Ron's Gumbo

Chicken and Duck Gumbo
(You can use any meat, poultry, of fish)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
4 duck breasts
2 chicken breasts and 4 chicken wings
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves of fresh garlic
2 cups Dark Brown Roux, see How to Roux, recipe follows
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell peppers
2 teaspoons Sea Salt
1/4 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper
2 bay leaves
10 cups of chicken stock
2 cans 15 oz. Swanson Chicken Broth
2 cans 15 oz. Hunts Diced Tomatoes
3 pounds boneless chicken meat, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 teaspoons Sea Salt (coarse ground)
2 teaspoons Emeril's Bayou Blast, recipe follows**
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup chopped green onion tops
1/2 cup chopped fresh okra
You can put 1-2 cups okra if you like
2-3 tablespoons of Tabasco Brand hot sauce (Amount determined by taste)
4 tablespoons of Pickapeppa Sauce (We purchased this brand from grocery)
Steamed Brown Rice, for serving
2 teaspoons of Zatarain's Gumbo FILE

**Creole Seasoning Recipe
Use only 2 teaspoons of this mixture and save the rest in an airtight container.
1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Yield 2/3 cup. Use only 2 teaspoons of this mixture. Save
in a airtight container.

*How to Make Roux:
3/4 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

(1.) Make chicken broth using 2 chicken breasts and 4 chicken wings with 11 cups of water and 1 can of Swanson's chicken broth. Add one stalk of celery and 1/2 onion, garlic and salt and pepper. Season to taste. Once broth is made strain it and de-bone the chicken. Set aside.

(2.) While broth is cooking, make your Roux. In a large black cast iron skillet, pour 1 1/2 c. vegetable oil and slowly add 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour to the warmed oil. Stir constantly until it becomes copper color. This takes about an hour.

(3.) Transfer roux to a casserole dish, use black skillet to saute duck breasts that have been cut into 1-inch cubes in Olive Oil with 1/2 onion and 2 cloves of garlic, salt and pepper to taste. (You may use vegetable oil, we preferred Olive Oil.)

(4.) Place the roux in a 10 quart Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. When the roux is hot, add the onions, celery, and bell peppers and cook, stirring constantly for 4 to 5 minutes, or until vegetables. are wilted. Add the browned duck, cayenne, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Continue to cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the stock in a slow stream, whisking until incorporated. Add 2 cans of 15 oz. diced tomatoes along with 1 can of chicken broth. At this time add 2 teaspoons of Zatarain's Gumbo File as well as the 2 teaspoons of Pickapeppa Sauce and Tabasco Hot Sauce.
(5.) Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally for 45 minutes to an hour. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface. Season the chicken that was set aside with Creole seasoning and add to the pot. Return the gumbo to a simmer and cook an additional 45 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley and green onions. Remove bay leaves.

Serve in warmed bowls with steamed white (we used brown) rice. Pass the hot sauce at the table, if desired.
Yield 6-7 Qts.