ACTIVE: About 1 hour
SERVINGS: 12 bowls

INGREDIENTS
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 bay leaves
2 green bell peppers, chopped
4 carrots, peeled, chopped
7 celery stalks, chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 large Vidalia or yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon gumbo filé powder
1 tablespoon ground thyme
9 cups chicken stock (approximately five 14.5 oz. cans)
¾-1 cup (6-8 oz.) very dark roux (a fudge like color; see notes)
½ bunch green onions, chopped
1 pound Conecuh Cajun smoked sausage, grill smoked, chopped
1 whole chicken, grill smoked, deboned, chopped or shredded
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Sea salt to taste
Jasmine cooked rice for each bowl (see personal preparation below)
Fresh chives, chopped for each bowl (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Place in a large pot the bay leaves and unsalted butter with bell peppers, carrots, celery, garlic cloves and onion. Cook on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Then, add the dark roux and making sure chopped into small pieces and stirring often in order to thoroughly mix, covering all ingredients. Begin cooking your rice in a covered pot about the same time you begin cooking the gumbo.

Add 9 cups of chicken stock with ground thyme, gumbo filé, black pepper and sea salt. Bring to a boil and turn down on low for about 30 minutes.

Add your chopped or shredded smoked chicken and chopped Cajun smoked sausage as well as chopped green onions, stirring and adjust with more black pepper and sea salt if preferred by your personal taste. Continue cooking for about 15 minutes.

Place your cooked rice into each bowl and ladle a nice portion of gumbo. Bon Appétit!

(NOTES: Sifted flour and vegetable oil mixed within a cast iron skillet over mostly medium heat with continual or periodic stirring is your beginning of a very good roux. Gradual darkening without burning the roux is necessary for making a good gumbo. It is somewhat labor intensive but well worth it! Additional time is necessary and should be made before starting your gumbo. TIP: Make more roux than needed and freeze the extra for other future gumbos. The time for cooking and smoking (Herbs de Provence & marinade for 24 hours) chicken and sausage on the grill (charcoal and hickory chips on one side and meat on the other side for about 1 hour or so) are also not included in the above time. RICE PREPARATION: Mix 1 ½ cups Basmati or Jasmine rice, 2 cans (14.5 oz. each) chicken stock, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper and ½ teaspoon ground bay leaves. Cook in a covered pot for about 1 hour on low setting after coming to a boil. Make sure it does not burn on the bottom. Add small amounts of water if needed for proper tenderness.)