Turkey Bone Gumbo.

Just in time for Thanksgiving!........ Sara Roahen, author of the fantastic book on New Orleans food, "Gumbo Tales," was kind enough to share some recipes with her readers. I'm already planning on making this one the day after Thanksgiving!

From Sara:

Turkey Bone Gumbo

In 2007, I made my second-annual post-Thanksgiving turkey bone gumbo for my Wisconsin family. Only it was a week and a half before Thanksgiving, because that was when I could make it back home for the holidays, and we roasted a turkey just so that we would have a carcass with which to make a gumbo. That’s backwards—normally, in Louisiana, turkey bone gumbo is a receptacle for leftovers. But really, no one is ever fooled. The gumbo is always the bigger thrill. Try this recipe once, and Thanksgiving dinner will forever more be simply a means to an end, the end being gumbo.

Serves 8-10

For the stock:
1 turkey carcass
2 yellow onions, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled
4 springs thyme
2-4 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon black peppercorns
1 gallon water, or enough to cover carcass

For the gumbo:
1 cup vegetable oil
1 ¼ cups flour
1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 pound andouille or smoked sausage, cut into ¼-inch cubes
3-4 bay leaves
6 cups turkey stock
Reserved turkey meat from making stock
2-3 cups chopped leftover turkey meat
freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup chopped green onion tops
½ Tablespoon filé powder
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For the stock, cut or break the carcass into smaller pieces and place it in a large stock pot. Add all the other stock ingredients. Place the pot over high heat and bring water to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about two hours. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.

Drain the stock, reserving all liquid. Once the solids have cooled to a manageable temperature, pick through them and reserve any turkey meat that has fallen off the bones. See that no turkey meat remains on the carcass. Set the meat aside for the gumbo.

To begin the gumbo, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Whisk in flour and continue to stir constantly—either with a whisk or a wooden spoon—until roux turns a deep, dark chocolate brown (or another shade of your liking). This should take around 30 minutes. If you sense that your roux is in danger of burning, reduce the heat immediately and continue to stir.

Once your roux has reached the desired shade, carefully stir in onion, bell pepper, and celery, and continue to stir for about 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to wilt. Be prepared: when cold vegetables hit hot roux, they emit a cloud of steam and a loud hissing. Add salt, cayenne, and sausage, and continue to cook for about 5 minutes.

Add bay leaves and stock to the pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to achieve a simmer, and cook uncovered for an hour, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface. Add all reserved turkey meat and continue to simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours. Add black pepper and taste; adjust seasoning. Thin out with more stock or water if necessary. Just before serving, add parsley, green onions, and lemon juice. In order to properly incorporate filé powder, mix it first with a few tablespoons of stock; stir to a smooth consistency and then add to the gumbo.

Serve gumbo with white rice, and potato salad if desired.