Louisiana Chicken File Gumbo

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 5 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 (4 lb) hen or 1 (4 lb) fryer, dressed and cut into serving pieces
• 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 3/4 cup peanut oil or 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 onions, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups celery, chopped (4 1/2 stalks)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons creole seasoning
• 1 1/2 gallons water (warm)
• 4 -5 cups cooked rice
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped (or mix of parsley and chopped shallots)
• 2 tablespoons gumbo file

Recipe

• 1 season chicken with salt, thyme, pepper, and cayenne.
• 2 in an iron soup pot, heat oil over medium high heat until hot, then fry chicken until golden brown.
• 3 pour excess oil out of pot, and reserve for roux.
• 4 add onions, celery, and garlic to the pot with the chicken, and cook, uncovered, over low heat until onions are wilted.
• 5 season flour with creole seasoning.
• 6 in a heavy iron pot, heat the reserved oil over medium heat to make roux.
• 7 when oil is hot, stir flour in gradually.
• 8 lower heat to very low, and cook to desired darkness - golden brown to chocolate brown, stirring constantly (it is very important that you continue stirring constantly).
• 9 pour excess oil off the top to prevent the gumbo from being too rich.
• 10 slowly stir in water, dissolving roux.
• 11 add the water to the chicken mixture.
• 12 allow to boil over medium low heat until meat is tender.
• 13 serve in soup bowls with rice.
• 14 just before serving sprinkle parsley and a dash of file on each serving.