Roast your chickens, which have been liberally coated with salt, pepper, thyme and stuffed with quartered lemons. Lionel prefers citrus notes for the poultry, but this is optional.

Bake at 425 degrees, middle rack of your oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. After the birds are golden brown, cool, then remove the meat. Do not cut the meat- pull from the carcass with clean hands. Discard the skin and bones or save for making stock.

*You can use rotisserie roasted chickens if you prefer. We won’t judge you. Okay, well a little.

Using a heavy bottomed pot for your roux.

Throughly combine the flour and 1/2 cup of the oil. * Lionel prefers peanut oil.

On medium to low heat, stir all over the bottom to be certain nothing sticks. Continue stirring – the mixture will begin to darken. See photo above for final color desired. DO NOT attempt to cook the roux quickly.

Give yourself an hour to cook the roux.

As you stir, constantly, the flour and oil will take on a darker and darker color.

This is a slow process.

Adjust the heat as needed so as not to burn the flour and oil, but “cook” it. After about 50 minutes, the roux will look like dark chocolate- this is what you want.

Set aside off the heat.

Cooked roux can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days in the fridge.

Sauté the sausage in a single layer in a large heavy bottomed pan. Cook in batches so that the sausage browns and does not steam. Cook until the edges are crispy. Remove sausage from the pot and drain grease, but do not discard the brown bits on the bottom of the pot.

Leaving the brown bits collected on the bottom of the pot, add the remaining 2 TBSP of oil to the pot over medium high heat. Sauté the trinity of Creole cooking- the onion, bell pepper and celery 5 minutes until they just begin to wilt, stirring frequently. Do not overcook.

Add in the green onions, cook for one minute. Add in the garlic and parsley and cook one minute more.

Deglaze the pan with the 1/4 cup of wine. Add in the tomatoes and their liquid to further deglaze.

Add sausage back to the pot. Fold in shredded chicken. Bring to a simmer.

“Now is the time for me to say, “Do not be afraid.”

Take your skillet of roux and get it hot- not boiling, but hot. The roux should be good and hot. Work it until smooth adding a bit of butter if needed. Slowly begin adding the hot broth. Remember, if the stock/ broth is not HOT, the roux will curdle. When that first bit of broth hits the roux, you will have a reaction, but fear not,

Keep stirring. Stir. Stir. Stir.

Continue adding in hot stock/ broth to the roux. The roux will settle down as you continue to stir and add all the the liquid.

Say thank you and Amen

Add your roux mixture to the stock pot with vegetables and meat. Stir to fully incorporate the roux and veggies.

The gumbo will do its thing. Add in the room tempertature okra and watch the gumbo thicken.

Allow 30 minutes for the flavors to marry. Correct seasonings adding salt, pepper, hot sauce and the “Wooster” sauce.

Sprinkle with parsley.

Serve over a mound of hot, white rice (garnish with more finely chopped parsley) . Serve with tabasco on the table. Cornbread works beautifully with this recipe. See my recipe here.

Lionel recommends a red wine to pair with the heartiness of this dish.