Oyster Gumbo

• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 (4-pound) stewing hen, cut up
• 1/2 pound fully cooked ham, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1/4 red pepper pod, seeded
• 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 quart water
• 3 (12-ounce) containers Standard oysters, undrained
• File powder
• Hot cooked rice

1. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven; add chicken and ham. Cover and cook over medium heat 10 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Add onion, pepper, Creole seasoning, salt, and garlic salt; cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add water.
2. Drain oysters, reserving oyster liquor; set oysters aside. Stir liquor into chicken mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until chicken is tender.
3. Remove chicken from broth, and cool. Bone chicken, and chop meat into bite-size pieces; discard bones. Return meat to broth. Bring to a boil. Stir in reserved oysters, and cook 3 minutes or until oyster edges begin to curl.
4. Stir in file powder to taste just before serving. Serve gumbo over rice in individual bowls.

butter, stewing hen, ham, onions, red pepper, creole seasoning, salt, garlic salt, water, containers, powder, rice

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/oyster-gumbo (may not work)