Justus' Song Singin' File Gumbo with Chicken, Sausage, Crab and Shrimp The seafood is optional and this can be made as a regular chicken and sausage file gumbo. Ingredients 2/3 C corn or sunflower oil 1 frying chicken, remove skin and cut up 1 1/2 lb smoked sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick 1 lb shrimp, peeled 8-12 oz. crab meat (optional) 1/2 C flour 3 large bell peppers, chopped 5 medium onions, chopped 1 1/2 C chopped celery 2 TBS finely chopped parsley (or celery leaves) 6 TBS minced garlic 10 Cups water 6 Cups chicken broth 2 tsp black pepper 2 tsp cayenne (red) pepper 2 tsp thyme 3 bay leaves, broken in half 2 tsp salt file powder* Directions Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high flame. Brown chicken until golden and set aside. Add sausage and saute for a few minutes to seal in flavor, about 5-10 minutes, and set aside. Pour the hot oil and chicken fat into a Pyrex measuring cup. Pour off all but 1 cup and return this amount to the skillet. Add the flour to the oil and make a roux** that is slightly darker than peanut butter. Beginners should work over a low flame, heating the oil until it starts to sizzle. Then sprinkle in the flour gradually, using a wire whisk to blend it in and break up lumps. When its all whisked in, switch to a wooden spoon and stir constantly. If you leave the stove for even 60 seconds your roux may be doomed. Slowly it will change color from tan to yellow, to light brown, to peanut butter color and finely a dark, grainy brown. Be careful not to burn it. If you do, throw it away, drink a beer, and start over. This may take 20 minutes of more on a low flame. Stir in bell pepper, celery, onions and parsley gradually so as not to burn the roux. Saute for 5 minutes over medium-high flame, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. Add garlic and saute another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Transfer the contents of the skillet to a large stew pot and add the water, spices (except file), sausage, chicken broth, and chicken. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and cook at medium simmer for 50 minutes. Skim the fat several times (very important). After the 50 minutes is up pull the chicken and de-bone it with a fork then throw the meat back in the pot. The peeled shrimp is added in the last 10 minutes of cooking so it won't get tough. If you are using crab meat add it at this point. Remember, crab is very tender and overcooking will disintegrate it into the broth. The gumbo can be prepared in advance up to this point and refrigerated. When ready to serve, break off hardened fat, then reheat and proceed with recipe. Gumbo freezes well at this stage too. About half an hour before serving, prepare boiled rice. Serve over boiled rice in deep soup bowls. Sprinkle about 1 tsp file powder in each bowl over the rice before the gumbo. If you can find it use Zatarain's gumbo file. Makes 8-10 large servings. Adjusting the seasoning.  Everyone has their preferences.  This recipe is on the mild side as far as spiciness.  You might like more.  For heat I prefer the traditional method of sprinkling a little tobasco on top before chowing down.  Also I like my gumbo to have a lot of savory chicken flavor so I taste it prior to adding the seafood and will usually end up adding three to five chicken bullion cubes.  It really depends on the quality of the chicken broth.  Swanson makes a fantastic chicken broth. * Pronounced "Fee-Lay".  File is ground sassafras and is a spice and thickening agent.  As a spice it gives gumbo its distinctive savory flavor.  Since it is a thickening agent it must be added just prior to serving in order to develop its full thickening power.  If you are in a barbaric location where you can not get file, then thicken the gumbo with okra.  Add about 2 1/2 cups of chopped Okra about 20 minutes before the gumbo is finished.   ** Roux is the French word for "red".  In cajun cuisine it means flour cooked in oil and meat drippings that is used as the base for gumbo and etouffe. cajun dishes.