Chicken Gumbo

I made a variation on my usual chicken-and-shrimp gumbo this time, with no shrimp and a little bit of sausage for extra flavor. I also had some mild green chilies on hand, so added a couple of those along with the bell pepper.
Of course, the main ingredient for gumbo is fresh okra. If you tend to shy away from this veggie, know that there's a simply cooking technique that gets rids of the slimy liquid and makes okra a delicious part of any soup or stew (among other uses).
Preparing okra:
Simply slice the okra, discarding the stem ends, and saute in canola oil, stirring frequently, until the "roping" has stopped -- that is, until the white slimy liquid goes away. Set aside and add the cooked okra to your gumbo or other dish.

Recipe: Chicken Gumbo
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1/4 cup canola oil
1-2 large chicken, lamb or pork sausage(s), casing removed and crumbled
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1-2 mild green chilies, diced
One medium onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced (optional)
2 T gumbo file and/or flour
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups chopped tomatoes, canned or fresh
1 pound fresh okra, cooked as described above
Salt and pepper
1 pound uncooked chicken pieces (preferably white meat; preferably organic and/or locally farmed)
3 T Worcestershire Sauce
3 T fresh lemon juice
Hot sauce for serving, if desired

Instructions:

• Heat oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Add sausage and cook, stirring, until meat just begins to brown. Add next six ingredients (green pepper through jalapeno), stir well and cover the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to tenderize.
• Stir in file and/or flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add stock, tomatoes and okra. Season with salt and pepper, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 minutes, checking to make sure mixture does not get hotter than a slow boil.
• Add chicken, stir well, and cover. Cook for another 5 minutes, or 10 minutes if you are using dark meat chicken.
• Remove from heat and adjust seasonings, adding more salt if desired. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice.
• Ladle soup over cooked rice (preferably brown rice) and pass hot sauce at the table.

If you have leftover, store in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for up to a month.