Recently, nothing has warmed my heart more than the opportunity to teach young, Air Force Airmen here at a base in Texas, how to cook. I have been given the privilege to help these amazing young men and women learn how to cook meals that their mama’s would be proud of. In the program I have been involved in, I have taken novice cooks, some who did not even know how to make an omelet and turned them into cooks of confidence, knowledge and ambition. Also, the tools I am giving them today, will help them carry their skills into the future. The focus is to cook healthy, convenient and of course, tasty dishes. That is what it is all about. Today, they may be young men and women, but someday they will be husbands, wives, parents and mentors. And, they will be somewhat equipped in the kitchen for that journey. In our culinary classes we have created bonds, established friendships and even set up some competitive cooking competitions. Recently, we had a Gumbo Cook Off and the featured recipe, Troy’s Mom’s Seafood Gumbo, was submitted by a Louisiana native. He cooked his heart out against a restaurant chef and won First Prize! What a great accomplishment for one of our Airmen who has come such a long way in his cooking ability and strength. He is a master! In honor of his incredible win and to the mama that made him the cook he is today……Troy, this post is for you! I hope you all will enjoy this incredible, Louisiana inspired recipe!
The basis of most Cajun dishes are these 3 beautiful ingredients….onion, celery, and bell pepper. This combination is know as the “Holy Trinity” in Cajun cooking. The taste, aroma and wonderful freshness that results from cooking these three vegetables together, is nothing short of “divine”!
- 2 lbs Turkey Necks or Drumsticks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 green peppers, chopped
- 2 onions, chopped
- 1 jar dark roux or homemade roux, about 1 cup
- 1 large can V-8 juice
- 2-15 oz cans tomato sauce
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 teaspoons gumbo file
- 2 teaspoons thyme
- 1-2 Tablespoons or more of Tony Chachere's seasoning
- Cayenne Pepper (optional)
- 1 lb Andouille Sausage, cut into ½ inch slices and quartered
- 12 oz package Crawfish Meat (I used packaged, frozen crawfish meat)
- 2 lbs raw shrimp, cleaned and deveined and shells off
- 1 lb crab meat, rinsed and drained
- Sliced green onion tops
- Hot Sauce
- Cooked white rice
- In a large frying pan or saute pan place olive oil. Place on stove on medium high heat. Add celery, peppers and onion to pan and cook for 5-7 minutes until tender.
- Fill a large stock pot (8 quarts) half full of water. Place it on the stove on medium to high heat until water starts to boil. Add the turkey necks or legs. If using necks, cut into 1½ inch pieces.
- Cook for 2 or more hours until turkey easily pulls away from the bone. When done, remove meat from the bones and return to pot of water.
- Add celery, peppers and onions to water. Add bay leaves, thyme, gumbo file and Tony Chachere's seasoning.
- Add the jar of roux, stirring constantly until dissolved throughout the water.
- Once the roux is dissolved and mixture begins to slightly thicken, add V-8 juice and tomato sauce.
- Add andouille sausage and cook for 20 minutes.
- Add crab meat, crawfish meat. Cook for 20 minutes. Add shrimp and cook for 5 minutes more.
- Serve with cooked white rice, extra hot sauce.
- Garnish with sliced green onions.
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