Although I was not born in New Orleans—we moved here when I was six—I most definitely consider it my hometown. Even post-hurricanes, I am eternally grateful to my dad for deciding to make this simmering, sumptuous, gumbo-of-a-city our permanent home when he retired from the navy. What a happy circumstance for a food lover like me! Speaking of gumbo, I could eat it every day of the week. And you can’t claim to be a cook in Louisiana without having your own version of its most famous dish. While I have to say that Donald Link, the chef at Herbsaint, makes the best gumbo I have ever eaten, I’ve learned to make a pretty mean version myself. Here is one of the most basic. Feel free to substitute an equal amount of roasted chicken for the duck.
To enrich your chicken broth or intensify a store-bought one, pour it into a pot, add the picked duck or chicken bones, and simmer for 15 minutes. You may need to add a little water to make sure you end up with 6 cups.
The right cookware is essential for gumbo—don’t even think about using a thin, flimsy pot.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the duck in a roasting pan and season with salt and pepper. Roast the legs for about 1 hour (the whole duck for about 2 hours), until tender. If desired, save the rendered fat to make the roux. Let the duck cool and pick the meat off the bones.
Step 2
Heat the 1/2 cup oil (or duck fat) in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or cast-iron pot over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add the flour and whisk constantly until the roux turns a deep brown resembling the color of peanut butter (or even a little darker, for a richer flavor), 10-12 minutes. Add the onions, peppers, and celery, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Stir in the sausage and cook 3 more minutes. Then add the garlic and whisk in the stock, 1 cup at a time. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 3
Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, sear the okra and add to the pot, along with 1/2 cup scallions. Add the thyme, optional filé powder, Worcestershire sauce, Bouquet Garni, hot sauce to taste, the reserved duck meat, and a little salt. Simmer over low heat, stirring from time to time, for at least 1 hour. Skim off any fat from the top. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce and serve hot, with or without rice. Garnish with the reserved scallions.
