FOR THE ROUX:
1 cup canola or peanut oil
1 cup all-purpose flour

FOR THE GUMBO:
1 white onion, diced
5 celery stalks, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 links andouille sausage or other smoked sausage (about 1/2 pound), cut into 1/2-inch half-moons
3 quarts duck or chicken stock
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried oregano
3 dried bay leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups pulled roasted duck meat, skin discarded and meat roughly chopped (from 1 to 2 roast ducks; buy these from a Chinese restaurant if you like)
Salt, to taste
Hot sauce (such as Crystal brand), to taste
Cooked rice or potato salad, for serving

Prepare the roux: In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high. (A large stockpot works, but a Dutch oven is ideally shaped for whisking a roux.) Slowly shake the flour over the oil with one hand while whisking with the other hand. Continue to whisk until the roux darkens to a glossy, dark red-brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium and stir the onion, celery and bell peppers into the roux to prevent it from burning, about 3 minutes. Stir in the sausage and cook until coated, a few more minutes.

Gradually add the stock, stirring constantly as you add the liquid. Add the thyme, oregano, bay leaves and garlic and simmer over medium-low, stirring and skimming every 20 minutes, until the flavors have melded, about 2 hours. For a thinner gumbo, add water, as desired (up to 2 cups).

Stir in the duck meat just before serving and cook until warmed, 3 to 5 minutes. (An extended cook time would turn the meat mushy.) Add the salt and hot sauce to taste. Serve over rice or potato salad.

Adapted from Upperline, New Orleans