Gumbo’s Daddy With Chicken, Shrimp and Turkey
This recipe, adapted from Gail Jennings of North Carolina, is what her family thinks of as the daddy of all gumbos, a thick mix of leftover roast turkey rounded out with plump shrimp, chicken wings and collard greens. Ms. Jennings spikes the soup with a mix of curry powder and King’s Pepper, a spice blend that she developed based on a West African recipe. But any chile powder, including cayenne, can be substituted. Add it to taste; Ms. Jennings and her family like it fiery hot, then served over rice to mitigate the burn.
- Total:
- Serves: 6 persons
Ingredients
- 1to 1 1/4 pound chicken wings
- 1 ¼teaspoons fine salt, plus more as needed
- 1tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon chile powder, such as King’s Pepper, plus more to taste (or use cayenne pepper)
- 3cups chicken or turkey stock or water, plus more as needed
- 1(8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1small red onion, coarsely chopped
- ½cup chopped red, yellow or orange bell pepper
- 1habanero or Scotch bonnet chile, seeded (optional)
- 2tablespoons curry powder
- 1 ½tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼cup olive or vegetable oil
- 1(15-ounce) can collard greens (with their liquid) or 1 large bunch collard greens, stems removed, leaves torn into bite-size pieces
- 2cups chopped or shredded leftover turkey
- 1to 2 turkey bones (optional)
- 1pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut into 1-inch pieces
- Cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
Step 1
Pat chicken wings dry with paper towels. Season all over with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon chile powder (or a pinch of cayenne), and set aside.Step 2
In a blender, combine 1 cup stock or water, tomato sauce, onion, bell pepper, chile (if using), curry powder, tomato paste, remaining 1 tablespoon ground chile (or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne) and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Set aside.Step 3
Add oil to a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot but not smoking, add chicken and cook until browned on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate. While the oil is still hot, carefully pour the onion-tomato mixture into the pot. Do this slowly as the sauce may splatter. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until thickens slightly, about 5 to 7 minutes.Step 4
Add the reserved chicken wings, collard greens, turkey, turkey bones (if using), remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 2 cups stock or water. Cook on simmer, partly covered, until chicken is cooked through and very tender, 20 to 30 minutes. If the gumbo looks dry, add more stock or water.Step 5
Stir in shrimp and cook until it is just cooked through and opaque, another 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt and chile powder, if needed. Remove turkey bones and serve gumbo with rice.