Serves 10 to 12.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 4-pound Smoked Duck or 1 pound Smoked Duck or Chicken Breast , diced into 1 inch pieces
- 2 Pints Shucked Oysters and liquid
- 2 Pounds Andouille Sausage, or similar spicy sausage, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 Quarts Chicken Stock
- 3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
- 3/4 Cup Flour
- 2 Cups Okra, sliced 1/2 inch thick (frozen is okay)
- 2 Large Onions, diced medium
- 4 Stalks Celery, diced medium
- 2 Large Green Peppers, diced medium
- 6 Cloves Garlic, peeled and minced fine (you can add more or less depending on your tastes)
- 2 Ham Hocks or 6 Strips of Bacon (uncooked)
- 1/4 Cup Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Teaspoon Tabasco
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 1 Teaspoon File Powder (optional)
- Salt, to taste
- Black Pepper, to taste
- Cayenne Pepper, to taste
- White Rice, cooked
Preparation:
If using a whole smoked duck, cut the duck into quarters. In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot, heat the vegetable oil until it just begins to smoke. Add the duck pieces to the hot oil and lightly brown on both sides. Remove the duck and set aside.In a medium pot, bring the chicken stock to a simmer.
Heat the vegetable oil in the Dutch oven until it is hot but not smoking. Make a roux by sprinkling the flour over the oil while whisking vigorously. Continue to stir the roux with a wooden spoon until dark brown in color (about 5 - 7 minutes). Be careful not to burn the roux, turn down the heat if necessary.
Add the onions, celery, and green peppers and saute until soft (about 4 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the okra, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, bay leaves, oregano, and thyme. Add the ham hocks or bacon strips. If you are using the quartered duck, add that at this time also.
Turn the heat down and simmer for 2 hours. Stir occasionally and skim off any scum on top of the liquid. If using quartered duck, the meat will begin to fall off the bone.
After 2 hours, remove the ham hocks or bacon. If using quartered duck, remove the bones and skin and break up the meat into bite-size pieces. Add the diced duck or chicken breast (if using), the sausage, and oysters with liquid. Cook for about 5 minutes. If using file powder, add to the pot while stirring vigorously.
Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne to your liking. If the gumbo is too thick, thin with a little water. Serve hot over white rice.
Sources: Where to Buy Smoked Duck
igourmet.com
D'Artagnan
Dean & Deluca
Marky's
Harrington's of Vermont
