Turkey Bone Gumbo

Instructions

1. To make the turkey stock, place the turkey carcass, skin and all, in a large stockpot. Chop the onion in half lengthwise, and then chop each piece in half again. Add to the pot, peeling and all. Wash the carrots, chop them into 3-inch chunks, and add to the pot, along with the bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
2. Add the water, starting with 12 cups or 3 quarts. Add enough to cover the carcass by an inch or two. Break the carcass apart if necessary to fit it into the pot. Bring the stockpot to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook, uncovered, for 1 to 2 hours. No need to stir.
3. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Pour the stock through a fine mesh strainer or a colander into a large bowl or another large pot. Discard all the bones and seasonings, and the thick, cloudy liquid at the very bottom of the pot. Cover and chill. You will have 8 to 10 cups of turkey stock.
4. To make the gumbo, begin by making the roux. Use a large heavy pot or Dutch oven in which you will make your gumbo. (You could also make your roux in a large, heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, and transfer the roux to your gumbo pot when it is ready.) Have your seasonings, the onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic, should be handy right by the stove, along with the sausage.
5. Pour the oil into the pot or skillet and warm it up over medium high heat. Add the flour and begin stirring with a whisk or a large heat-proof spoon. Quickly combine the oil and flour into a smooth, thick sauce, keeping the flour moving as it begins to darken from off-white to ivory and on to beige. Stir constantly, reducing the heat to medium or low if the color is changing fast. Stir patiently and thoroughly for 25 to 35 minutes, as the roux darkens to the color of peanut butter and on toward milk chocolate.
6. When the roux reaches a handsome, milk chocolate brown, add the onions and keep stirring, mixing them in and letting them slow the roux down as they begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the celery and green pepper and stir on, cooking them into the roux for about 3 minutes more, until all the seasonings have released their fragrance and are wilting nicely into your roux.
7. Add the garlic and chopped sausage and cook, stirring often, until they, too, release their fragrance and start flavoring the roux, about 2 minutes.
8. Add 3 cups of the turkey stock and stir gently to help the roux and seasonings dissolve into the stock. When the roux bubbles to a gentle, steady boil, carefully add the remaining stock, along with the salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir well to combine everything and then let the gumbo come to a lively boil. Adjust the heat to maintain an active but gentle simmer and cook, stirring now and then, for 1 hour.
9. Add the turkey, stir well, and cook for 10 minutes more. Stir in the green onion and parsley and remove from the heat. Serve hot or warm, with plenty of rice.