Recipe: Chicken Okra Gumbo with Sausage

CHICKEN OKRA GUMBO WITH SAUSAGE
Servings: 12

3 4 lb. chickens, cut up
1/2 cup vegetable oil, divided use
2 lb sliced okra
1/2 cup flour
1 gallon water
1 (3 oz.) kosher smoked sausage
1 lb chicken gizzards, cut up
2 medium onion, chopped
3 large tomatoes or 1 (16 oz.) can whole tomatoes
1 whole bulb garlic, peeled and chopped
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1/4 bell pepper, chopped
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp sugar
2 bay leaves
1 pinch thyme
1 tbsp gumbo file'
salt and pepper to taste
TO SERVE:
hot cooked rice

Brown chicken pieces in some of the oil; remove from pot.

Brown okra and remove from pot.

Add remainder of oil and flour stirring constantly until roux is a rich brown.

Add okra and water to roux blending well. Add chicken sausage, gizzards, and remaining ingredients except file'. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Stir in file' during the last 1/2 hour of cooking.

TO SERVE:
Serve with hot cooked rice in soup bowls.