Gumbo Two Ways

Rick Rogers is the current owner of Eggshells and a long-time chef in Arkansas and Louisiana. Over the years, he has perfected multiple cajun and creole dishes, and continues to teach cooking classes on those dishes at Eggshells. The following recipes are from the Gumbo Two Ways Cooking Class on February 18, 2026.

Rick's Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

(serves 12-15)

Ingredients:

• 4 quarts chicken stock
• 2 lbs butter (for the roux and for the garlic bread)
• 2 cups flour (for the roux)
• 3 cups Trinity (celery, bell pepper, and onion chopped into equal parts)
• 1 lbs okra
• 2.5 lbs cut up chicken thighs
• 1 lb smoked sausage
• 1 lb andouille sausage
• 12-15 servings of rice
• Green Onions for garnish
• Italian Parsley for garnish
• 2 loaves French Bread
• Cajun Seasoning— Tony Chachere – 4 tbsp or to taste
• 3-4 Bay leaves
• Garlic Powder to taste
• 1 tbsp ground Cayenne
• 1 tbsp Coreander seeds
• 1 tbsp Thyme leaves
• File powder (ground sassafras leaves)—2 tbsp
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Hot Sauce— if desired

Instructions:

1. Make the roux—use 2 cups of flour and 3 sticks of butter
2. While roux is cooking, make the rice
3. Once roux is made, add trinity, okra and garlic, add 2 quarts stock and cook on medium heat for 10 to 15 mins.
4. While roux is simmering, cut sausage up into ½ inch rounds and brown in a skillet.
5. Add remaining stock to the pot.
6. Add browned sausage to pot.
7. Add chicken to pot.
8. Season with Cajun spice, thyme, coriander, garlic powder, salt, pepper and cayenne.
9. Cook on Medium heat for 45 mins, stirring occasionally so roux doesn’t stick.
10. Stir and let the pot rest for 5 mins.
11. Serve over rice, garnish with green onions and parsley. 

Rick's Gourmet Seafood Gumbo

(serves 12-15)

Ingredients: 

• 5-6 quarts seafood stock
• 2 lbs butter (for the roux and for the garlic bread)
• 2 cups flour (for the roux)
• 3 cups Trinity (celery, bell pepper, and onion chopped into equal parts)
• 2 lbs Okra
• 1 lb Smoked Sausage
• 1 lb Andouille Sausage
• 2 lbs Shrimp
• 1 lb Gumbo Crabs
• 3 cans Lump Crab Meat
• 1 lb fresh fish of choice
• 12-15 servings of rice
• Green Onions for garnish
• Italian Parsley for garnish
• 2 loaves French Bread
• Cajun Seasoning—Tony Chachere – 4 tbsp or to taste
• 3-4 Bay leaves
• Garlic Powder to taste
• 1 tbsp ground Cayenne
• 1 tbsp Coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp Thyme leaves
• File powder (ground sassafras leaves)—2 tbsp
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Hot Sauce (if desired)

Instructions:

1. Make the roux—use 2 cups of flour and 3 sticks of butter
2. While roux is cooking, make the rice
3. Once roux is made, add trinity, okra and garlic, add 2 quarts seafood stock and cook on medium heat for 10 to 15 mins.
4. While roux is simmering, cut sausage up into ½ inch rounds and brown in a skillet
5. Add remaining seafood stock to the pot
6. Add browned sausage to pot
7. Add Gumbo crabs, Crab meat and fish to pot
8. Season with Cajun spice, thyme, coriander, garlic powder, salt, pepper and cayenne
9. Cook on Medium heat for 10 to 15 mins, stirring occasionally so roux doesn’t stick
10. Add Shrimp to the pot
11. Cook an additional 5 mins and then turn heat off.  Stir and let the pot rest for 5 mins.
12. Serve over rice, garnish with green onion and parsley.