Traditional chicken gumbo

Ingredients:

• 0.5 cup + 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 0.5 cups flour
• 220 g andouille sausage, cut into 1 cm thick pieces.
• 700 g skinless and boneless chicken thighs, cut into 4 pieces each
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1 green bell pepper, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 tbsp. pickling seasoning
• 700 g of medium shrimp (21-25 pcs.), peeled, deveined and shelled
• 0.5 tsp sassafras powder
• Hot boiled white rice, for serving
• Special equipment: a piece of gauze and kitchen string

Preparation:

1. In a cast-iron or other heavy-bottomed skillet, heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the flour and stir until smooth and just beginning to darken. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is the color of peanut butter, 15 minutes. Set the roux aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the sausage is browned. Transfer it to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and cook over medium heat in the same fat in the Dutch oven. Transfer the chicken to the bowl with the sausage. Add the tomato paste and stir until smooth (be careful not to burn it), about 1 minute. Add the celery, onion, bell pepper, and cayenne pepper to the pan and continue cooking until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the chicken broth and 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in the roux, a little at a time, until fully incorporated. Tie the pickling spices in a piece of cheesecloth and add them to the pot along with the chicken and sausage. Simmer until the liquid thickens and the flavors meld, about 45 minutes.
4. Add the shrimp and sassafras and simmer over low heat until the shrimp are cooked through and the gumbo has thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove the spice bag. Taste the gumbo and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Serve with rice.
   
   Spices for pickles:
   Pickling spice typically contains chili pepper, coriander, cumin, ginger, black pepper, allspice, cinnamon, bay leaf, brown mustard, yellow mustard, cloves, and turmeric. You can mix your own spices if you can't find a pre-made mix.