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Duck - And - Sausage Gumbo
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| What You Need: |
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1 pound chaurice or other hot sausage, skinned and sliced into ˝-inch-thick rounds
Vegetable oil, if needed
2 five-pound ducks, each cut into 8 pieces
4 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
˝ cup flour
6 tablespoons brown roux
1 cup finely chopped onions
˝ cup finely chopped scallions
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped green peppers
3 quarts warm water
˝ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1˝ teaspoons ground hot red pepper (cayenne)
˝ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, preferably the flat-leaf Italian variety
File powder (see Glossary)
6 to 8 cups freshly cooked long grain white rice
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| How To Cook: |
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1. In a heavy ungreased 12-inch skillet, fry the sausage over low heat, turning the slices frequently with a slotted spatula until the bottom of the pan is filmed with fat. Increase the heat to moderate and, turning the slices occasionally, continue to fry until the sausage is richly browned. Transfer the sausage slices to paper towels to drain. There should be about ˝ cup of fat in the skillet; if not, add vegetable oil to make up that amount.
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2. Pat the pieces of duck completely dry with paper towels and remove any large pieces of fat. Season the birds with 2 teaspoons of the salt and a few grindings of black pepper. Roll the ducks in the flour to coat the pieces on all sides and vigorously shake off the excess flour.
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3. Brown the ducks, five or six pieces at a time, in the hot fat remaining in the skillet. Turn the pieces frequently with tongs and regulate the heat so that they color deeply and evenly without burning. As they brown, transfer the pieces of duck to paper towels to drain.
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4. Warm the roux over low heat in a heavy 12-quart enameled or cast-iron pot. When the roux is smooth and fluid, stir in the onions, scallions and celery. Stirring frequently, cook over moderate heat for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Mix the green peppers. Then stirring constantly, pour in the warm water in a slow, thin stream and bring to a boil over high heat.
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5. Add the sausage slices, the pieces of duck, the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt, the Tabasco and the red pepper. When the mixture returns to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot partially, Simmer the gumbo for 2 hours.
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6. Remove the pot from the heat and, with a large spoon, skim as much fat from the surface as possible. Stir in the parsley and 2 teaspoons of file powder, and taste for seasoning. The gumbo should be hotly spiced and may require more Tabasco and/or red pepper.
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7. Ladle the gumbo into a heated tureen and serve at once, accompanied by the rice in a separate bowl. Traditionally, a cupful of the rice is mounded in a heated soup plate and the gumbo spooned around it. Present additional file powder for those who like gumbo with a stronger flavor.
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