Mean Chef Chicken, Andouille, Ham and Okra Gumbo

The perfect Gumbo. I adopted this recipe in September, 2006. It is the best gumbo recipe I have ever tried.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1  cup  vegetable oil
• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1⁄2 cups  chopped yellow onions
• 1 1⁄2 cups  chopped celery
• 1 1⁄2 cups  chopped green bell peppers
• 1  lb okra, either fresh or frozen and cut into pieces
• 1 1⁄2 lbs  hot smoked sausage, such as andouille or kielbasa, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch slices
• 3⁄4 lb smoked ham, cut into small cubes or 3⁄4 lb ham, nugget cut into small cubes
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne
• 3⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 3  bay leaves
• 3  quarts  chicken stock or 3  quarts chicken broth
• 3  cups  cooked chicken meat
• 1  tablespoon  Pickapeppa Sauce
• 1  cup  chopped parsley
• 2  bunches  chopped green onions
•  hot sauce, to taste (optional)
• 4  cups cooked long-grain rice, accompaniment

Directions

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat and stir in the flour, sprinkling a little at a time and whisking inches Whisk slowly and constantly for 20 to 25 minutes to make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate.
2. If you get black specks in your roux it is burned and you will have to start over.
3. Add the onions, celery, okra and bell peppers and continue to stir for 4 to 5 minutes, or until wilted.
4. The mixture will be pasty and fairly dry.
5. Add the sausage, ham, salt, cayenne, pepper, and bay leaves and stir well.
6. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Add the stock or broth and stir well to combine with the roux mixture.
8. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.
9. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
10. Add the chicken and cook just until the chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes.
11. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley, Pickapeppa Sauce and green onions.
12. Ladle into deep soup bowls over rice.
13. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.