Instructions: Add flour to shortening. Cook over low heat. Stir constantly, to avoid scorching, until very brown. Add onions, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper.

Skin poule deau or teal, wash, cut up, salt and pepper. Fry lightly and set aside. Make basic roux, add poule deau or teal and water. Simmer for about two hours or until tender. If using, add oysters and oyster water (be sure and pick over them by hand for pearls and bits of shell, and strain the water.) Add file individually when ready to serve. Serve over rice.

Note: do not add file to a rapidly boiling pot or it will string (file means thread). If you wish to season the entire pot, bring the temperature down to a bare simmer, remove some liquid, let it cool and stir in the file; then stir the mixture back into the pot. Do not bring it to a rolling boil again.

Mowad and Jean Sarrazin Sears, published in 1970 by the Louisiana Folklore generation by word of mouth.

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