FILE CHICKEN GUMBO

File Chicken Gumbo image

Provided by Food Network

Time 3h50m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 22

1 (3 1/2-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
3 carrots, roughly chopped
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
Bouquet garni
5 quarts water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 onions, chopped finely
2 green peppers, chopped finely
3 ribs celery, chopped finely
1 pound andouille or other spicy pork sausage, thinly sliced
2 cups peeled, chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon double concentrate tomato paste
2 1/2 quarts chicken stock
1 pound fresh or 20 ounces frozen okra, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
Hot pepper sauce and cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon gumbo file powder
Chopped parsley, for garnish
3 pieces scallion, julienned into 2-inch pieces, for garnish

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.