Duck and Oyster Gumbo

Ingredients

• 6 duck legs, about 3 pounds
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 cup duck fat or vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large onions, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 3 celery ribs, diced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 10 cups duck or chicken stock
• 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 pint shucked oysters with their liquor
• 1 bunch scallions, sliced
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 6 cups cooked white rice

Before you cook

• Season the duck legs on both sides with the salt and black pepper and let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
• Dice the onions, bell pepper and celery.
• Drain the oysters into a sieve set over a bowl and keep the liquor.

Steps

1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and lay the duck legs in skin side down.
2. Sear the legs for 12 minutes without moving them, until the skin is deep brown and a pool of fat has rendered.
3. Turn the legs and sear the second side for 5 minutes, then move them to a plate.
4. Pour off the rendered fat and measure 3/4 cup of it back into the pot, topping up with oil if needed.
5. Whisk the flour into the hot fat and stir constantly over medium heat.
6. Keep stirring for 30 to 40 minutes, until the roux is the color of dark chocolate.
7. Add the onions, bell pepper and celery and stir hard as they hiss and cool the roux.
8. Cook the vegetables for 8 minutes, then add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
9. Whisk in the stock a ladle at a time until the gumbo is smooth.
10. Return the duck legs to the pot along with the andouille, bay leaves, thyme and cayenne.
11. Bring the gumbo to a bare simmer and cook uncovered for 2 hours.
12. Skim the fat off the surface every half hour and discard it.
13. Lift out the duck legs, pull the meat off the bones in big pieces, and return the meat to the pot.
14. Pour in the reserved oyster liquor and simmer for 5 minutes.
15. Add the oysters and cook for 2 minutes, only until their edges curl.
16. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the scallions and parsley.
17. Taste for salt and cayenne and ladle over hot rice.