Guest Elise Burke Brown and her #Recipe for Deuce’s Gumbo Plus a #Giveaway

From Libby: Please welcome my guest today, Elise Burke Brown. I met Elise at Bouchercon New Orleans when we were both assigned to a panel on humorous mysteries. I'm a huge fan of humor so you know I snapped up the chance to get to know more about her. I'm delighted to feature her post for Deuce's Gumbo on the blog today.

Elise: Arguably, the best feature of New Orleans is the food! When I wrote my debut murder mystery set in the Big Easy, I wanted to bring the city to life on the page, but as much as I can describe the savory tastes of good gumbo, nothing beats cooking it and eating it yourself. So, I managed to finagle a real Cajun recipe out of that sexy bartender from my book, Deuce Marlboro. I hope this recipe brings you the real New Orleans experience!

Elise will give away a cop of Chase Harlem to a lucky commenter. Be sure to include your full email address in your message so she knows who to award the prize to. 

Deuce’s Gumbo

Ready in 50 minutes

Serves 6 people

Calories: You don’t need to count no calories, Chérie

 

      Ingredients:

 

For the Roux:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup vegetable oil

 

For the Gumbo:

¼ cup chopped Celery

¼ cup diced Onion

1 diced Bell pepper

1 cup chopped Okra

32 oz of Beef stock

1lb cooked Shrimp

12 oz package andouille sausage

2 cans diced tomatoes               

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon of smoked paprika

1 teaspoon of Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning

Dash of pepper and salt

At least two shots of your favorite bourbon

2 sticks of butter

hot cooked rice

 

    Instructions:

 

Make the Roux: In an iron skillet (got to be dis or it won't taste right), combine flour and oil. Cook on medium- high heat, stirring constantly for 30-45 mins. 

 

 

In a large pot, Sauté the Cajun Trinity (onions, celery, and peppers) in 1 tbsp of butter. Once it's cooked down, add the chopped okra.

 

In a separate skillet, heat one tbsp of butter on medium-high heat then brown the sausage. add the roux, sausage, canned tomatoes, cooked shrimp, and beef stock to the large pot with the veggies. 

 

 

Season the pot with the garlic powder, smoked paprika, and Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning. Let simmer for 20 to 30 mins. 

 

While simmering add one shot of bourbon. Drink the other shot because you earned it.

 

 

In the colorful chaos of New Orleans, Chase Harlem has three essentials for happiness: her trusted red Converse, a reliable taser, and a good sense of humor to survive it all. All she wants is a simple life – morning jogs in cemeteries, jazz that soothes the soul, and enough quirky cases to pay the bills without summoning her FBI past.

But when a priest waltzes into her office with a divine mandate to crack a grisly double homicide involving an LSU football star and his actress girlfriend, Chase's plans for peace get thrown out like last week's gumbo, especially when the priest's estranged son lands square in the NOPD's crosshairs.

With her best friend, a "maybe" boyfriend, and a teenage neighbor who's too curious for her own good, Chase dives headfirst into a case that reminds her why she took up drinking in the first place.

From jazz joints to voodoo shops, Chase Harlem's escapades through the Big Easy are a mix of mayhem and mirth as she juggles clues, cocktails, and the occasional alligator. Can she crack the case before it cracks her, or will she end up as the city's next ghost tour attraction?

In this puzzle through the Crescent City, author Elise Burke Brown serves up a gumbo of mystery, mischief, and a side of sass that'll leave readers thinking of the story long after the final page turns.

Elise Burke Brown comes from a family of detectives, including a grandfather who filled her childhood with true crime
stories she learned not to repeat at daycare. She is the award-winning author of the New Orleans-based Chase Harlem series. She runs the popular book blog, https://coupleofbeesread.com/. You can connect with her on Instagram as @EliseBurkeBrown_Author or on X as @couple_of_bees.