This is one of the great classics of my family
and that could also be a study for those interested in migration flows to the
welcoming kitchen's countries.
New York is a perfect example, we can say that
all the world's cuisines are represented. There would be more than 150
languages but in reality the number would be 800! That shows the variety of
dishes in the world found in New York. And it is the same in Paris.
Sophie
Knapp of Radio France summarizes well this in her documentary on "Culinary
migration - Kitchen as identity." She rightly says that "migration is not
confined to population movements. Migrating, women and men often carry in their
luggage items, kitchen utensils, but also their culinary expertise and food
practices, seeking to transplant or to adapt them in their host country"
This perfectly illustrates the recipe of Smoked Chicken with Gumbo sauce.
This
dish has been invented from scratch by Africans in France. I don't
really know which recipe in Central Africa, South or West Africa can be matched
to Smoked Chicken and Gumbo sauce. So if you know more about it, I’ll be glad
to hear you!
African families in France often eat this dish with «a fine
semolina polenta » meant to replace the invigorating “Fufu paste” made with
cassava flour.
The preparation is the same: You bring water to a boil and then throw in
the fine semolina and turn with a spatula until the mixture becomes like a
polenta.
This semolina polenta usually accompanies many stews.
Okra or Gumbo is a very old vegetable. It was
cultivated in Egypt two centuries before JC. And have been brought from Africa
to Europe by the Moors during major invasions. It is used in most Mediterranean
countries such as Greece and Turkey. We find gumbos in Africa, and also
in the US (especially in the South), where it was introduced by African slaves.
To talk about our smoked chicken, my family has
naturally adopted this recipe for years and we don’t exactly know when we ate
it for the first time!
This is a simple recipe, cheap and tasty, that requires
little ingredients and which can be eaten in winter and summer.
Notes:
In France, smoked chicken and okras are sold in
supermarkets. They can also be found in exotic groceries. The gumbo sauce can
be adapted to different kind of meat or fish.
So for this simple dish you will need:
Ingredients: (serve 4/5)
- 1 Smoked chicken
- 1 small onion
- 8/10 fresh or frozen okras
- A fresh tomato
- 150 grams of tomato pulp
- 1 Habanero chili pepper, not cut, not drilled or damaged (Hot pepper brings flavor but it is optional)
- ½ liter of chicken broth
- Salt to taste
Method:
Cut the chicken into pieces.
* As smoked chicken is often fat, I began by
heating a pan without fat, I put chicken pieces first to sweat and I add 5 ml water,
just for degrease. Five minutes after boiling, I threw the water and I keep the
chicken in a bowl. I do not rinse the pot.
Wash the hot pepper without removing stalks and
set aside (out of reach of children).
Wash gumbos cut the stems and topped them. Cut
into slices about 3 or 4 inches thick and set aside.
Chop the onion into small cubes.
Wash and coarsely cut the tomato.
Put the pot that contained the chicken over
medium heat and sauté onions.
Add the chicken and cook a few minutes.
Then add the fresh tomato and the tomato pulp
and its juice. Stir.
Pour in the chicken broth, the liquid should
cover the chicken.
Bring to a boil over medium heat for 20
minutes.
Add the sliced gumbos, stir
gently and add the hot pepper in a corner of the pot.
Leave to cook for another 15 minutes.
Taste and add salt if necessary.
At the end remove the pepper (Do not keep it,
it is extremely hot)
Serve with white steamed rice, polenta, grit, or
ABLOS...
Kitchen Tips:
Hot pepper in this dish is optional. It's
better not to use it if you are not sure because it is very hot. I put it in
the pot with the stem to be sure not to drill it. If you cannot find okra or if
you do not like it, you can replace them with sliced leeks or with carrots and peas. It’s also very
good.
I hope you will try this dish and enjoy it
See you
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