• 1 whole chicken or two large chicken breasts
• 1 large onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1-1/4 cups oil
• 1-1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 pound chopped okra
• 1-1/4 tablespoons salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2-1/4 teaspoons red pepper
• 1 to 1-1/2 pounds hot smoked sausage
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• onion tops
• parsley

Rinse chicken. Put in a large roaster about half full of water with some salt and pepper added. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for one hour until chicken is tender. Strain and save the broth to use as your liquid in the gumbo. Debone the chicken.

Cut up onions and celery. Make the roux in a heavy cast iron skillet as follows: heat the oil for three minutes on medium high heat and then add the flour slowly, stirring constantly. Cook on medium high heat until brown, continuing to stir. Turn heat to low and add onions and celery and cook until soft. Transfer this mix to a large roaster pot. Measure broth. Add 3 quarts of liquid (broth and water) to make up the difference and bring to a boil.

Add okra, salt, black and red pepper, sausage (cut up into bite sized pieces), and bouillon. Cook for one hour on simmer, then skim the fat off the top. Add the deboned chicken. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add some parsley and onion tops and cook about 5 more minutes. Serve over rice.