Creole Gumbo with Cornbread Recipe

19 minutes ago
3 min read

Recipe Courtesy of BBC Food & Shivi Ramoutar

Gumbo, a quintessential dish of New Orleans, embodies the rich, multicultural tapestry of Louisiana’s culinary heritage. This hearty stew combines a blend of French, African, and Spanish influences, with a base of roux—flour and fat—slowly simmered to create a deep, nutty flavor. Seafood, sausage, and sometimes chicken are common ingredients, while the "holy trinity" of bell peppers, onions, and celery forms the aromatic foundation. Served over rice, gumbo is both a comfort food and a celebration of the region’s diverse history. With each spoonful, it reflects New Orleans' soul, where food, culture, and tradition converge in a flavorful harmony.

Ingredients

For the creole gumbo

4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra if needed
2 chicken breasts, skin removed and chopped into large chunks (or cubed sweet potato or sweetcorn)
200g/7oz smoked sausage, sliced (or chorizo)
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 green pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped (or red or yellow pepper)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1½ tbsp Cajun seasoning
2 thyme sprigs
1 heaped tbsp plain flour
500ml/18fl oz chicken stock
400g tin chopped tomatoes
175g/6oz okra, topped and tailed then sliced into 1cm/½in pieces (optional)
200g/7oz king prawns, head and tail left on, peeled and deveined (or mussels, clams or any shellfish, scrubbed and debearded)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 spring onion, finely chopped, to garnish
1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve

For the cornbread muffins

75g/2¾oz butter, melted, plus extra for greasing and frying
2 spring onions, finely chopped
198g tin sweetcorn, drained
½ red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped
150g/5½oz quick-cook polenta
150g/5½oz plain flour, sifted
2 tsp baking powder
large pinch of salt
150ml/5fl oz soured cream
2 free-range eggs
100ml/3½fl oz full-fat milk

Method

To make the gumbo, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the chicken and sausage. Brown on all sides, remove and set aside.
Heat a little more oil if needed in the pan and add the onion, celery and pepper. Fry for 5–10 minutes, stirring regularly until softened. Add the garlic, Cajun seasoning and thyme and stir continuously for about 20 seconds or so, until aromatic.
Stir in the flour and cook for 5–7 minutes until the flour is browning. Return the chicken, sausage and any juices back to the pan.
Add the stock (you will only need half of it if you don't include the okra), tomatoes and okra, if using, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer with the lid on for 15–20 minutes until cooked.
Add the prawns (do not add prawns now if you are freezing the gumbo, see tip) and cook for a few minutes until they are pink and just cooked. Season with salt and pepper.
To make the cornbread, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and grease two 6-hole muffin tins or one 12-hole muffin tin with a little melted butter.
Heat about a tablespoon of the butter in a small frying pan. When it starts to foam, add the spring onions, sweetcorn and chilli and fry for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the sweetcorn is golden.
In a small bowl, mix together the polenta, flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, whisk the soured cream with the eggs, milk and remaining melted butter until smooth.
Fold the dry polenta mixture into the soured cream mixture until you have a smooth batter and then stir in the sweetcorn mixture until evenly mixed.
Divide the mixture between the holes in the muffin tins and bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes until golden and cooked through.
Garnish the gumbo with the spring onions and serve with the lime wedges and muffins alongside. Store any leftover cornbread in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

For the creole gumbo

4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra if needed

2 chicken breasts, skin removed and chopped into large chunks (or cubed sweet potato or sweetcorn)

200g/7oz smoked sausage, sliced (or chorizo)

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 celery sticks, finely chopped

1 green pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped (or red or yellow pepper)

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1½ tbsp Cajun seasoning

2 thyme sprigs

1 heaped tbsp plain flour

500ml/18fl oz chicken stock

400g tin chopped tomatoes

175g/6oz okra, topped and tailed then sliced into 1cm/½in pieces (optional)

200g/7oz king prawns, head and tail left on, peeled and deveined (or mussels, clams or any shellfish, scrubbed and debearded)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 spring onion, finely chopped, to garnish

1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve

For the cornbread muffins

75g/2¾oz butter, melted, plus extra for greasing and frying

2 spring onions, finely chopped

198g tin sweetcorn, drained

½ red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped

150g/5½oz quick-cook polenta

150g/5½oz plain flour, sifted

2 tsp baking powder

large pinch of salt

150ml/5fl oz soured cream

2 free-range eggs

100ml/3½fl oz full-fat milk

To make the gumbo, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the chicken and sausage. Brown on all sides, remove and set aside.

Heat a little more oil if needed in the pan and add the onion, celery and pepper. Fry for 5–10 minutes, stirring regularly until softened. Add the garlic, Cajun seasoning and thyme and stir continuously for about 20 seconds or so, until aromatic.

Stir in the flour and cook for 5–7 minutes until the flour is browning. Return the chicken, sausage and any juices back to the pan.

Add the stock (you will only need half of it if you don't include the okra), tomatoes and okra, if using, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer with the lid on for 15–20 minutes until cooked.

Add the prawns (do not add prawns now if you are freezing the gumbo, see tip) and cook for a few minutes until they are pink and just cooked. Season with salt and pepper.

To make the cornbread, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and grease two 6-hole muffin tins or one 12-hole muffin tin with a little melted butter.

Heat about a tablespoon of the butter in a small frying pan. When it starts to foam, add the spring onions, sweetcorn and chilli and fry for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the sweetcorn is golden.

In a small bowl, mix together the polenta, flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, whisk the soured cream with the eggs, milk and remaining melted butter until smooth.

Fold the dry polenta mixture into the soured cream mixture until you have a smooth batter and then stir in the sweetcorn mixture until evenly mixed.

Divide the mixture between the holes in the muffin tins and bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Garnish the gumbo with the spring onions and serve with the lime wedges and muffins alongside. Store any leftover cornbread in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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