New Orleans Gumbo
Chef Donald Link of Herbsaint – New Orleans, LA
Adapted by StarChefs

Yield: 6-8 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 Tablespoon paprika
• 1 Tablespoon white pepper
• 1 Tablespoon black pepper
• 1 (4 pound) chicken, boned and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 3 Tablespoons salt, divided
• 3 cups duck fat or vegetable oil
• 4 cups flour, plus flour for dusting
• 2 cups diced onion
• 2 cups diced celery
• 2 cups diced bell peppers
• 2 Tablespoons chopped garlic
• 2 Tablespoons filé powder
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 gallon chicken stock
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 pound fresh okra
• 2 pounds Andouille sausage, cut in half circles

Combine cayenne, paprika, white pepper and black pepper to make spice mix.

Season chicken with one Tablespoon salt and one Tablespoon of spice mix and lightly dust with flour. Heat one cup of fat or oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and cook until medium brown. Reserve. Strain oil from pan and return to pan adding remaining 2 cups of fat. Heat oil over low heat. Add flour and slowly stir with whisk until deep copper brown roux forms. Allow forty-five minutes to an hour.

Add onion, celery, bell peppers, garlic, remaining salt, remaining spice mix, filé powder and bay leaves. Cook mixture five more minutes, then add chicken stock. Bring gumbo to a simmer and skim for approximately 1 ½ hours. Taste. When raw flour taste starts to fade, add reserved chicken and Andouille sausage. Cook one hour, skimming.

Cook okra in second measure of vegetable oil, drain and add to gumbo. Adjust seasonings.

To Serve:
For each eight ounce bowl of gumbo try a light serving of rice, about 1-2 Tablespoons.

Note:
If after an hour and a half of simmering, gumbo still tastes like strong roux, you will need to add more stock and continue cooking.