Chicken Gumbo 1

One 4 lb hen, dressed

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped bell peppers

1 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/2 gallons water

Gumbo file'

1 cup cooking oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup green onion tops, chopped

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

Salt black pepper, cayenne to taste

Cut up hen and season generously with salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Fry in oil in heavy pot over medium heat until golden brown. Pour excess oil out of pot and save for your roux. Add chopped onions, celery, and bell peppers to chicken and cook slowly uncovered until soft.

Make roux:
Heat oil in heavy pot over medium heat. When oil is hot, gradually add flour. Lower heat. Stir constantly. After flour is combined with oil, turn fire very low and cook until golden brown, stirring constantly. When roux is golden brown, pour into another container until ready to use. Roux will got too dark when left in the same pot it was prepared in.

Dissolve roux in 1-1/2 gallons warm water. Add garlic. Then add roux and chicken. Boil slowly in uncovered pot until chicken is tender.

Add some more seasoning depending on your taste. Serve in bowls with rice. Just before serving sprinkle chopped green onion tops and parsley and a dash of file' in each plate.

Serves 8-10.

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Cajun Country -- New Iberia, Louisiana