Lael's chicken and andouille gumbo

Continuing with my theme of naming dishes after the people I cook them for, I present Lael’s gumbo.

Lael is one of my dearest SF friends who I’ve really never cooked for before. Until now. The thing is, most of my culinary expertise would kill Lael. She’s allergic to shellfish and dairy. That almost rules out the entire cajun and creole spectrum. I kept trying to think of something I could cook for her and kept coming up with blanks.

When I was home for Christmas, my dad cooked up some duck gumbo while I nursed a hangover and watched college bowl games. Then it hit me. Figure out how to make a roux from animal fats and oil instead of butter, then just do a chicken and sausage gumbo. Boom!

Here’s what you’ll need to make Lael’s gumbo:

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