Easy Duck Gumbo - Video Recipe

For my Easy Duck Gumbo, the two main ingredients are ready to use. During the Christmas holidays, if I have leftover Roast Duck, then it goes right into a Gumbo that's made with a store-bought Roux.

A Cajun Gumbo is a dark and muddy swamp of a soup made with almost any kind of meat or seafood, a Roux, and a Cajun Holy Trinity of veggies. When I visit Louisiana, Gumbo will be on the menu, whether I  order it from a local Cajun fast food joint or make it at home.

Even Louisiana's Meals on Wheels government safety net program offers homebound seniors (60 years or older) a Chicken and Sausage Gumbo meal. How does it fare? Hmmm, check back for a Cheap$kate Dining Review by the Swamp Chef.

The first main ingredient for a Gumbo is a Roux. Grocers are starting to carry Roux that is pre-cooked and brown, so you can go right to sauting veggies, then add the pre-cooked Roux. I've made Gumbo using the shortcut grocery method and the long, homemade version of Roux (Mom's Homemade Roux with yummy photo illustrations is here). For this recipe, I use store-bought, browned Roux for a Gumbo that's easy and quick to make. 

  Click on any photo to see larger.

Pre-made Roux can be dry or wet with oil added. There are also Gumbo Mixes, including Roux and Cajun spices.

Usually, a Homemade Roux has plain raw flour cooked and stirred until a medium to dark brown, which gives Gumbo its unique nutty flavor and color. Back in the day, an equal amount of oil was used to brown the flour. These days, I leave the oil out.

Homemade Roux without oil.

I also use leftover Roast Duck pieces. I cook my Duck like I would Roast Chicken. The main difference is that you should slice or pierce the Duck skin so the fatty layer under the skin will drain and allow the skin to crisp.

A couple of hard-to-find ingredients in my Duck Gumbo can be left out. Filé Powder is dried sassafras leaves. Creole Seasoning is mainly salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, thyme, cayenne, onion, and garlic powders. 

Along with a packaged Roux and leftover Duck, I add a Cajun Holy Trinity comprised of bell pepper, celery, and onion, which is used in many Cajun recipes. 

I still get these veggies frequently on sale for less than a dollar each or a dollar per pound.

Okra might not be to everyone's taste as it becomes slimy after cooking for a while, but I like it fine. 

Cajuns serve their Gumbo over white steamed rice. I've had it over brown rice and even quinoa.

Duck is way more expensive than chicken, so this is a recipe for special occasions if you are a cheap$kate like me. 

Hey, you can always substitute budget chicken dark meat for pungent Duck in my Easy Duck Gumbo recipe.

Easy Duck Gumbo Recipe - Video            Play it here, video runs 4 minutes, 33 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients (4 to 6 servings)

• Water - 8 cups.  Okay to use less water to reach your favorite thick or thin Gumbo. At the end of cooking, you can decide if you want more water. For a thicker Gumbo, uncover and cook 15 minutes at the end.
• 3/4 Cup Roux - I used a store-bought Roux for this recipe. For a homemade Roux, use 3/4 cup flour and oil. Over medium heat, stir flour and oil until it reaches a brown-to-dark brown color, about 20 minutes.
• Leftover Duck - about 2 pounds. Cooked Duck is a mix of dark and white meat. For raw Duck pieces, boil with the ingredients for about 2 hours to cook through and tenderize. 
• Oil - 1 tablespoon, any favorite.
• 1 Onion - chopped.
• Garlic - 1 tablespoon.
• 1 Bell Pepper - chopped.
• Celery - about 2 chopped ribs.
• Okra - about 8 to 12 whole okra spears. I slice okra depending on how large they are. Okay to leave a few whole. Some do not like okra (and it can be hard to find), so it's okay to leave it out.
• Creole Seasoning - 1 teaspoon. Creole seasoning is usually a combination of salt, paprika or chile powder, dried garlic, and onion. 
• Black Pepper - 1 teaspoon.
• Filé Powder - 1 teaspoon, optional. Filé is dried sassafras leaves. 
• Steamed Rice - Rice - serve Gumbo over cooked white or brown rice. I usually boil a cup or two of rice.
• *Homemade Gumbo with Chicken and Sausage, and  Roast Duck recipe links are at the end of this recipe text.

Directions

In a medium hot pot, add oil and chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté for 2 minutes. 

Add a tablespoon of chopped garlic and saute for one minute.

Sprinkle on a teaspoon of Creole Seasoning and Gumbo Filé Powder. If you do not have these, then leave them out. Add some salt and pepper instead of Creole Seasoning.

Mix well and saute the Roux Mix for a minute. Add chopped and whole okra. 

Pour on some of the Duck drippings from a roasting pan, if you have any left over. Okay to leave some out, as duck renders a lot of fat.

Fill the pot with 8 cups of water. Mix well to dissolve the Roux.

Add duck pieces and bring broth to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot.

Simmer Gumbo for an hour. If you are using raw duck pieces, then simmer for 2 hours or until the raw duck is cooked through. For raw duck, you want to remove most of the skin as it is very fatty. I would leave some on, as it is extra flavor.

After one hour (for cooked duck) or two (if the duck is raw), remove the large Duck pieces. I like to shred the Duck and return it to the Gumbo. Reheat shredded Duck for a few minutes. 

Serve Duck Gumbo over cooked rice or a favorite grain like quinoa.

My Mom's Homemade Chicken and Sausage Gumbo: 

https://the99centchef.blogspot.com/2011/07/moms-gumbo-recipe-and-flea-market-food.html

Roast Duck Recipe: https://the99centchef.blogspot.com/2024/02/roast-duck-video-recipe.html

National Sloppy Joe Day - Recipe Video

This is the leanest Sloppy Joe you will ever eat. On this auspicious day in celebration of National Sloppy Joe Day, I have my version that is for the diet-conscious who uses ground chicken or turkey. And ground poultry seems to be a buck cheaper than ground beef these days.

Sloppy Joes are typically made with ground beef, and depending on the fat content, you will have a gallon of grease after browning the beef. So, not only is my homemade poultry Sloppy Joe Burger delicious, but it also fits into almost any dietary regimen.

I found a package on sale!

Hi, I am The 99 Cent Chef, and I am a tightwad. I seldom cook with ground beef anymore. Since I created this blog in 2007, I've weaned myself off this artery-clogging but oh-so-tasty protein and learned to love ground poultry. 

The kind I use is mechanically separated and typically found in the frozen deli case. It's more watery than fresh ground chicken (or turkey), but I've found that it firms up fine during baking or sauteing. Of course, use your favorite local ground turkey or chicken, mechanically separated or not.

My Ground Chicken Sloppy Joe Burger is loaded with flavor, using sauteed fresh veggies, pungent chili powder, ground cumin, and brown sugar -- all in a thick sauce of tomato and ketchup. 

Upon the first bite of my homemade Sloppy Joe, you will flashback to your childhood: when Mom put the steaming meaty bowl of goodness on the dinner table, and you piled on the sloppy mess between a bun -- then dribbled it all over your fingers, while staining the front of your tee shirt, as you scarfed it all down as fast as you could.

I used a pound of ground chicken for this recipe, so the end result will easily and cheaply feed your hungry brood -- just make sure to lay out extra napkins. Prices have increased since I originally made the recipe 10 years ago. I find ground turkey more often than chicken these days.

Condiments like Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and chili powder still show up cheaply.

You could conveniently buy a couple of cans of Sloppy Joe sauce, but you will still have to fry up some meat, so you might as well go the extra step and make my much more delicious homemade Poultry Sloppy Joe. 

And like two of my earlier video recipes, Beanie Weenies, and Chicken Stroganoff, I used stop motion animation -- it makes following cooking directions so much more fun!

Poultry Sloppy Joe's - Video

Play it here. The video runs 3 minutes 18 seconds. 

To view or embed from YouTube, click here.

Ingredients (about 6 - 8 servings, depending on how sloppy you like it!)

• 1 pound of ground chicken, turkey, or beef - I used packages of cheaper, frozen (and thawed) mechanically separated, ground chicken.
• 1 whole small onion - chopped
• 1 stalk of celery (optional) - chopped
• 1/2 bell pepper - green, red, or yellow, chopped.
• 1 tablespoon of garlic - chopped, from a jar or fresh.
• 1 can of tomato sauce (about 15 oz.) - okay to use crushed, whole, or chopped tomatoes. Just break apart into smaller chunks when sauteing.
• 1/4 cup of ketchup
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar - or your favorite sweetener (may need less, depending on sweetener potency).
• 1 tablespoon of chili powder
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin (optional)
• 2 tablespoons of oil - 1 tbsp. for sauteing chicken, and 1 tbsp. oil for sauteing veggies.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on hamburger buns

Directions
In a large pan or pot, add a teaspoon of oil over medium heat, then add ground chicken. I spread out the chicken to cover the bottom of the pan and just sit back and let one side brown. You don't need to brown both sides. It should take about 7-10 minutes. 

Turn over meat and break apart into bite-sized pieces -- like you would for a spaghetti meat sauce. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add another teaspoon of oil to the pan. You can add chopped celery, bell pepper, onion, and garlic to the same pan -- or you could have been sauteing the veggies, at the same time as the chicken, in another pan -- it's up to you. Stir and cook veggies for about 5-10 minutes, until onions begin to turn light brown and caramelize.

When veggies are done, add cooked ground chicken. Pour in a can of tomato sauce and a 1/4 cup of ketchup, and mix well.

The final additions are the seasonings, including Worcestershire Sauce, ground cumin, and chile powder, brown sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix the Poultry Sloppy Joe sauce well.

Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 - 15 minutes. Check during the last five minutes and stir. You want a thick chili consistency -- not too watery. Uncover and let sit a couple of minutes, and the sauce will thicken even more.

Get out the hamburger buns and load them up -- but don't forget the extra napkins!

Swamp Chef Crawfish & Cheese Omelet

When in Louisiana, it's all about Crawfish. Cajuns eat Crawfish morning, noon, and night. My latest recipe serves Crawfish for breakfast. It only takes a handful of these crustaceans to make a Crawfish Omelet.

Hello there, this is a Swamp Chef, and I'm taking over with a recipe from deep in the Spanish Moss-covered bayou. I talked my way into Mom's kitchen to make a breakfast recipe, I guarantee, you are gonna like.

There's nothing to it, really. Make an Omelet your way with your favorite cheese and add a dozen small Crawfish, plus a Trinity of sautéed veggies.

Crawfish are similar to small Bay Shrimp, but milder in flavor, as Crawfish are raised in freshwater instead of saltwater like shrimp. All the meat of a Crawfish is in the tail, and you cook and peel them like you would a shrimp.

Here in Louisiana, Crawfish are bought cooked and peeled in 12 to 16-ounce packages sold in the frozen seafood section of most grocery stores. All you do is add some at the end of cooking the Crawfish Omelet, as they are ready to eat, and need only heating through.

 A combination of chopped onion, celery, and bell pepper is called the Trinity in Louisiana. Again, just a handful of sautéed veggies are added to the Crawfish Omelet.

Besides eggs, the last thing to add is some cheese. I would normally add a slice of American cheese, but I had partied heartily the day before and had some leftover fancy cheese. Use any favorite cheese. 

 

As for the egg part, I cook mine the French way. That is, I pour the beaten eggs into a low-heating pan and slowly stir the eggs like I would a scramble. 

The trick is to keep the eggs moving until almost done, but still damp. Then add the cheese, sautéed Trinity, and Crawfish. Finally, close up the Crawfish Omelet and cook until it reaches your desired doneness. I like mine slightly moist when done.

You can cook the Crawfish Omelet any way you like, even old-school, well done, diner style. All the extra flavor is in the Trinity plus Crawfish. 

I do like Omelets with cheese and seafood. If you don't have access to Crawfish, it's okay to substitute with small cooked shrimp. 

Cooked Shrimp             Cooked Crawfish       Click on any photo to see larger.

Check out how this Cajun cooks a Crawfish Omelet - straight from the swamp!

Crawfish Omelet - VIDEO                 Play it here, video runs 5 minutes, 48 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients

• 3 Eggs - lightly beaten. Okay to make a 2-egg omelet.
• 1/4 cup of Trinity - chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery.
• Crawfish - cooked and peeled, about 12 per Omelet. Crawfish are quite small. Okay to substitute with small, cooked, and peeled shrimp.
• Soft or Semi-Soft Cheese - about 3 tablespoons.  I happened to have leftover Herb & Garlic Goat Cheese from a party. Okay to use a slice of American Cheese, or any soft or semi-soft favorite, like Mozzarella, Cheddar, Swiss, Provolone, Ricotta, and Monterey Jack. 
• 2 Teaspoons of Oil - a tablespoon each to saute the Trinity veggies and a tablespoon to cook the omelet.
• Salt and Pepper - to taste. Cheese is salty enough for me, so I leave salt out. 

Directions

Chop the Trinity veggies of onion, bell pepper, and celery. Add a tablespoon of oil to a medium-sized pan over medium heating pan.

Saute veggie until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. 

Add cooked and peeled Crawfish to the veggies and mix. Saute Crawfish for a minute, just to heat through.

Remove veggies and Crawfish while you make the Omelet.

I like to make my Omelet with 2 to 3 eggs. I whisk them in a bowl to blend the eggs.

Add a tablespoon of oil to a low/medium-heated pan. I like my Omelet soft, so I cook it over a lower heat than normal so I can control the dampness of my Omelet. This is a French-style Omelet. It's okay to cook the Omelet your favorite way, well done or slightly damp.

Add the mixed raw eggs and slowly stir the eggs in the pan. When they are cooked, but still soft and moist, I spread out the eggs to cover most of the Omelet pan. Fill in any holes of the Omelet with soft egg. 

Add salt and pepper if you like. I find cheese is salty enough to my taste, so I leave it out.

Now is the time to bring it all together. Add the cheese first, so it will melt. I add the cheese to half of the Omelet. Spread it out a bit. 

I add the cheese first, so it will melt. Next, add the sautéed Trinity vegetables and Crawfish over the cheese. 

I like to slide a spatula under the cooking Omelet as it gets close to finishing to loosen it from the pan. When the Omelet reaches doneness, it's okay if the eggs are slightly damp. I gently fold the Omelet in half to cover the cheese and veggies. 

I let the folded Omelet cook another 30 seconds or so. You can slice into the Omelet to check for desired doneness. 

If you want to gild the lily, then slather a little butter on the Omelet.