One of our favorite things to cook in cast iron is cornbread. This time we decided to try it out over the fire to go with an easy-speedy version of Chicken Gumbo. Now Gumbo Purists may scoff, but for a fast, flavorful and we think quite tasty stew cooked over a fire, this does the trick. The spice heats up your body real fast, making this great for a chilly night.
Chicken & Okra Gumbo
Tools:
12″ Dutch Oven
cutting board or cardboard
stirring spoon
measuring cup
medium heat fire
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2-4 tablespoons of secret Gumbo spice, depending on how spicy you want it
2 red bell peppers, chopped [tip: chop these, onions and garlic at home so it’s ready to go]
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt + pepper
4cups water or chicken broth
1 package (10 ounces) frozen, cut okra
1 package of smoked andouille sausage (precooked), chopped into half-rounds
1 rotisserie chicken (about 2 1/2 pounds), meat shredded – remove skin and bones [do this at home too]
Do:
Place the Dutch Oven in the fire, where it’s over decent heat but not ragingly hot. Heat up the oil then add the flour and a few pinches of the Gumbo Spice to make your roux, and keep stirring it constantly until golden (this happens quickly over the heat, about a minute or two). Add in the red peppers, onion, garlic and oregano, season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Add 4 cups of water or chicken broth to the mix. Add the Okra in. At this point if you have vegans or vegetarians with you, let this cook for a bit (add more spice, salt and pepper to flavor), and then let them eat. Then add in the sausage, and let that cook for about 10 minutes to let the flavor set in. Lastly, add in the shredded chicken. Once it’s fully warm, dig in and serve with a piece of fresh cornbread (see below for recipe).
Click below for full cornbread recipe and more photos!
Honey Skillet Cornbread
Tools:
12″ Cast Iron Skillet
mixing bowl
whisk
medium heat fire
Ingredients:
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup honey
1 large egg
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
Do:
At home, mix up all the dry ingredients into a ziplock (cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt). In your mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, honey and egg. Place skillet on the fire to heat it up, about 5 minutes. Once hot add the butter and let it melt. Pour all of it but 2 tablespoons into the milk-honey-egg mixture. Mix that up, then add in the dry bag, stirring until well blended. Pour your batter into the skillet, cover with lid, and place on fire over medium heat (we placed it on a grill grate above the fire this time around). Let the cornbread bake for about 20 minutes. Once ready, allow the skillet to cool for about 10 minutes, then eat up!
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