Upperline’s Duck and Andouille Gumbo
Chefs dating back to Upperline restaurant’s opening in New Orleans, in 1982, have contributed to the development of its famous duck-andouille gumbo. Miguel Gabriel, a longtime Upperline “soup chef,” has been responsible for the dark-roux brew since 2010. The recipe also works if you substitute chicken stock for duck stock — and buy the roast duck from your local Chinese restaurant.
- Total:
- Serves: 6 persons
Ingredients
- 1cup canola or peanut oil
- 1cup all-purpose flour
- 1white onion, diced
- 5celery stalks, diced
- 1red bell pepper, diced
- 1green bell pepper, diced
- 2links andouille sausage or other smoked sausage (about 1/2 pound), cut into 1/2-inch half-moons
- 3quarts duck or chicken stock
- 2tablespoons dried thyme
- 2tablespoons dried oregano
- 3dried bay leaves
- 2garlic cloves, minced
- 6cups pulled roasted duck meat, skin discarded and meat roughly chopped (from 1 to 2 roast ducks; buy these from a Chinese restaurant if you like)
- Salt, to taste
- Hot sauce (such as Crystal brand), to taste
- Cooked rice or potato salad, for serving
Instructions
Step 1
Prepare the roux: In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high. (A large stockpot works, but a Dutch oven is ideally shaped for whisking a roux.) Slowly shake the flour over the oil with one hand while whisking with the other hand. Continue to whisk until the roux darkens to a glossy, dark red-brown, 15 to 20 minutes.Step 2
Reduce the heat to medium and stir the onion, celery and bell peppers into the roux to prevent it from burning, about 3 minutes. Stir in the sausage and cook until coated, a few more minutes.Step 3
Gradually add the stock, stirring constantly as you add the liquid. Add the thyme, oregano, bay leaves and garlic and simmer over medium-low, stirring and skimming every 20 minutes, until the flavors have melded, about 2 hours. For a thinner gumbo, add water, as desired (up to 2 cups).Step 4
Stir in the duck meat just before serving and cook until warmed, 3 to 5 minutes. (An extended cook time would turn the meat mushy.) Add the salt and hot sauce to taste. Serve over rice or potato salad.