Miss Estelle Fournet
Looking at Cooking with Mildred Swift

• 1 hen cut into serving pieces
• 5 tablespoons flour
• 5 tablespoons shortening
• 1 cup each of the following: onion, celery, green bell pepper
• 1 clove garlic
• A few bay leaves
• Salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste
• File to taste
• 4 quarts water

Make a roux by slowly browning the flour in the fat. This is a slow process and must be carefully watched and stirred constantly. When gold brown, add the onions, celery, garlic, and pepper, which have been finely chopped. Cook at low heat until the vegetables separate from the fat. On the side, brown the cut-up chicken to the brown roux mixture and cook together for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, carefully pour out extra fat in which chicken was browned, leaving the brown dripping only at the bottom. To this, add water and bring to boil. Pour over the chicken, adding enough extra boiling water wo as to render the meat tender to give the soup the desired consistency. Add bay leaf. For best results, it will require several hours of slow cooking. When ready to serve, add some file, a small sprinkle at a time, until the desired flavor is obtained.

This gumbo may be made ahead of time, cooled, and then frozen. If to be frozen, do not add file until heated and ready to serve. Serve with hot, fluffy rice. Do not mix the rice with the gumbo, but mound it on the side of the soup plate, and pour gumbo over and around it.

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