rinse as much vinegar from them as possible. Combine the onions, bell peppers and celery in a small bowl and set aside while you start the roux. (Note: Unlike the roux in most other recipes in this book, the roux we use here is light brown. Therefore, instead of heating the oil to the smoking stage, we heat it to only 250F; this prevents the roux from getting too brown.) In a heavy 2-quart saucepan heat the oil over medium-low heat to about 250F. With a metal whisk, whisk in the flour a little at a time until smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until roux is light brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Be carefyul not to let the roux scorch or splash on your skin. Remove from heat and with a spoon immediately stir in the vegtable mixture and the red, white and black peppers; return pan to high heat and cook about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the bay leaves, jalapeno peppers and garlic, stirring well. Continue cooking about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. (We're cooking the seasonings and vegetables in the light roux and the mixture should, therefore, be pasty.) Remove from heat.

In a separate 2-quart saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Add the roux mixture by spoonfuls to the boiling stock, strirring until dissolved between each addition. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce reduces to 3-1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Skim any oil from the top and serve immediately. From Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen