Duck Gumbo

Ingredients

4 to 5 pound duck boned and cut into 2-inch pieces
Creole spice
6 ounces lard (that's what they have at duck camps)
About 1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups rough-chopped onions
3/4 cup rough-chopped celery
2 quarts stock or water
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
Hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire sauce (preferably Lea & Perrins)
Steamed rice, for serving
3/4 cup rough-chopped green onions, for garnish

Instructions

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season duck pieces with Creole spice and brown on all sides, in batches, if necessary. Remove duck pieces to a plate, reduce heat to medium, add lard and melt. Stir in flour and cook, whisking, until it becomes a nutty-brown roux, about 15 minutes. Add onions, celery, green pepper and cook, stirring often, until tender. Return duck pieces to pot along with stock, bay leaf and garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmering, cover and cook two hours, occasionally skimming excess fat from top of gumbo.

When sauce is thickened and flavors are well-blended, adjust seasonings to taste with hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Creole spice, salt and pepper. Serve with steamed rice and green onions.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings