UPPERLINE'S DUCK AND ANDOUILLE GUMBO

Upperline's Duck and Andouille Gumbo image

Chefs dating back to Upperline restaurant's opening in New Orleans, in 1982, have contributed to the development of its famous duck-andouille gumbo. Miguel Gabriel, a longtime Upperline "soup chef," has been responsible for the dark-roux brew since 2010. The recipe also works if you substitute chicken stock for duck stock - and buy the roast duck from your local Chinese restaurant.

Provided by Brett Anderson

Categories dinner, soups and stews, main course

Time 2h30m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

1 cup canola or peanut oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 white onion, diced
5 celery stalks, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 links andouille sausage or other smoked sausage (about 1/2 pound), cut into 1/2-inch half-moons
3 quarts duck or chicken stock
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried oregano
3 dried bay leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups pulled roasted duck meat, skin discarded and meat roughly chopped (from 1 to 2 roast ducks; buy these from a Chinese restaurant if you like)
Salt, to taste
Hot sauce (such as Crystal brand), to taste
Cooked rice or potato salad, for serving

Steps:

Prepare the roux: In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high. (A large stockpot works, but a Dutch oven is ideally shaped for whisking a roux.) Slowly shake the flour over the oil with one hand while whisking with the other hand. Continue to whisk until the roux darkens to a glossy, dark red-brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium and stir the onion, celery and bell peppers into the roux to prevent it from burning, about 3 minutes. Stir in the sausage and cook until coated, a few more minutes.
Gradually add the stock, stirring constantly as you add the liquid. Add the thyme, oregano, bay leaves and garlic and simmer over medium-low, stirring and skimming every 20 minutes, until the flavors have melded, about 2 hours. For a thinner gumbo, add water, as desired (up to 2 cups).
Stir in the duck meat just before serving and cook until warmed, 3 to 5 minutes. (An extended cook time would turn the meat mushy.) Add the salt and hot sauce to taste. Serve over rice or potato salad.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 820, UnsaturatedFat 34 grams, Carbohydrate 32 grams, Fat 51 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 57 grams, SaturatedFat 13 grams, Sodium 1661 milligrams, Sugar 8 grams, TransFat 0 grams