Dairy Free Meaty Gumbo

I found this on recipezaar.com here. This is a fantastic gumbo! I think the original serving sizes shown are wrong, though, because I halved the recipe and it still served 6 - 8 easily. This is the halved recipe shown below. I don't have a pot big enough to hold the full recipe! :)

Also the original recipe calls for a hot smoked sausage or kielbasa, but I know that Carolina Pride Beef Smoked Sausage is dairy free so I used it instead.

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil
5/8 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups chopped yellow onions
3/4 cups chopped celery
3/4 cups chopped green bell peppers
1/2 lb okra, either fresh or frozen and cut into pieces
3/4 lb Carolina Pride Beef Smoked Sausage (it's Dairy Free)
3/8 lb smoked ham, cut into small cubes or ham, nugget cut into small cubes
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
3/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 bay leaves
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock or chicken broth
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken meat
1/2 tablespoon Pickapeppa Sauce (found it at Walmart near the other sauces)
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 bunch chopped green onions
hot sauce, to taste (optional)

2 cups cooked long-grain rice, accompaniment


Directions

You'll want to have everything chopped, diced, measured and ready to go. This recipe takes a little bit of time and some concentration, so have everything ready and nearby before you start cooking.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat and stir in the flour, sprinkling a little at a time and whisking inches. Whisk slowly and constantly for 10 to 15 minutes to make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate. You'll be able to smell it when it's just before burning, so you have to pay close attention.

If you get black specks in your roux it is burned and you will have to start over.

Add the onions, celery, okra and bell peppers and continue to stir for 4 to 5 minutes, or until wilted. The mixture will be pasty and fairly dry.

Add the sausage, ham, salt, cayenne, pepper, and bay leaves and stir well. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the stock or broth and stir well to combine with the roux mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.

Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

Add the chicken and cook just until the chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley, Pickapeppa Sauce and green onions.

Ladle into deep soup bowls over rice.

Serve with hot sauce, if desired.

Enjoy!