12 Days of Cooking: Emeril's Turkey Bone Gumbo

Ingredients

Cooking Directions

For the Turkey Broth

Place the carcass in a large stockpot. Add the celery, onions, water, salt, peppercorns, and bay leaves.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours. Remove from the heat. Skim any fat that has risen to the surface.

Strain through a large fine-mesh sieve. Reserve any meat that has fallen off the bones and pick off any meat that may still remain on the carcass.

Reserve the onions and celery for gumbo. Use right away or store the broth in quart containers in the freezer.

Yield: 2 quarts

For the Turkey Bone Gumbo

Combine the oil and flour in a large cast-iron pot or enameled cast-iron Dutch oven, over medium heat. Cook, stirring slowly and constantly, until a dark roux is formed the color of chocolate, usually 20 to 25 minutes.

Season the onions, bell peppers, and celery with the salt and cayenne. Add this to the roux and stir until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes to an hour. Add the reserved turkey meat and the reserved onions and celery and cook for 15 minutes. Add the parsley and green onions.

Serve in soup bowls with steamed white rice. Filé powder (finely ground sassafras leaves) can be added at the table according to personal taste, if so desired.

This recipe was styled by chef Karen Pickus for Good Morning America.

Check out more recipes from Emeril's cookbook "Emeril Real and Rustic"