their kitchens of fat and flour on the eve of Lent in a sacrifice meant to mime that of Jesus on his soul-searching journey to the desert. You can still hear people ask, “What are you giving up for Lent?” and many a smoker has quit, more than a few bars of chocolate have been skipped, and many dieters have started a fast on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.
If you don’t want to give up, but, instead, cut back year-round, there is a solution to Mardi Gras in moderation.
In addition to forty-cent avocados and shitakes at half price, Costco has plump and juicy $5 roast chickens. Their skins are crispy and flavored with a simple blend of lemon, salt and pepper so there’s no barbecue sauce to scrape off. The bird is big enough to serve two an ample dinner, with another day or two’s worth of drumstick lunches. And, best of all, there’s always enough left to dump in the crock-pot for a few quarts of the best broth ever. A great broth is the perfect start to anything from a cold cure to a coq au vin, but gumbo may be the tastiest leftover of all.
The easiest chicken broth ever
Makes 2 quarts
1 roast chicken carcass, including skin
1 large onion, chunked
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch thyme
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 celery stalks with leaves, chunked
3 parsnips, chunked
6 carrots, chunked
5 cloves
5 pepper corns
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt, or to taste
2 cups leftover chicken, chunked
1. Dump everything in the crock-pot. Cover with boiling water and set on low for 6 – 8 hours. The smell is unbelievably scrumptious.
2. Strain the broth and chill to scoop off the fat. Reserve chicken scraps for another purpose-such as the gumbo below.
Big easy chicken gumbo
With a great broth and chunks of leftover chicken, the flavor is huge! Ignore the fact that it has a long list of ingredients; the dish couldn’t be easier.
Serves 6
12 strips of bacon
3 Tbs. mild vegetable oil
3 andouille sausages, sliced into rounds
1/3 cup flour
2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups chopped red and green peppers
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 pound fresh okra (or whole frozen, thawed)
2 Tbs. thyme
1 Tbs. rosemary
1 Tbs. sage, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne, or to taste
1/4 tsp. file (optional)
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
2 quarts chicken stock, hot
2 cups leftover chicken, chunked
1. Fry the bacon until almost crisp. Drain and set aside.
2. Add the oil to the bacon grease and brown the sausages. Drain and set aside.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Make a roux by whisking the flour into the oil-it will form a dark paste. Keep beating until it becomes caramel in color-about 5 minutes.
4. Immediately add the onions, peppers and celery. Cook, stirring, for three minutes. Add about half the okra and all the herbs and spices.
5. Bring the stock to a boil and add the okra-mixture in big cupfuls, stirring to mix well. Add the reserved chicken. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
6. Add the rest of the okra and cook 10 minutes more.
Note: New Orleans natives would add some shrimp or oysters during the last 2 – 3 minutes. Suit yourself. Traditionally, gumbo is served over steamed rice.