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1
Set a heavy cast-iron pot over medium heat. Add the oil, then whisk in the flour. Stir constantly with a flat wooden spoon, reaching every corner of the pot. This is the dark roux from LA1-01: it takes patience and unbroken attention. Continue stirring until the roux reaches the colour of dark chocolate or used motor oil — 30 to 45 minutes over medium heat. If it smells of scorched grain, the roux is lost and must begin again.
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2
Add the onion, celery and green pepper — the Creole trinity — directly into the dark roux. The mixture will seize and steam violently. Stir continuously for 4 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened and the sharp raw smell of the onion has cooked out.
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3
Add the garlic and Creole seasoning. Stir for one minute, until fragrant.
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4
Add the andouille rounds. Stir to coat them in the roux base and render a little of their fat, 2 to 3 minutes. The slices should show a light sear on their cut faces.
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5
Ladle in the warm chicken stock gradually, whisking between additions to prevent lumps. Add the bay leaves and dried thyme. Nestle the chicken thighs into the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
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6
Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The chicken is done when the meat pulls cleanly from the bone. Remove the thighs, discard the bones and skin, shred the meat coarsely, and return it to the pot.
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7
Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from the heat. Stir in the filé powder off the heat — filé added to a boiling pot will turn stringy. The gumbo should coat a spoon with a supple, not starchy, body.
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8
Serve in wide bowls: a mound of cooked long-grain white rice in the centre, gumbo ladled around it, finished with sliced spring onion.