Tracy Schwarz's Cajun Gumbo Recipes

Tracy Schwarz's
Cajun Gumbo Recipes

Tracy Schwarz
Cajun fiddler and accordion player extraordinaire.

Appearing on more than 30 recordings, including 4
with master Cajun fiddle icon, Dewey Balfa,
Tracy has earned the title of "The Ultimate Backdoor Cajun".
With equal dedication and skill, he communicates with and inspires
Cajun music aficionados with his accordion and fiddle playing, topped only by his soulful
vocal expressions of the bittersweet Cajun Joie de Vivre.

Tracy was made an Honorary Cajun by the Cajun French Music Association in 1988
and both of his Cajun recordings received the Prix Dehors de Nous award
for best Cajun CD made by a band from outside South Louisiana.
Tracy Schwarz and the Cajuneers are West Virginia's only group playing authentic,
infectious and enjoyable Cajun dance music. They are known
for their dances where the music is presented with knowledge and
respect - and always with the goal of including everybody in on the party.

Tracy is often a performing guest on
the Mamou Mardi Gras Musician's Wagon.

Order Tracy Schwarz CD's here.

Tracy Schwarz's
Cajun Chicken & Sausage Gumbo Recipe for 6

10 chicken thighs with bones
2-3 cups of Roux (See how to make Roux below!)
5 Quarts of Water
I Lb. of Cajun Sausage if available (cut into bite size pieces)
1 1/2 Large Onion, chopped ( about 11/4 to 11/2 cup)
1 Cup of green peppers chopped
5 Cloves of Garlic minced
1/2 cup of Green Onion tops, chopped
2 Tbsp. Spice or more to taste (we suggest Tony Chachere's Creole Spice seasoning)

1. Remove skin and fat from chicken, cover, and spice, and refrigerate.
2. Put water in deep pot; add roux, low boil 1 hour, stir a lot.
3. Add onion, peppers, and garlic to pot.
4. Fry sausage and press grease out.
5. Add sausage and chicken (chicken with bones and w/o skin and fat)
6. Add 2 Tbsp of Tony Chachere's Creole Spice to pot, cook 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
7. Broth should be dark brown.
Dont forget the rice!
8. Skim off grease on surface.
9. Add green onion tops and more spice if needed.
10. Cook 15 minutes and serve over hot long grain, white rice.
11. Serve over 1/2 cup of rice per bowl. Best served with cajun potato salad.
12. Serves 6!

How to Make a Roux
2 1/4 cups of canola oil
3 cups all-purpose flour

Roux is absolutely essential to good authentic gumbo! Most cooks agree that "dark roux" is best for gumbo because it will result in the thinnest, best-tasting gumbo. Just be very careful in the kitchen (no children!) because it is extremely hot and sticks to your skin. Use a long-handled metal whisk.

1. Start with a very clean, very heavy skillet (never non-stick), large enough so that the oil only fills 1/4 full.
2. Heat the oil to smoking hot before the four is added.
3. Stir in the flour gradually. Whisk quickly and CONSTANTLY to avoid burning. If black specks appear, it has burned. dump it out and start over.
4. Keep stirring until it starts to get dark brown (about 30-40 minutes, non-stop stirring, slowly stirring, doing nothing else but stirring and listening to Cajun music!)
5. As soon as it reaches the dark brown color, remove it from the heat and stir in the peppers and onions you have chopped BEFORE starting. This will stop the browning. Continue stirring for 5 minutes.
6. If it looks like it's going too fast, remove but continue whisking.
7. Always have all tools and ingredients ready before you start - and go to the bathroom! Don't have children in the room, don't answer the phone or the door.

Roux may be made in advance and cooled and stored in a jar in the fridge for several days.......or you can do what I do and buy many jars of it while you are in Louisiana! It is very good in stews and soups as well as gumbo. Jackie Miller says you can use up to 2 Tbsp of roux to thicken a broth without changing the flavor - and she should know!

Tracy's Cajun Potato Salad for 6-8
6 medium potatoes
1 whole cheap dill pickle
1/4 cup diced onion
2 Tbsp mayo
1 Tbsp. cheap yellow mustard
2 hard-boiled eggs
1 Tbsp. Tony Chachere's seasoning

1. Boil potatoes and washed eggs together till done.
2. Drain potatoes; put into Large bowl
3. Shred eggs and add to bowl of potatoes
4. Add other ingredients to bowl
5. Mash with potato masher 5-6 strokes (leave some chunks)
6. Mix all ingredients well
7. While still warm, Cover well and refrigerate until gumbo is ready.

About Ginny Hawker & Tracy Schwarz

Upcoming Calendar & Schedule

Quotes on Ginny & Tracy's Music

Ginny & Tracy Photo Gallery

Related Links

Buy CD's and hear clips of Ginny & Tracy Music

Tracy's Cajun Gumbo Recipe

Sign up for a Singing Homeshop in WV with Ginny and Tracy

If you're interested in booking Ginny Hawker and Tracy Schwarz
for performing or teaching, please contact them in one of these ways:

Ginny Hawker & Tracy Schwarz
395 Hickory Hollow Rd, Coxs Mill WV 26342
Phone (304) 462 8427
or email.