File' Gumbo

Gumbo:
It's not just "a stew originating from Louisiana." It's a staple of the Louisiana kitchen, it's a way of distinguishing the Creole and New Orleans culture. It's a social event. It's a way of life. It's what LSU decided to call it's yearbook for crying out loud!
Now, the scariest part about preparing Gumbo happens at the very beginning. The roux! You have to cook the roux to a chocolatey brown color to achieve that rich gumbo flavor, but you can't burn it. Well, of course, that color and flavor that you are looking for happens only a split moment before the roux burns. Karen says that it's like playing "chicken." How far do you take it.... how far will you push your roux to get the richest flavor? Marcelle Beinvennu, the author of the cookbook "Who's Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make A Roux?" says that her father said that you cook a roux for Gumbo as long as it takes you to drink two beers. Well she says that since she doesn't really drink beer but loves music, she cooks it as long as it takes her to listen to two full length albums.
If you can make it past the roux, you are home free. It's time consuming, but the rest of it is relatively easy. You throw in all of your ingredients, let them cook for a few hours, and voila! Enjoy!

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo
1 roasting hen (3 to 4 pounds), cut into frying pieces
Salt and Cayenne pepper, to taste
1 cup of vegetable oil
1 cup of all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups of chopped onions
1 cup of chopped green bell peppers
1 cup of chopped celery
10 cups of chicken broth (preferably home made)
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves
1 pound of andoullie, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices

Season the hen generously with salt and cayenne.
Combine the oil and flour in a large, heavy Dutch oven over medium heat to make a dark roux.
Add the onions, bell peppers, and celery (the trinity as they call it in New Orleans), and cook, stirring, until they are soft, 10 to 12 minutes.
Add the chicken broth (warmed). Stir to blend, and bring to a gentle boil.
Add the chicken, bay leaves, and thyme, and cook at a gentle boil for one hour.
Add the andouille and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is very tender, an hour to an hour and a half longer.
Adjust season to taste.


The Roux when it's still friendly

This is the roux after I've put the vegetables in (the "holy trinity" as they call it in Louisiana... celery, onion, and bell pepper)

And finally... the finished product complete with wine