Emeril's Sausage and Chicken Gumbo

I have to say, my gumbo looks nothing like Emeril's. I'm not quite sure how this happened, but rather than turning a rich, chocolately-brown color like it was SUPPOSED to, my roux remained somewhat yellowish. Why, I have no idea. I followed the directions very carefully, so for the sake of argument I'll blame it on my stove. Yep, I'm sticking with that. Odd colors aside, I'm really glad I gave this meal a try. I've never made gumbo before, but I like to give my Louisiana boy a taste of home whenever possible. This gumbo was VERY well-received, not only by Will, but by our beagle who kept sneaking in to the kitchen to try and lick little droplets off the countertops when he thought Will and I weren't paying attention to him. While this dish itself was easy to prepare, it was very time-consuming. I wouldn't recommend trying this recipe on a weeknight, or a night when you have several other things to do. All in all, between the prep time and cook time, it took about four hours. Also, even though the recipe doesn't call for it, I added a side order of rice (per Will's request).
Source: Food Network

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped bell peppers
• 1 pound smoked sausage, such as andouille or kielbasa, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 3 bay leaves
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 pound boneless chicken meat, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon Rustic Rub, recipe follows (I didn't have the patience to make this, so I used a Vieux Carre rub I bought when Will and I went to New Orleans last year. Any Cajun spice will do).
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon file powder (I omitted-again, couldn't find it anywhere).

Directions:

1. Combine the oil and flour in a large cast iron or enameled cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Stirring slowly and constantly for 20 to 25 minutes, make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate.

2. Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers and continue to stir for 4 to 5 minutes, or until wilted. Add the sausage, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves. Continue to stir for 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Add the chicken broth. Stir until the roux mixture and water are well combined. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

4. Season the chicken with the rub and add to the pot. Simmer for 2 hours. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface. Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley, green onions, and file powder. Remove the bay leaves and serve in deep bowls.

Rustic Rub:

8 tablespoons paprika
3 tablespoons cayenne
5 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons onion powder
6 tablespoons salt
2 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 1/2 tablespoons dried thyme
Combine all ingredients and store in an air-tight container.