Gumbos, like duck hunting, have a long historical lineage in Louisiana and in my childhood. The first chill of fall typically signals the approach of college football, duck season, and savory gumbos. A duck gumbo was the first gumbo I ever learned to cook and, if pressed, it would likely be my answer when considering a final meal.
Those facts bookend what is really the heart of the matter: ducks, Louisiana, and gumbo find perfect harmony not only in the season but also in the old black iron pot simmering with memories in the kitchen. The heart of the recipe is built from simple yet excellent ingredients coming together over time and surrounded by the laughs and stories of those who share in the waterfowling tradition.
Duck Gumbo
Yields: 12 to 15 servings
INGREDIENTS
- Picked meat from 6 big ducks; 8 medium/small ducks; or 4 geese, such as specklebellies
- 2 pounds smoked sausage, cut into chunks (buy good-quality sausage, as this will be the main seasoning for your gumbo)
- 1 cup oil
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 cups diced onions
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 cup diced green bell pepper
- 1 cup diced celery
- 3 quarts fowl stock (see sidebar)
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs thyme tied together with butcher’s twine
- Salt and pepper
- Tabasco sauce
- 1 cup chopped green onions
- Cooked white rice
PREPARATION
1. In a cast-iron pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, whisk in flour, and stir constantly until you achieve a dark roux that is the color of milk chocolate.
2. Add sausage to the roux and cook for 10 minutes on low heat.
3. Stir in onions and garlic and cook for 10 minutes on low heat.
4. Stir in bell peppers and celery. Increase heat to medium and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
5. Add hot fowl stock slowly to the mixture, stirring the entire time.
6. Add bay leaves and thyme.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Bring mixture to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for at least 1 hour.
7. Add picked duck or goose meat to the gumbo and simmer for an additional 30 minutes.
8. Add additional salt and pepper, if needed, and Tabasco sauce to taste.
9. Finish with green onions and serve with a dollop of white rice.
Fowl Stock
Making a stock with your harvested ducks or geese adds a unique and hearty flavor to a gumbo, and the process is pretty straightforward. Place the whole plucked birds in a large pot, cover them with water, and add in chopped onions, celery, carrots, and garlic, as well as whole bay leaves and thyme. Simmer over low heat until you can easily pull the meat from the breastbones and leg quarters. Remove the ducks or geese, along with the vegetables and herbs. Pick the meat from the carcasses, and reserve the meat and the stock for use in your gumbo.
About the Author
Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois grew up in Louisiana and graduated from the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux. Driven by his career as a chef and a genuine curiosity about all things food, he has lived in exciting culinary destinations all over the world, including France; Napa Valley, California; and New York City.
