I had always thought Emeril was sort of a cooking buffoon (BAM!), until I went to New Orleans and learned that he gets strong respect down there for the highest of haute creole restaurant cooking. This recipe is among the most refined gumbos I've had, and definitely the most refined I've personally cooked.

I couldn't find a hen, so I used a capon. Incredibly delicious! Did not end up needing all the meat from the bird, maybe only about three-quarters of it.

DRASTICALLY cut quantity of roux, only half cup each of flour and oil. This resulted in a gumbo that was more soup than stew, but I didn't mind. Probably the perfect amount would be .75 cup each flour and oil.

I used Aldon Brown's method for oven-baking a roux:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/shrimp-gumbo-recipe/index.html

You could cook both the hen and the roux in the oven at the same time.

No gumbo of mine is complete without file powder!

I just learned that Gumbo Ya Ya translates to everybody talking all at once.