All About Eva (24 page)

4 large chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 package of large chicken drumsticks, about 10
1 cup vegetable oil, plus ¼ cup
2 pounds of smoked spicy sausage, sliced into disks
2 cups flour
3 one-pound bags of cut frozen okra, defrosted
2 quarts of chicken stock
2 tablespoons of seasoning salt
2 tablespoons of OLD BAY Seasoning
2 tablespoons of black pepper
2 tablespoons of Accent
¼ cup of garlic powder
2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon of dried basil
1 tablespoon of dried thyme
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
4 bay leaves
5 celery ribs, chopped
3 large green bell peppers, chopped
3 large yellow onions, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 16-ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 14-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1 small can of tomato sauce
3 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 dozen medium-sized crabs, or 1½ dozen small
crabs, cleaned but still in the shell
¼ cup of parsley, minced
3 pounds uncooked medium-sized shrimp, peeled
and deveined
White rice (Follow manufacturer instructions)
1 cup of green onions, chopped
½ quart of water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lightly coat the chicken with the ¼ cup of vegetable oil, then roast for 25 minutes. Let the chicken cool, then remove the skin and bones. Set aside.

Cook the sausage in a large stockpot, over medium-high heat, until browned and the fat is rendered, about 7 minutes. (It is very important that the sausage you use be both spicy and smoked. This is what will help give the gumbo that authentic taste.) Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon, place on a paper towel–lined plate, and set aside.

Pour ¾ cup of the vegetable oil into a skillet so that the bottom is covered, and heat over medium to medium-high heat. Add the flour a little at a time until it's all blended. Add the rest of the oil as needed. Stir constantly until it's browned to a dark fudge consistency. Be very careful not to burn or scorch the roux. It will be necessary to adjust and lower the temperature as necessary so that the roux does not burn. You will know that you are on the right track when the roux changes from a light tan shade to a dark chocolate color. This takes about 45 minutes.

In another skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of oil and fry the okra over medium heat.

After the roux cools to room temperature, transfer the roux into a large stockpot and slowly add the water and chicken stock while stirring continuously to make sure that it blends evenly. Add all of the seasonings, and all of the raw vegetables except for the parsley.

Next, add the sausage, chicken, okra, tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and crab meat.

Simmer over low to medium heat for three and a half hours, covered. Stir frequently with a long-handled spoon, and be sure to taste periodically to check the seasonings, and adjust as necessary.

Add the shrimp, sugar, and parsley during the last 20 minutes of cooking. Remove bay leaves.

Serve over white rice, and garnish with chopped green onions, if desired.

1.
Start with the three P's: patience, passion, and perseverance.

2.
Before investing a single dime marketing your Aunt Lucille's strawberry pound cake, do your homework first, and thoroughly research the specialty food industry. As with any business, the Small Business Administration is the best place to start. They have a wealth of information available, and offer free seminars and workshops.

3.
No matter what your specialty food product is, be it salad dressing or peanut butter cookies, you have to perfect the ratios so that they can be produced on a large scale. In this regard, it may be necessary to partner with a chemist to convert your recipe to a commercial formula that can be mass produced without negatively affecting the finished product.

4.
Find a rental kitchen large enough and properly certified to test and perfect your recipe.

5.
What influences shoppers to purchase a gourmet product is the packaging. You have fantastic product, right? Fantastic products deserve high-quality, eye-catching packaging. Spend a considerable amount of time developing and designing your packaging and labels. It could make all the difference between success and failure.

6.
The Farmers' Market is a cheap way to get started selling your product to the general public. They offer affordable retail space, but it will be up to you to come up with creative ways to make your space more inviting.

7.
Once you have perfected your presentation, start knocking on the doors of small independent grocery stores, specialty gourmet shops, and national supermarket chains. Ask the owners /managers to stock your product, and for the opportunity to give free samplings of your product to their customers.

8.
Contact specialty food distributors and arrange a meeting to present your product.

9.
Breaking in is tough, but not impossible. If you can come up with a creative product that the big companies like Kraft and ConAgra have yet to touch, then you will be better able to find your space on grocery store shelves. Don't expect blinding success right out of the gate. Small daily growth will sustain your business over the long term.