Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil (4 ounces)
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (4 ounces)
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 5 celery ribs, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 gallons shrimp, crab or chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Pinch cayenne
  • Dash hot sauce
  • Salt and fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 pound cooked shrimp, peeled
  • 1 chicken breast, cut in 1/2-inch dice, lightly browned
  • 3 links andouille sausage, sliced in 1/4-inch thick rounds, browned and drained on paper towels
  • 1/2 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
  • 6 green onions, chopped
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 8 tablespoons file powder (ground sassafras)

Method

  • Make a dark roux: Heat oil in a large soup pot over high heat.
  • When oil begins to smoke, whisk in flour.
  • Continue to whisk constantly until mixture is a rich brown color.
  • Be careful not to produce specs of black.
  • Roux must remain an even color throughout process.
  • If specks appear you must start over.
  • When roux is mahogany colored, add onions, celery and bell pepper.
  • Stir mixture until onions begin to brown.
  • Add garlic.
  • Slowly pour in stock, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
  • Add Worcestershire, hot sauce, cayenne, salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer until gumbo is reduced to half a gallon.
  • If it reduces too fast, add more stock or water.
  • Gumbo should cook long enough for roux flavor to mellow.
  • Stir in shrimp, chicken, sausage, crab, green onions, parsley, bay leaves, thyme and basil.
  • Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
  • Sprinkle in file powder and cook, stirring, 2 minutes more.
  • Remove bay leaves before serving.