My Mother’s Seafood Gumbo and Cast Iron Corn Bread

Tools

• Large Stock Pot or Similar
• Wooden Spoon or Similar
• Ladle or Similar
• Cast iron pan OR cupcake tray OR similar
• Large Mixing Bowl or Similar
• Whisk or Similar
• Spatula (You should really have one of these)
• NOTE: Feel free to improvise and use whatever you’ve got at home!

Ingredients

• 2x Gumbo Soup Base
• 1x Lump Crab
• 1x Raw Shrimp
• 1x Marinated Chicken Breast
• 1x Smoked Louisiana Sausage
• 1x Gumbo File
• 1x Parsley
• 1x Green Onions
• 1x Jasmine Rice
• 1x Unbaked Cheddar & Jalapeño Cornbread Batter

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 375°F for your cornbread.
• Next, pull out all of your ingredients and double check you have all of them from your Welcome Letter. This is your mise en place which will ensure you can cook through your box effortlessly.
• For the cornbread, heat up a small or medium cast-iron pan over medium heat (you can also use a muffin tin or cake pan and pre-heat it in the oven). Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan until just melted, as you don’t want to brown the butter! Swirl it up the sides, so you maximize that crispy edge on your cornbread. Add your cornbread batter only halfway up the side of whichever pan you’re using. Put it in the oven and set your timer for 20 minutes!
• Grab a medium oven-safe saucepan and add your rice. Add a splash of water and then cover the top of the pan with tin foil, sealing the edges. Put it in the oven with the cornbread and let it reheat for about 10-15 minutes (you can check on it and fluff it up with a fork to ensure it’s not overcooking).
• Next, preheat your sauté pan over medium-high heat, then add about a teaspoon of a neutral oil (veggie, canola, or corn, for example) to coat the bottom of the pan. Once hot, add your chicken and sausage.
• Get out your stockpot (or another large saucepan) and add your gumbo base and begin to bring it up to temperature over medium heat.
• Stir your chicken and sausage to ensure the meat is searing evenly. Once it’s seared on all sides, add this to the gumbo base that’s been warming up and give it a stir. Let this come up to a boil.
• Once boiling, add your shrimp and stir. Turn the heat down to medium-low. You’ll start to see it begin to turn pink. Then add in the crab and stir.
• Check on your cornbread and make sure you don’t over bake it. It should be nice and golden brown on top! Grab your rice out of the oven as well.
• To finish your gumbo, turn off the heat and sprinkle in the gumbo file and give it a stir.
• Spread some butter on top of your hot cornbread, then drizzle honey all over. Take a pinch of the smoked Maldon sea salt and sprinkle it all over.
• Sprinkle some parsley into your gumbo and now it’s time to plate!
• In a bowl, lay some rice down, ladle your gumbo to the side, and garnish with some green onion. Serve with a slice of your cornbread and enjoy Chef Derry’s delicious gumbo.
• Tag us in your photos and videos @myworldchef!