Creole Gumbo Burgers

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sifted all purpose flour
2 cups chopped onions
3 whole celery stalks chopped (including leaves)
3/4 cup of chopped green pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups of sliced okra (fresh or frozen)
2 cups chicken broth
1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound andouille sausage, casings removed
1 pound ground chicken
4 green onions chopped
2 teaspoons gumbo seasoning
2 cups prepared rice
1 loaf of french bread or baguette

Instructions

Prepare a charcoal grill (Medium-high heat). In a flame-proof pan or cast iron pan melt butter and sprinkle in flour and place on grill. Stir butter and flour mixture constantly over heat for 15-25 minutes until it reaches the desired color for a flavorful roux (the darker the color the better!) Add the chopped onion, celery, green pepper and garlic to the roux and continue stirring until vegetables are coated. Continue cooking vegetables for five minutes stirring constantly. Add in okra and cook for one minute then add in chicken broth. Stir until combined. Let the roux cook, stirring occasionally for the next hour. In a food processor, chop shrimp to a fine texture and place in a seperate bowl. Next, chop the andouille sausage to a fine texture and place in the bowl with the shrimp. Add the ground chicken to the sausage/shrimp mixture. Next add the chopped green onions, gumbo seasoning and rice to the meat mixture and mix gently until combined. Add 1 cup of cooled roux to the meat mixture and add 1/2 cup of the okra from the roux to the meat mixture as well. Stir meat mixture until combined. Shape into six 1/2 inch patties. Dip each patty in the roux and grill for 5-7 minutes on each side. While patties are grilling, slice french bread into twelve slices and place on grill toasting until lightly brown on each side (about 2 minutes). Place each patty on two slices of the browned french bread and serve. You may spoon extra roux over the top of each burger, if desired.