Ken's Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

By jkenb

Ingredients

• 2-cup vegetable oil
• 2-cup flour
• 3 cup chopped onions
• 2 cup chopped celery
• 2 cup chopped bell pepper
• 2 pound smoked sausage, Andouille, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch slices
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 6 bay leaves
• 12 cups water
• 1 - whole chicken
• Tony Chachere’s seasoning
• 4 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• 2-tablespoon file powder

Preparation

Step 1

Combine the oil and flour in a large cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Stirring slowly and constantly for 20 to 25 minutes, make a dark roux, the color of chocolate.
Cook the chicken in 12 cups of water until tender. Let cool and debone and skin the chicken. Save the water for the gumbo.
Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers and continue to stir for 4 to 5 minutes, or until wilted. Add the sausage, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves. Continue to stir for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the water. Stir until the roux mixture and water are well combined. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
Season the deboned chicken with the Tony Chachere’s to taste. Add to the pot and simmer for 2 hours.
Skim off any fat that rises to the surface. Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley, green onions and file powder.
Remove bay leaves and serve over rice.