Seafood gumbo is amazing but it's pretty pricey.  This is really good, much cheaper than seafood gumbo, and it feeds an army.  Seriously, the full recipe makes enough to feed 6 to 8 hungry people.  The smaller pot feeds 3 or 4 hungry people.

Spices

Big Pot	Small Pot
2 tsp	1 tsp	creole seasoning
4	2	bay leaves
1 tsp	½ tsp	ground thyme
6	3	cloves garlic, minced
		salt & pepper
		file powder

Other Stuff

Big Pot	Small Pot
3	1½	medium onions, chopped
4	2	ribs celery, chopped
¾ cup	3 oz	canola oil
1 cup	½ cup	all purpose flour
3 lbs	1½ lbs	boneless and skinless chicken thighs
2 lbs	1 lb	andouille or polish sausage
3 quarts	1½ quarts	chicken stock
½ cup	¼ cup	finely sliced green onions, just the green part
		cooked rice

Mix the onions and celery together and set aside. Mix the spices together and set aside.

Trim the fat from the chicken, cut it into ¾" pieces, and season it with salt and pepper.

Slice the sausage into disks approximately 1/8" thick.

Put a tablespoon or so of canola oil in a large pot (cast iron if you've got it) and turn the heat up to high.  Brown the chicken for about 5 minutes then add the sausage and cook for 5 more minutes.  Remove the meat and place it on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any grease and set it aside while you make the roux.

Wipe the pot out well and put it over high heat again.  Make a dark brown roux with the flour and oil then remove it from the heat. While the roux is still very hot, stir in the celery and onions.  Keep stirring for the next few minutes while the hot roux cooks the vegetables and the vegetables cool the roux.

Add the chicken stock to the pot. Stir the stock and roux mixture until all of the roux is completely stirred in and there are no clumps of it in the pot. Add the meat and spices. Bring this to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for and hour. (It is very important that the roux is well stirred in and that you simmer it for at least 45 minutes or the gumbo will taste floury) While the gumbo is cooking, skim any grease that floats to the top with a large flat spoon.

Serve the gumbo over rice and sprinkle the green onions on top. If you like file powder, sprinkle it on after you pour the gumbo over the rice but before you add the green onions.

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