Andouille Cream Gravy
This gravy, Oh this gravy! A great topper for fried pork chops, chicken fried steak, biscuits - the list goes on and on. I've been known to eat it right out of pan with a spoon. (You know what they say you have to taste your food. They probably didn't mean 15 times with a spoon but hey, I don't see that written down anywhere so there isn't a rule to break.) I would like to claim this but it's based on some chefs that figured it out way before me. I've tweeked it to my tastes feel free to do the same.
First is the sausage. Andouille is a Louisiana sausage that we can find almost anywhere. If you can't find it, a nice smoked sausage will do. Here's a tip - good smoked sausage - the wrinklier and uglier, the better. (Don't you wish that was true for people? Bring on 80 I'm going to be smoking hot). That shiny perfect sausage you see in the grocery store isn't true smoked sausage ,in my humble opinion. Get the best you can. No matter what your gravy will be good. Dice your sausage into small pieces and set aside. Chop your onions also in small pieces and mince your garlic. The garlic and onion are my personal taste - omit them if you want a smoother gravy.
"...good smoked sausage - the wrinklier and uglier, the better."
In a deep skillet (have I mentioned cast iron is the bee's knees) cook the sausage till browned and the fat that has rendered from sausage has started to form in the skillet - bout 5 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel to catch the drippings. Leave 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan, removing the excess. Add the onion, garlic and seasonings then cook until soft - 2-3 minutes. Once they are done, add the flour and cook for about a minute This gets that floury taste out of your gravy. Slowly add in the milk while whisking to ensure there are no lumps. Bring the mixture to a boil, once boiling reduce heat and simmer until it thickens. It should take about 5 minutes. (Now don't leave your gravy unattended. Cream gravy can go from hero to zero in seconds. Once they burn they cannot be saved.) Once it's thick enough, add the butter and stir till it melts and then add the sausage and cook to heat through. If it becomes to thick just add milk till you reach your desired texture.
This gravy came about from my days in New Orleans. Since the only time I was away from my house and my two toddler girls was to work nights at the neighborhood bar, my friends came to me. Being a group of ladies, we got slightly obsessed with the show "Glee". This lead to me starting "Chicken Fried Glee" night. I chicken fried everything - you name it I tried it. FYI not much is bad chicken fried. This gravy covered everything except fish. It does not go well with chicken fried fish. Enjoy! Go get your gravy on.
Ingredients
6oz Andouille sausage, small diced
1/4 cup diced onion
3-4 garlic cloves minced
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp or more to taste of cajun seasoning or black pepper
2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons butter
Cook sausage in deep skillet till browned and the fat has rendered - about 5 minutes. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon. Drain fat, except for 2 tbls. Add the onions, garlic and seasoning to the skillet. Cook till soft - 2-3 minutes. Add flour and cook while constantly stirring for 1 minute. Slowly add the milk and whisk till it comes to a boil. Once it's boiling, reduce heat and simmer while stirring till it thickens - around 5 minutes. Add butter and stir till it melts. Once melted, add sausage and cook till heated through. If it gets to thick add milk to your desired consistency.
