Best Gumbo Filé Recipes

EMERIL'S COUNTRY FILE GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat the roux in a medium-sized heavy stockpot over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onions, celery and bell pepper. Stir mixture until onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour in stock, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Add the browned sausage, bay leaves, Worcestershire, hot sauce, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
• Bring gumbo to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer until gumbo is slightly reduced, about 50 minutes. (Gumbo should cook long enough for the roux flavor to mellow and for any floury taste to dissipate.)
• Season the shrimp with the Essence in a small bowl. Stir in the seasoned shrimp, crabmeat, green onions, parsley, thyme and basil. Cook until shrimp are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Sprinkle in file powder and cook, stirring, 2 minutes more, or pass file at the table for guests to thicken as desired. Remove bay leaves before serving.
• Serve in warmed soup bowls over steamed white rice.
• Place a heavy, iron Dutch oven, (or iron skillet with deep sides) over medium heat and heat the oil until just smoking. Whisk in flour, a little at a time and cook, whisking constantly, until roux becomes smooth and thick. Continue to cook, constantly stirring with a wooden spoon and reaching all over bottom of pan, until roux darkens to desired color. Be careful not to produce specs of black. The roux must remain an even color throughout process. If specs appear you must start over.
• For a Light Brown Roux, cook the mixture, over medium heat for 1 1/2 hours, or until the color of peanut butter. Remove about 1 cup of the light colored roux, cool completely, and set aside for the Delmonico's Seafood Okra Gumbo.
• For a Medium Brown Roux, cook the mixture, over medium heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until the color of a copper penny when ready. Remove about 13/4 cups of the medium colored roux, cool completely, and set aside for Emeril's Country File Gumbo.
• For a Dark Brown Roux, cook the mixture an additional 35 to 45 minutes. The color should resemble dark chocolate when ready. Remove all of the remaining dark roux from the pan and cool completely. Set aside for the Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. (See Cook's Note)
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William and Morrow, 1993.

FILE GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat some vegetable oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat and cook the chicken in batches until it is golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the flour to the chicken juices and stir continuously. Add the butter and cook the roux until it is brown.
• Add the peppers, onion, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, cayenne, bay leaves, thyme, and 1 quart of water. Stir well and bring to a boil. When the vegetables are soft, put the chicken back into the pot and add the remaining water. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage and ham until they are browned. Add them to the pot along with the shrimp and stir well. Let the gumbo simmer for 1 hour, then add the okra. After 20 minutes, turn off the heat. Ladle a couple of cups of the liquid into a mixing bowl. Add the file powder and whisk until well blended. Pour back into the stock pot and mix well. It's ready to serve!

FILé GUMBO

Steps:

• Cook chicken if it's not already cooked. Leftovers work fine for this. Set aside.
• Place sausage in a large stockpot over medium high heat, and cook until lightly browned, and some oil is released. Set aside with chicken.
• Add 2 tbsp oil to pot, and saute onion, bell pepper, and celery until soft. Add garlic in the last few minutes. Set vegetables aside with chicken and sausage, wipe stockpot to remove any vegetable pieces.
• Add 1/4 cup oil to pot, and allow to heat over medium until it starts to "shimmer". Add flour, and cook, stirring constantly until the flour and oil mixture takes on a rich brown color. If I'm using sausage or ham, I like to do a chocolate colored roux, for seafood and poultry, I like a caramel color. Use your own judgment.
• When your roux is as you like it, add the chicken broth (You may sub seafood broth, or turkey stock, depending on your ingredients) stir constantly while adding broth to avoid lumps. You should have something resembling a thin gravy.
• Add meats and vegetables back to pot, add cajun seasoning. (I like Tony Chachere's, but you can use any kind you like. If this ingredient is not available in your area, several good ones have been posted to Zaar.).
• Simmer your gumbo for half an hour, or more if you like, keeping the heat low to avoid breaking the roux. This gives time for the flavors to mingle. If you're using a delicate shellfish, like shrimp, add it later in the simmer to avoid toughening it.
• When ready to serve, add hot sauce and filé, stir well, and ladle over a bowl of rice. Keep the filé, hot sauce, and Cajun seasoning out on the table, so diners may add more of any they like. This is wonderful accompanied by a loaf of crusty French bread and a crisp salad.

GUMBO - SHRIMP, TASSO HAM, ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE, CHICKEN, FILE'

Steps:

• Separately, chop / prepare all ingredients necessary as defined above and set aside.
• Heat a large heavy pot (cast iron / enameled cast iron) on medium high until pre-heated. Add some oil and saute each meat separately and in batches to brown nicely. (A pain, but worth it, I promise). Start with Andouille, then Tasso, and chicken. Some of the meat will stick and that is perfect. It imparts a rich flavor that is important to your gumbo. After browning, set aside.
• ROUX: This is a critical step that requires constant tending. The goal is to cook this flour until it is somewhere between brown and black without burning it.Go for the color of a Hershey's kiss or darker. It is required to make the gumbo you want to make and well worth it. This takes me 45 minutes to an hour to get the right color. Each time I make gumbo I try to get it darker and darker. Don't be afraid to turn the heat up and down even if it take you longer. Better to take longer than to burn it. If you have black flecks, you have burned it and must start over. (You can do it perfectly though!).
• Add 2 cups oil and 2 cups flour to the.
• Pour the 2 cups oil and 2 cups flour into your pot. Stir slowly, consistently until it is brown / black. (It will happen. Just keep going.).
• When the roux has reached the desired color, add the chopped celery, onion and peppers and stir constantly for 8-10 minutes. Be careful not to burn. Cast irons hold heat well, so feel free to lower your temperature and just cook longer).
• Add chicken stock one ladle / cup at a time, stirring in between each addition to keep temperature and to make sure your roux doesn't break).
• Add all meats and drippings (except shrimp) and reduce to simmering uncovered for three hours stirring delicately and occasionally. Add shrimp and cook for 15 minutes more.
• Taste a little to adjust seasonings to your preference and then refrigerate in pot for three - four days.
• Reheat when ready to serve. Serve over rice topped with fresh parsley. Allow each diner to sprinkle their own file' for thickening and flavor.

SEAFOOD FILE GUMBO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Shell and devein the shrimp, reserve the shells. Place the shrimp in a covered bowl and refrigerate. Place the shells on a cookie sheet, and bake until the shells are dried and starting to brown on the edges. Turn off the oven.
• Make the stock: In a 8 quart pot, put 5 quarts of water, 4 carrots, 4 onions, and celery. Add 2 bay leaves, sliced garlic, parsley, cloves, 1 teaspoons black pepper, 1 tablespoon dried basil and 2 teaspoons dried thyme. Add the shrimp shells. Bring the stock slowly to boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook 5 to 7 hours, replacing water as needed, 2 or 3 times, by pouring more water down side of pot.
• Remove stock from heat and strain. Press all liquid from the shells and vegetables, then discard them. Return liquid to heat and reduce stock to 2 to 3 quarts, or to your desired quantity (you will need 7 cups of this stock for this recipe). If clarity is desired, strain the stock through a cloth.
• In a small bowl, combine the ground red, white, and black peppers, paprika, thyme, oregano, bay leaf and salt and set aside.
• In a heavy pot, 5-quart or larger, heat oil over medium heat, warming the pot first. Add onions, celery and green pepper. Turn heat to high. Stirring frequently, add garlic, file, hot pepper sauce, and the pepper-herb mixture. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add tomato sauce and stir as it reduces over high heat. Add 7 cups of the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• When ready to serve, add shrimp, oysters, and crabmeat. Cover and wait 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand for 10 minutes.

NEW ORLEANS SEAFOOD FILé GUMBO RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Make the seafood gumbo stock: In a heavy-bottomed 5-quart pot, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the crabs and cook until the shells turn bright orange, 2-3 minutes. Add the shrimp shells and heads and cook until the shells turn pink, 2-3 minutes more. Smash the crab and shrimp shells, similar to mashing potatoes, to release any juices.
• Add the bell pepper, onion, and celery scraps, green onion, parsley, thyme, garlic, bay leaves, black pepper, and water. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30-35 minutes.
• Strain the stock through a large fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. You should have 12 cups. Set aside until ready to use in the gumbo (if not using immediately, the stock can be cooled, then stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-3 days).
• Make the Creole seasoning: In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and oregano until well combined.
• Make the gumbo: Heat 6 tablespoons canola oil in a heavy-bottomed 6-quart pot over medium-high heat until faint wisps of white smoke come off the oil (if thicker, darker smoke appears, remove the pot from the heat and let cool for 3 minutes). Add the okra and fry for 2 minutes, until army-green in color. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the okra to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, leaving any remaining oil behind in the pot.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the same pot. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until faintly smoking again (do not let it overheat, or the flour will burn). Whisk in the flour to make a roux and cook, whisking constantly, until it turns a dark cocoa brown, 5-6 minutes. (If the roux is browning too quickly, remove the pot from the heat while continuing to stir and reduce the heat to medium-low.)
• Reduce the heat to medium, then add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and 2 tablespoons of the Creole seasoning. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes, until onions have softened. Add the garlic, bay leaves, and remaining Creole seasoning.
• Increase the heat to medium-high heat. While whisking or stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming, add the seafood gumbo stock, 4 cups at a time. Add the okra, smoked sausage, crabs, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, skimming off any foamy flour residue that rises to the surface. The gumbo should thicken and reduce by one quarter.
• Season the gumbo with the salt and pepper to taste, then add the shrimp. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let the residual heat cook the shrimp for 10 minutes.
• Ladle the hot gumbo into bowls. Serve with rice and garnish with parsley, green onions, and filé powder, if using.
• It's important to properly cool and store leftover seafood gumbo, otherwise it will spoil. Fill a clean 2-liter bottle or plastic juice jug with water and freeze until solid. Once finished eating, place the ice bottle in the pot of gumbo and let cool, stirring occasionally to release heat. Transfer the gumbo to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. 11. The gumbo can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
• Enjoy!

COMMANDER'S PALACE DUCK, WILD MUSHROOM AND ANDOUILLE FILé GUMBO

Steps:

• Combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 cup flour. Heat oil in a large, dry Dutch oven over high heat until smoking, about 5 minutes. Dust duck with flour mixture, shake off excess and sear in the oil 5 minutes until brown on all sides. Remove from pan.
• In the same pan over medium heat, slowly add the 1 cup of sifted flour. Stir constantly, to prevent burning, until mixture is a light-brown color, about 6 to 7 minutes. (If the roux has black flecks in it, it is burned and must be remade.)
• Remove from heat, add the onions and stir well. Lower heat to medium, return the pot to heat and add the celery, stirring for 30 seconds, then the bell peppers, and stir, scraping the sides and bottom of the pot. Add garlic, then all remaining seasoning except file powder. Slowly add the veal stock, continuing to stir.
• Add the duck, sausage and mushrooms. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and simmer 2 1/2 hours. Skim off excess fat. Remove duck pieces from the pot and when cool, remove and discard bones and return duck meat to the pot. Return gumbo to boil and vigorously stir in the file powder until dissolved. Add Louisiana-style hot sauce to taste and serve over white rice.

SUNNY'S BIG EASY CHICKEN AND ANDOUILLE FILE GUMBO

Steps:

• Add the oil, chicken and sausage rounds to a stockpot on medium-high heat. Sear the chicken to get color and sausage to get color and render fat, but not to cook fully. As the parts finish searing, use a slotted spoon to remove them and place on a plate, leaving the fat in the pot, about 10 minutes total.
• Add the butter, flour and Cajun seasoning to the pot. Cook on medium heat, constantly stirring, until the roux becomes a rich, dark caramel color, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add the bell peppers, onions, celery, jalapenos and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, to coat, until everything gets tender, 5 to 8 minutes, then add the stock base and 8 cups water and stir to mix the base into the pot. Add the bay leaves and cover the pot to simmer until the gumbo is thickened, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Add the reserved chicken and sausage, then stir in the file powder. Simmer, uncovered, for another 30 minutes.
• Shred the chicken in the pot. Serve over rice with a shake of hot sauce and file powder.

GUMBO FILé

Steps:

• In a kettle blanch the crabs in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain them, and let them cool until they can be handled. Discard the top shells, the aprons, the gills, the sand sacs, and the mouths and reserve the crabs.
• In a heavy skillet, preferably cast-iron, melt the shortening over moderately low heat, add the flour, and cook the roux, stirring constantly, for 30 minutes, or until it is the color of cocoa. Stir in the onion and cook the mixture, stirring, until the onion begins to brown. Add the okra and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the okra is golden. In a kettle bring 8 cups water to a boil, add the roux mixture, the ham, the tomatoes with the juice, the bell pepper, the garlic paste, the bay leaf, the parsley, the thyme, and the celery leaves, and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 50 minutes. Stir in the reserved crabs and simmer the gumbo for 5 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and the lump crabmeat, if used, simmer the gumbo for 5 minutes, or until the shrimp are firm, and season it with the cayenne and salt. Discard the bay leaf and serve the gumbo sprinkled with the filé powder.

BEEF FILé GUMBO

Steps:

• In a heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Pat shanks and short ribs dry and season with salt and pepper. Brown shanks and short ribs in oill in batches, without crowding, transferring to a 9 1/2-to-10 quart heavy kettle. In fat remaining in skillet cook onions and bell peppers over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened.
• To beef in kettle add water, beef broth, and onion mixture and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Simmer mixture, uncovered, until shanks are very tender, about 2 1/2 hours, and stir in garlic and cayenne. With a narrow knife ease any marrow remaining in shank bones into mixture and discard shank and short rib bones. Beef mixture may be prepared up to this point 3 days ahead, cooled completely, uncovered, and chilled, covered.
• Skim fat from beef mixture. Reheat mixture if preciously chilled. Bring beef mixture to a bare simmer and stir in filé powder. Cook gumbo over moderately low heat , stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. (Do not let gumbo boil with filé powder; or will become stringy.)
• Serve gumbo ladled over rice in large soup plates.

CHICKEN & SAUSAGE FILE GUMBO

Steps:

• Put the chicken in a pot and add enough water just to cover. Boil just until done.
• Remove the chicken from the pot, reserving the liquid. When the chicken cools enough to handle, remove the skin, take the meat off the bones and cut into bite sized pieces. Set aside.
• Melt the butter and oil in a large pot over medium high heat, then add the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until it is a medium brown, lowering the heat to avoid burning, if necessary.
• Add the sausage, ham, onions, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
• Add about 2 cups of the reserved chicken broth, the chicken, and all seasonings except the file powder. Stir in the rest of the reserved chicken broth.
• Bring to a boil, then simmer for one hour, uncovered.
• Remove from the heat, stir in the file powder, then let stand for 5 minutes.
• Serve over steamed rice.

FILE CHICKEN GUMBO

Steps:

• To make chicken stock, place all ingredients into 8-quart stockpot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, skimming impurities off the top. Remove chicken pieces. Allow chicken to cool, remove meat from bones, and then return bones to stock. Reserve chicken meat for the gumbo. Continue to simmer stock for additional 2 1/2 hours.
• To make gumbo, begin by heating oil in a large pot (preferably an enameled cast iron or other heavy-bottomed pot) and cooking garlic, onions, peppers, and celery until soft and translucent. Add sausage, tomatoes, tomato paste, and stock. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and add okra and reserved cooked chicken meat. Season with hot pepper sauce, cayenne, salt, pepper, and file. Simmer for 1 hour until flavors meld together. Stir in chopped parsley. Serve over hot rice and garnish with julienned scallions.

CHICKEN, SAUSAGE, OYSTER AND FILE GUMBO

Steps:

• On medium heat warm cooking oil, then add flour. Stir constantly until roux turns medium/dark brown. Add onion and saute until onions are translucent. Add the chicken, livers, green onion and parsley. Mix well. Stirring constantly cook over medium/high heat until a gravy is made from chicken and chicken is slightly browned. Turn heat down to sliimer/low and add enough boiling water to just cover. Cover pot and cook until chicken is almost done. Add the smoked sausage, Andouille sausage and salami. Add the remaining boiling water and chicken stock/broth and cook 2 - 3 hours covered, stirring occasionaly. Add the oysters and reserved liquid and cook for 10 minutes or until edges of oysters curl. Turn off heat. Skim most of the fat from gumbo, if desired. Remove the bones and chicken skin. Add the file and stir. Serve with cooked rice on side for individuals to pepare thier own bowl. Have salt, pepper and hot sauce on tables for each individual to season their own gumbo.

SHRIMP FILE GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat the oil over high heat. Add chicken and brown evenly. Remove and place in warm oven to keep warm. Make the roux by adding the flour to the oil in the pot, stirring constantly until dark brown (milk chocolate) over low heat. When the roux reaches the right color, quickly add the sausage, onion, green pepper, shallots parsley and garlic. Continue cooking over low heat for 10 minutes more, stirring constantly. Add 1/4 cup water, the browned chicken, and all of the seasonings except the file powder and mix gently but thoroughly. Keeping the heat at low, gradually add the rest of the water and bring the gumbo to a boil, stirring gently. When it boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the chicken is quite tender. Remove the chicken and some of the sausage slices with a slotted spoon to a deep bowl and reserve for a different meal. Add the shrimp and cook about 8 minutes. Remove the pot and let the simmer die down. Add the file powder and stir. Let the gumbo stand in the pot for about 5 minutes after adding the file, then serve over boiled rice.

FRIED CHICKEN AND ANDOUILLE-FILE GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy 5-quart pot over medium heat. Add the chicken and brown on all sides. Remove chicken and set aside.
• Make a roux by blending the flour into the oil in the pot and stirring constantly with a long-handled spoon until the mixture is a deep coffee brown. Add the sausage, ham, onion, green pepper and celery. Saute, stirring, for about 10 minutes. Add the browned chicken, scallions, garlic, parsley, thyme, bay leaves and enough water to cover, stirring to incorporate the roux into the liquid.
• Stir in salt and pepper and simmer the soup slowly, partly covered, until the chicken is tender, about 1 hour. If you are using the very spicy rind of tasso ham, you will probably not need cayenne or Tabasco. Otherwise, add either toward the end of cooking.
• Take out the chicken and set aside just until cool enough to handle. Pull off the skin and bones and return the chicken to the soup in large pieces. Adjust seasoning if needed. The soup can be prepared in advance up to this point and stored, covered, in the refrigerator for 2 days. Skim fat from soup.
• Bring the soup to a simmer. Five minutes before serving, remove from heat and stir in the file powder. Cover and let stand for about 5 minutes. Do not boil the soup after the file has been added. Mound rice in soup plates and ladle the gumbo over.

CHICKEN-ANDOUILLE FILE GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat a medium, heavy duty skillet over medium-high heat. Add andouille sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer sausage to a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup water to skillet and scrape bottom to release any browned bits. Set this liquid aside.
• Heat oil in an 8 quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper and saute until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to bowl containing sausage.
• Add the flour to the remaining oil in Dutch oven, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon over medium-high heat until roux turn caramel-colored, about 6-8 minutes. Add onion, stirring constantly until roux becomes the color of milk chocolate, 2-3 minutes. Add celery, bell pepper, and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, 1 qt of water, the reserve sausage liquid, and the andouille, chicken, bay leaves, and thyme.
• Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until chicken is falling off the bone, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer chicken pieces to a plate and allow to cool. Once cooled, remove skin and bones from chicken, pull meat into bite size pieces and return to gumbo. Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed.
• Serve in large bowls over 1/4 cup of hot cooked rice per serving. Add scallions and hot sauce to taste. Pass file at the table for everyone to add to taste.

LOUISIANA CHICKEN FILE GUMBO

Steps:

• Season chicken with salt, thyme, pepper, and cayenne.
• In an iron soup pot, heat oil over medium high heat until hot, then fry chicken until golden brown.
• Pour excess oil out of pot, and reserve for roux.
• Add onions, celery, and garlic to the pot with the chicken, and cook, uncovered, over low heat until onions are wilted.
• Season flour with Creole seasoning.
• In a heavy iron pot, heat the reserved oil over medium heat to make roux.
• When oil is hot, stir flour in gradually.
• 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).
• Pour excess oil off the top to prevent the gumbo from being too rich.
• Slowly stir in water, dissolving roux.
• Add the water to the chicken mixture.
• Allow to boil over medium low heat until meat is tender.
• Serve in soup bowls with rice.
• Just before serving sprinkle parsley and a dash of file on each serving.

SEAFOOD FILE GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large, heavy pan and add the flour.
• Cook, stirring, to make a medium-brown roux (the color of peanut butter).
• Add the onion, scallions, garlic and celery and cook until softened.
• Add the tomatoes with their juice, breaking them down with the side of a spoon, then add the tomato paste, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, allspice, cloves, salt, peppers, cayenne to taste, lemon juice and water.
• Bring to a boil, stirring well.
• Add half the crabmeat and the whole crabs or claws.
• Simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• If you like, you can scoop out allspice, cloves and bay leaf.
• Add the shrimp and the remaining crab and simmer for a further 15 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in enough file powder to thicken.
• Do not boil the gumbo after adding the file powder.
• Serve hot.
• NOTE*****Other seafood, such as purged crawfish, lobster and well scrubbed clams may be added to the gumbo, as available.
• Cooked seafood may be used, too.
• The finished gumbo will not have the richness of flavor given by crab cooked in it, but will still be delicious.
• Just heat cooked seafood through in the finished sauce.

SPICY RED FILE-THICKENED GUMBO WITH CRAWFISH AND ANDOUILLE

Steps:

• In a bowl blend together the crawfish seasoning mixture. Add the crawfish tails, and reserve in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours. Make the gumbo: Place the vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. When it's smoking, add the flour, about 1/3 at a time, whisking well after each addition. Cook over fairly high heat, whisking constantly, until the roux reaches a dark, reddish brown, about 10 minutes. If the roux seems about to burn (you'll start to notice a burning smell), move the pan off the heat for a few minutes continuing to whisk. When the roux is ready, add the garlic, onions, celery, bell peppers, and scallions. Place the pan over low heat, and cook the vegetables in the roux for 5 minutes. Bring the stock to a boil in a large soup pot. When the vegetables have cooked in the roux, add the roux-vegetable mixture to the boiling stock by 1/4 cupfuls, blending well. Crush the tomatoes in your hands, and add them, along with the liquid in the cans, to the soup pot. Add the bay leaves, thyme, oregano, allspice, cayenne, cloves, hot sauce and lemon juice. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for20 minutes, partially covered. Add the andouille and simmer the gumbo for another 20 minutes, partially covered. Add the seasoned crawfish tails, and simmer for 5 minutes. Off the heat, blend in the file powder, blending until the desired thickness is reached. Taste for seasoning. Serve immediately over rice. Garnish with the whole, boiled crawfish.;

BAYOU LAND SEAFOOD GUMBO FILE'

Steps:

• 1. In a heavy bottomed stock pot, stir together the flour and oil forming a rue. Cook the rue over a medium high heat, stirring constantly until the flower darkens to a deep cafe'au'lait color. Add onions and continue to cook until the edges of the onions begin to turn brown. Stir in celery, bell pepper, and garlic, continue to cook until mixture becomes a deep dark golden brown. Stir in 1 quart of the seafood stock and seasonings. Stir in Shrimp, allow it to begin to boil before adding in the remaining 3 quarts of seafood stock. Cook for 30 minutes over medium heat. ( If you are using raw, whole gumbo crabs you should add them in as soon as the mixture comes back to a boil after adding in the shrimp.)
• 2. Add in the oysters with their liquor and the crab meat, the parsley and green onions. Allow Gumbo to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Sprinkle gumbo file' over the top of soup, stir into mixture gently. Serve over hot rice.
• 3. Note: Gumbo is usually served as a main course soup. I like to put 1/2 cup of rice into the bottom of a deep soup bowl, sprinkle the rice lightly with additional gumbo file'. Then ladle on about 1 1/2 cups of the broth, make sure to get some of all the seafood in each bowl. At my house, I always make potato salad to accompany gumbo, it just goes really well with it.