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 litre 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- half cups, about 15 minutes. Skim any oil from the top and serve immediately. From Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen