Seafood Gumbo
Originally, a French inspired dish created in Louisiana based on bouillabaisse,
this stew is somewhat of a melding of cultures in the South. Okra, a crop
imported from African, the holy trinity, (onions, peppers, celery) a Spanish
cooking concept, and file powder, made from sassafras grass, is Native
American. This gumbo is a Cajun style gumbo thickened with a dark roux
and okra. Winter Gumbo’s are usually, heavier and thickened with file
powder since okra is only available in the summer months.
For 6
1 onion, small diced
1 green pepper, small diced
3 stalks of celery, small diced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
Roux, see recipe below
6 cups of stock, fish or chicken
3 small tomatoes, chopped
5 cups of okra
2 sprigs of thyme
2 laurel leaf
4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
6 dashes of Tabasco
2 teaspoons of Cajun spice
2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound fresh crab meat
½ bunch green onions, sliced thin
1 lemon, halved and sliced thin
4 cups white rice, cooked
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Begin the recipe below for the roux. While
roux is browning, place sliced okra on a baking sheet and roast in in oven for
10 minutes. Once the roux is made add the holy trinity (onion, green pepper,
and celery) to the pot with the roux, stirring continuously. Cook for a few
minutes, add garlic and cook for a few more minutes on med-high heat. Stir
in stock and add tomatoes, roasted okra, thyme, laurel leaf, stock,
Worcestershire, and Tabasco. Bring to a boil and lower heat to low and
simmer for 1 hour. Add shrimp and cook for 5 minutes. Add crab and cook
for 5 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in green
onions. Ladle in bowls over hot white rice and garnish with lemon slices
Dark Roux – A practice in patience
Roux is a classic French ingredient used to thicken sauces and stews. There
are white, brown, and dark rouxs. It is used in all four of the mother
sauces. Roux takes time and does not like to be rushed or be left alone for
too long. The goal is to allow the butter (or some use oil) to toast the flour
(slowly) achieving a dark brown color and a nutty flavor. Cooking larger
amounts of seem to take longer periods of time to brown. There is a fine
line between reaching the nutty flavor and it being burnt. I’d say it about 1
minute, 2 minutes fine line. Low heat, a wooden spoon, a watchful eye and
patients should do the trick.
½ cup butter (1 stick) or ½ cup olive oil
½ cup flour
Melt butter over low heat and slowly whisk in flour until smooth. Stir flour,
butter mixer continuously with a wooden spoon on low heat until it has
turned a dark brown in color and gives off a nutty fragrance. About 20-25
minutes depending on the size of your pot or pan.
Originally, a French inspired dish created in Louisiana based on bouillabaisse,
this stew is somewhat of a melding of cultures in the South. Okra, a crop
imported from African, the holy trinity, (onions, peppers, celery) a Spanish
cooking concept, and file powder, made from sassafras grass, is Native
American. This gumbo is a Cajun style gumbo thickened with a dark roux
and okra. Winter Gumbo’s are usually, heavier and thickened with file
powder since okra is only available in the summer months.
For 6
1 onion, small diced
1 green pepper, small diced
3 stalks of celery, small diced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
Roux, see recipe below
6 cups of stock, fish or chicken
3 small tomatoes, chopped
5 cups of okra
2 sprigs of thyme
2 laurel leaf
4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
6 dashes of Tabasco
2 teaspoons of Cajun spice
2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound fresh crab meat
½ bunch green onions, sliced thin
1 lemon, halved and sliced thin
4 cups white rice, cooked
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Begin the recipe below for the roux. While
roux is browning, place sliced okra on a baking sheet and roast in in oven for
10 minutes. Once the roux is made add the holy trinity (onion, green pepper,
and celery) to the pot with the roux, stirring continuously. Cook for a few
minutes, add garlic and cook for a few more minutes on med-high heat. Stir
in stock and add tomatoes, roasted okra, thyme, laurel leaf, stock,
Worcestershire, and Tabasco. Bring to a boil and lower heat to low and
simmer for 1 hour. Add shrimp and cook for 5 minutes. Add crab and cook
for 5 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in green
onions. Ladle in bowls over hot white rice and garnish with lemon slices
Dark Roux – A practice in patience
Roux is a classic French ingredient used to thicken sauces and stews. There
are white, brown, and dark rouxs. It is used in all four of the mother
sauces. Roux takes time and does not like to be rushed or be left alone for
too long. The goal is to allow the butter (or some use oil) to toast the flour
(slowly) achieving a dark brown color and a nutty flavor. Cooking larger
amounts of seem to take longer periods of time to brown. There is a fine
line between reaching the nutty flavor and it being burnt. I’d say it about 1
minute, 2 minutes fine line. Low heat, a wooden spoon, a watchful eye and
patients should do the trick.
½ cup butter (1 stick) or ½ cup olive oil
½ cup flour
Melt butter over low heat and slowly whisk in flour until smooth. Stir flour,
butter mixer continuously with a wooden spoon on low heat until it has
turned a dark brown in color and gives off a nutty fragrance. About 20-25
minutes depending on the size of your pot or pan.