Gumbo’s richness and depth can be attributed to dark roux—a chocolate-colored oil and flour mixture that gives many Creole dishes their signature flavor. The layers of earthiness and spice complement the intensity of waterfowl, whether it’s duck or goose. My recipe includes okra, which not only helps thicken the stew but also balances out all the protein in this dish.

When you cook roux until it’s brown, as you should for gumbo, it loses its thickening ability. If you absolutely hate okra and want a thicker stew, add a slurry of cornstarch and water.

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1. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan on medium-low heat. When oil warms, whisk in all-purpose flour and cook the roux until its color is somewhere between milk chocolate and dark chocolate, stirring often. This could take up to 40 minutes. Take it off the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Remember, the roux will continue to brown after you take it off the heat. You don’t want to burn it.
2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Add diced onion to the warm roux and turn the heat to medium. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until onion becomes soft. Then add diced green bell pepper, carrot, and celery, and sauté for another 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in an oven-proof pot, bring the chicken stock and water to a boil. Gradually stir in the roux and vegetable mixture. Add duck meat and andouille sausage. Stir in Creole seasoning to taste. If the roux breaks, don’t worry—it will emulsify in the oven. Bring the pot back to a simmer, cover, and cook in a 300-degree oven for 2 to 3 hours or until the duck becomes tender and shred-able.
4. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, stir in cut okra and simmer until tender. The okra will thicken the gumbo—add more or less according to taste. Fish out the duck meat, shred into bite-size pieces, and return to the pot. Discard bones if any. Season the gumbo to taste before serving. If you serve the gumbo with rice, slightly over-salt the stew. Garnish with chopped green onion.