Ettou-o

Yesterday when I found out a storm was coming I started craving comfort food.  When we lived in Michigan, Tim would always make chili or beef stew when we were expecting a big snow storm or a really cold weekend.  Even though I am not at all a good cook, I decided to try my hand at something stew-ish.

In honor of our new home state, I decided I would try my hand at either an ettouffee or a gumbo.  It wasn’t really think enough to be an ettouffe, but I didn’t thicken it in the style of a gumbo, so Tim and I decided to call my creation Ettou-o (pronounced eh-two-o).  Rebecca has been calling it Michigan gumbo.  Whatever they called it, I am happy to say that it turned out pretty good and there are even some leftovers for today.  I also made some home-made bread to go with it.

Here’s the recipe for Ettou-o

Ingredients:

1 pound sausage

2 Tbls butter or vegetable oil

4 Tbls Flour

2 white onions, diced

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced

2 cups chicken stock

4 cups water

1 can stewed tomatoes

Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning to taste, I used about 4 Tbls

1 can purple hull peas with jalapenos – do not drain liquid

1 can cream peas – do not drain liquid

1-3 pounds additional meat (I used mixed seafood, but you could use chicken and/or more sausage)

Cooked white rice

 

Method:

In a large stock pot, brown sausage.  Remove cooked sausage from pan, leaving any grease.  Add butter (or vegetable oil) and diced onions to the pot.  Saute onions until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add in diced jalapenos and saute for an additional 2-3 minutes.  Add flour and stir until a thick paste is formed.  Add the chicken stock, water, stewed tomatoes and sausage and stir.  Season with Tony Chachere’s seasoning.  Simmer for about 20 minutes.  Add in the purple hulls and cream peas.  Re-season if necessary.  Simmer for about an hour.  Add in the mixed seafood and simmer for about 15 minutes.  Serve over prepared rice and/or homemade bread.