South Texas Duck Gumbo

8 c Water

3 Ducks, mallard-size filleted

-and cut in 1" pieces 1/2 c Oil, unsaturated veg.

4 c Flour

1 tb Salt

1 tb Pepper

1 c Celery, sliced 1/2" thick

1 c Carrots, thinly sliced

1 c Bell peppers, sliced

1 c Onion, yellow sliced

1 c Okra, sliced 1" thick (opt.)

1 cn Tomatoes, 16 oz. peeled

1 cn Soup, chicken rice 10 oz.

2 Chicken bouillon cubes

2 tb Worchestershire Sauce

2 Bay leaves, whole

1 ts Tabasco sauce

2 tb Salt

1/2 ts Black pepper

1/2 ts Cayenne pepper

1 ts Fillet seasoning (opt.)

1/2 c Oil, unsaturated veg.

Flour Bring water to boil in 1 1/2-gallon pot while preparing other ingredients. Heat oil over medium heat in large skillet. Shake flour and seasonings in bag; add 10-12 pieces of duck and shake until lightly floured. Brown in preheated pan 5 minutes. DON'T OVERCOOK. Remove duck from pan, drain on paper towel. Repeat until all meat is browned. Discard remaining flour. Saute vegetables in meat skillet until onions brown lightly. Add duck and stir-fry 10 minutes. Dissolve cubes in 8 c boiling water. Add chicken rice soup, tomatoes and seasonings. Add sauted vegetables and duck. Cover and cook 45 minutes at low to medium heat. To make roux, heat oil to medium hot in skillet. Sprinkle 1/4 c flour into oil and stir. Continue adding flour a little at a time until flour/oil mixture is dry (10-12 minutes) and light brown. DON'T BURN. Remove from heat. Cool 5 minutes. Add 2 c hot duck soup and stir over heat until mixture thickens. Return roux to soup after soup cooks 45 minutes. Cover and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, set aside 20 minutes. Serve over short-grain rice.