Cooking with Soul at Walt Disney World Resort

Ingredients

• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ¼ cup flour
• 12 ounces mild andouille sausage, sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 small bay leavers
• 6 cups chicken stock
• ½ pound boneless chicken breast, diced
• Cooked white rice, for serving

Instructions

1. Warm ¼ cup of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add the flour and cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture is a deep chocolate color (or about 15 minutes). Transfer to a heat-proof bowl.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot. Add the sausage and cook until well browned (or about 6 minutes). Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, along with the onion, bell pepper and celery. Cook for one minute more. Stir in the salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaves.
3. Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the roux (the flour and oil mixture) and whisk until smooth. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the flavors meld (or about 20 minutes). To serve, scoop a generous portion of rice into a bowl, then ladle the gumbo on top.

Cooking Tip
Be sure to use a heavy-bottom pot for this recipe and keep close watch as the ingredients brown so they don’t burn.
For a plant-based version of this recipe, omit the chicken and andouille sausage.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
• ½ pound andouille sausage, cooked and thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large celery stalks, chopped
• 1 small bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup canned chopped tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cups uncooked white rice
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the chicken until cooked through (or about 5 minutes). Reduce the heat to medium.
2. Stir in the sausage, onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Sprinkle on the salt and ground black pepper. Stir again. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and the uncooked rice. Then stir in the chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Simmer the jambalaya until the rice is tender (or about 20 minutes). Stir in the Worcestershire and hot pepper sauces.

Cooking Tip
For milder flavors, just use less Worcestershire sauce and hot pepper sauce than the recipe calls for.

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/3 cup water
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Oil of choice for frying
• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine 2 ¾ cups of the flour with sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Whisk everything together.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, water, egg and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour mixture.
3. Use some of the remaining flour to dust your work surface. Place the dough on it and pat it into a large ½-inch-thick square. Dust the top with more flour if it gets sticky. Next, slice the dough into 2 ½-inch-thick squares.
4. Now it’s time to fry the beignets! Heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy saucepan on the stovetop until the temperature reaches 325 F on a deep-fat thermometer. Check the temperature every so often while cooking. If it gets too hot, temporarily turn the heat down or off.
5. Carefully drop 3 dough squares at a time into the hot oil. Fry them for 3 minutes, turn them over, and continue frying for 3 more minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beignets to a wire rack set atop paper towels to drain. Dust the beignets with confectioners’ sugar and enjoy!

Cooking Tip
Use a sifter or a small sieve to sprinkle the sugar on the top of the beignets!