As temperatures (finally) drop few things warm a body like spicy soup and rib-sticking meals. I love smelling a pot of soup simmering on the stove while I do chores. Then, after playing or working outside to come in to a warm, spicy bowl of gumbo is just the best.

These recipes are comfort food at its finest with a little bit of different thrown in. While they might be standard fair down south, I don’t often see gumbo, red beans and rice or pitch a fit grits on a restaurant menu around here. Fair warning, cajun food is spicy, so make sure you adjust the seasonings and flavors to your family’s personal level. 

New Orleans Style Gumbo

The flavors in this gumbo have great depth and the broth is so silky smooth. I am not the world’s biggest shrimp fan but I really like it in this soup. It is also really good reheated the next day.

Ingredients 

For the Roux: 

1 heaping cup all-purpose flour 

2/3 cup oil 

For the Gumbo: 

1 bunch celery 

1 green bell pepper 

1 large yellow onion 

1 bunch green onion 

1 bunch fresh parsley leaves 

2-3 cloves garlic 

1-2 Tablespoons cajun seasoning 

6-8 cups Chicken broth 

12 ounce package andouille sausages, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces

Two large chicken breasts shredded or one small rotisserie chicken shredded

2 cups small precooked shrimp

Instructions 

Make the Roux*: In a large, heavy bottom stock pot combine flour and oil. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring constantly for 30-45 minutes. This part takes patience--when it’s finished it should have a dark caramel or penny color and have a soft, “cookie dough” like consistency. Be careful not to let it burn. Feel free to add a little more flour or oil as needed to reach this consistency. 

Brown the sausage. In a separate skillet on medium-high heat place the sausage slices in one layer in the pan. Brown them well on one side (2-3 minutes) and then use a fork to flip each over onto the other side to brown. Remove to a plate. 

Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth to the hot skillet that had the sausage to deglaze the pan. Pour the broth and drippings into your large soup pot stirring as you pour so that your roux doesn’t get lump. Then add in your chopped vegetables and the remainder of your chicken broth. Stir very well and bring to a boil over medium heat, boiling for 5-7 minutes. You can skim any foam that rises to the top. Your soup should be silky and thick. Add one more cup of broth, your meats, the cajun seasoning and any additional seasonings that you would like. 

This soup can be served immediately or simmer gently for a few hours. We like to serve it over cooked white rice but it can be eaten without the rice as well.

Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

This is an easy, economical and super delicious way to feed lots of people. I serve this with my gumbo but it would easily stand alone with some bread and a salad. It is slightly spicy so adjust to taste.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 meaty, smoked ham hock

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped garlic

2 cups chopped yellow onion

1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper

1 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped jalapeño 

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 pound dried red kidney beans, sorted and rinsed

1 T dried thyme

2 dried bay leaves

4 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1 bunch green onions

Hot sauce (optional)

2 cups of long grain white rice 

4 cups of water or chicken broth

Instructions

Select sauté setting on a programmable pressure multi-cooker(such as Instant Pot). Add oil to cooker and preheat. Then add the ham hock and cook for 5-6 minutes. Add garlic, onion, bell pepper, celery, jalapeños, seasons and paprika. Cook, stirring often until vegetables begin to soften. Add beans, thyme, bay leaves, chicken broth, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt; stir to combine.

Cover cooker with lid and lock in place. Set the manual setting to high pressure to cook for 75 minutes.

Prepare rice according to directions and set aside. When instant pot is done, carefully vent the cooker and remove lid. Pull out the ham hock and chop it to get the meat from the bone. Remove the bay leaves and stir the fat and meat from the ham hock back into the bean mixture. Serve with rice and top with chopped green onions and hot sauce.

Pitch a Fit Grits

I can honestly say I rarely see grits in restaurants in Wyoming and I don’t think I have ever been served them at a friend’s house. I don’t like them plain, but this version is like the “loaded baked potato” variation and is delicious. It works well as a rich side dish or as a stand alone for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

1 pound mild Italian sausage

6 cups chicken broth

2 cups quick-cooking grits (not instant)

8 -oz Velveeta, cubed

2 cups shredded muenster cheese, divided (if you can’t find muenster, Monterey jack is fine)

1½ Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp garlic powder

½ cup butter, cubed

½ cup milk

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain fat and set aside.

In a large saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Slowly stir in grits. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Add Velveeta cheese, 1 cup muenster cheese, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and butter; stir until melted. Stir in milk. Slowly stir in eggs until blended. Stir in cooked sausage.

Transfer grits to prepared dish. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese and the remaining 1 cup shredded muenster cheese.

Bake, uncovered, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm with fresh fruit and biscuits.

I hope you enjoy these southern dishes during the cold Wyoming winter.