An authentic Louisiana gumbo, containing Andouille sausages, oysters and yardbird (chicken to all you citified folks.)

1 (3 lb.) yardbird (chicken)
4 c. water
Salt and red pepper, to taste
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1/2 c. chopped red pepper
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1 large chopped tomato
1 lb. Andouille sausage
3 - 4 dashes Louisiana hot sauce
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1 c. shucked oysters, with liquid
3 c. steamed white rice, for serving
1 tbsp. file powder
1/2 c. chopped green onions, garnish

Pluck chicken (gotcha!) and rinse well. Remove fatty pads and simmer in the 4 cups of seasoned water until tender. Cool slightly and remove meat from bones. Reserve the stock and set meat aside for the moment. Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy gauge stew pot, and gradually stir in the flour to form a thick paste (called a roux). Cook over medium to medium high heat, stirring constantly until your roux is dark brown. Add the onions, celery, green and red peppers, garlic, thyme and parsley and cook several minutes to soften, stirring often. Slowly add the chicken stock, one cup at a time to the mixture, stirring smooth after each addition. Add the bay leaf, the chopped tomato and the reserved chicken. Stir well to mix. Slice the Andouille sausage into bite-sized pieces and fry in a separate skillet to release fat. Drain sausage and add to the chicken mixture. Season with Louisiana hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings, as desired. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Just before serving, add oysters and their liquid to the gumbo and heat until the edges of the oysters curl, about 5 minutes. To serve, mound rice into individual soup bowls and spoon the gumbo over the rice. Sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon of file powder over each serving and garnish with chopped green onion. Recipe yields 6 servings.