Quail and Smoked Sausage Christmas Gumbo

• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup bleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1 cup seeded and chopped green bell peppers
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 quail, about 3 1/2 ounces each, breastbones removed
• Essence, recipe follows
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 1 pound smoked sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions (scallions), green parts only
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• Steamed white rice, for serving
• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

1. Combine the oil and flour in a large nonstick saucepan over medium heat.
2. Cook, stirring constantly, until the roux mixture is dark brown, the color of chocolate, 30 to 35 minutes.
3. Add the onions, peppers, celery, salt, cayenne, bay leaves, and garlic.
4. Cook the vegetables, stirring often, until they are soft and tender, about 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet.
6. Season quail with Essence and when oil is hot, brown the quail on all sides and then remove from the pan.
7. Add the stock, quail, and sausage to the pan with the vegetables.
8. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, until the quail are very tender, about 1 hour.
9. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface of the gumbo and discard.
10. Remove the bay leaves.
11. Stir in the green onions and parsley.
12. Serve immediately in shallow soup bowls over steamed white rice.
13. Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
14. Yield: 2/3 cup
15. Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William Morrow, 1993.

vegetable oil, flour, yellow onions, green bell peppers, celery, salt, cayenne, bay leaves, garlic, vegetable oil, quail, chicken stock, sausage, green onions, parsley, white rice, paprika, salt, garlic, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, thyme

Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/quail-and-smoked-sausage-christmas-gumbo-recipe.html (may not work)