Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders - Emeril Lagasse [62]
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, green and white parts reserved separately
Steamed long-grain white rice, for serving
Note: Any wild ducks that are available in your area may be used to make this gumbo, although some folks think that diving ducks have a “fishy” flavor. Hunters here in Louisiana prefer the flavor of teal, Mallard, and gray ducks (Gadwall), but by all means use ducks that you like and can procure. Also, it is not necessary for the duck to have its skin (since any hunter knows that it is easier to clean a duck by skinning than by painstakingly plucking the birds), but the skin does provide an awesome duck flavor to the stock.
1. In an 8-quart or larger stockpot, combine the stock and water. Add the quartered onion, celery stalks, smashed garlic, parsley sprigs, dried pepper, 3 of the thyme sprigs, and 2 of the bay leaves.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pat the ducks and rabbit pieces dry with paper towels. Season the ducks with 2 teaspoons of the kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of the black pepper (seasoning inside the cavity as well). Season the rabbit pieces with 2 teaspoons of the remaining kosher salt and the remaining ½ teaspoon black pepper. When the oil is hot, add the ducks and cook until golden brown on all sides, turning as necessary, about 20 minutes total. Transfer the ducks to the stockpot. Add the rabbit pieces to the pan and cook, in batches if necessary, until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the rabbit to the stockpot. (Discard any remaining oil in the skillet, wipe the pan clean, and set aside until you are ready to make the roux.) Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the rabbit is tender, 1 to 1½ hours. Remove the rabbit pieces from the stock and, when cool enough to handle, remove and shred the meat. Reserve the rabbit meat in the refrigerator until ready to use.
3. Return the rabbit bones to the stockpot and continue to cook until the ducks are tender, about 1 hour longer. When the ducks are tender and the meat easily pulls away from the bones, remove the ducks and, when cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Reserve the duck meat in the refrigerator until ready to use. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids. Return the stock to the stockpot.
4. While the stock is simmering, heat 1 cup of the remaining vegetable oil in the large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, add 1½ cups of the flour and whisk to blend. Cook, stirring constantly and reaching every corner of the pot so as not to allow the roux to burn, until it has reached a dark copper penny color, 45 to 50 minutes. (If the roux begins browning too quickly, reduce the heat to medium-low.) During the last 10 minutes of cooking the roux, add the remaining ½ cup flour and continue stirring. As soon as the roux reaches the desired color, immediately add the diced onion, celery, and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables have softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Set the roux-vegetable mixture aside to cool until the stock is strained.
5. When the hot stock has been strained and returned to the stockpot, bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat. Carefully whisk in the cooled roux-vegetable mixture. Add the cayenne, hot sauce, Worcestershire, and the remaining 2 thyme sprigs and 2 bay leaves. Return the stock to a simmer over medium-high heat, reduce the heat so that the sauce just simmers, and cook the gumbo, stirring occasionally, until any floury taste is gone, about 1 hour.
6. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. In batches, cook the sausage until browned on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate and reserve until ready to use.
7. After the gumbo has cooked for about an hour, add the browned sausage and the green onion