Turkey Bone Gumbo (for Freak):
Makes 8 to 10 servings
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 pound smoked sausage, chopped (optional)
1/2 gallon turkey broth (recipe follows)
1 1/2 pounds turkey meat, chopped, plus any reserved meat from the carcass in the broth
Reserved onions and celery from broth
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
In a large cast-iron pot or enameled cast-iron Dutch oven, combine the oil and flour. Stirring constantly and slowly for 20 to 25 minutes, make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, salt and cayenne. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft, about five minutes.
Add the sausage and cook for five minutes, stirring often. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the turkey meat, the reserved onions and celery and cook for 15 minutes. Add the parsley and green onions. Serve in soup bowls with steamed rice.
Turkey broth
Makes about 1/2 gallon
1 turkey carcass
3 ribs celery, cut into 4-inch pieces
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
1 gallon of water, or enough water to cover the carcass
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
Place the carcass in a large stockpot. Add the celery, onions, water, salt, peppercorns and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for two hours. Remove from heat. Skim any oil 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.
It is a soup and excellent at that! After we cook our turkey and eat our fill, I fill up a large pot with water and the turkey carcass and proceed to make the broth above. You will be amazed at how much turkey you get from simply simmering it.
I totally cheat and buy roux already made because it is easier. But I included the directions for making the roux above.
Quote: Gumbo (from Wikipedia)
Gumbo is a stew or soup that probably originated in southern Louisiana during the 18th century. It typically consists primarily of a strongly-flavored stock, meat or shellfish, a thickener, and seasoning vegetables, which can include celery, bell peppers, and onions (a trio known in Cajun cuisine as the "holy trinity"). Gumbo is often categorized by the type of thickener used: the African vegetable okra, the Choctaw spice filé powder (dried and ground sassafras leaves), or roux, the French base made of flour and fat. The dish likely derived its name from either the Bantu word for okra (ki ngombo) or the Choctaw word for filé (kombo).
Several different varieties exist. In New Orleans, what is known as Creole gumbo generally contains shellfish, tomatoes, and a thickener. Cajun gumbo varies greatly, but often has a dark roux with either shellfish or fowl. The Creoles of Cane River make a gumbo focused much more on filé. Sausage or ham are often added to gumbos of either variety. After the base is prepared, vegetables are cooked down, and then meat is added. The dish simmers for a minimum of three hours, with shellfish and some spices added near the end. If desired, filé powder is added after the pot is removed from heat. Gumbo is traditionally served over rice. A third, lesser-known variety, the meatless gumbo z'herbes, is essentially a gumbo of slow-cooked greens sometimes thickened with roux, with rice served on the side.
The dish combines ingredients and culinary practices of several cultures, including French, Spanish, German, West African, and Choctaw. Gumbo may have been based on traditional West African or native dishes, or may be a derivation of the French dish bouillabaisse. It was first described in 1802, and was listed in various cookbooks in the latter half of the 19th century. The dish gained more widespread popularity in the 1970s, after the United States Senate cafeteria added it to the menu in honor of Louisiana Senator Allen Ellender. The popularity of chef Paul Prudhomme in the 1980s spurred further interest in gumbo. The dish is the official cuisine of the state of Louisiana.
Come on down, L!  Glad to have you!
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"I can't eat ham with potato salad"
(with leftover potato salad)!