Gumbo IS Like Life

Every Pot is Different

The Best Seafood Gumbo Ever

Ingredients

Seafood Stock

• 2 large onions chopped
• 6 cloves garlic
• 6 stalks celery
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 (6-8 inch) fresh rosemary sprig (I despise rosemary and Will Never Use It – it’s really your choice)
• 12 bay leaves
• 9 quarts water
• 6 cooked blue crabs
• 5 lbs cooked shrimp
• 1 tablespoon salt

In 14 quart pot, add above ingredients, simmer 1 hour. Use shrimp heads and shells in stock. Refrigerate shrimp for use in gumbo. Strain and reserve stock.

• 8 quarts seafood stock
• 5 lbs fresh medium shrimp with heads
• 1 pound Andouille or lean smoked link sausage, sliced into rounds
• 2 cups onion chopped
• 1-1/2 cup chopped red bell peppers
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded & finely chopped. (remove/discard seeds before chopping)
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoon File’ powder
• 2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 Tbsp. Tabasco or LA Hot Sauce
• 1 pound fresh crab claw meat
• 2 Tbsp. The idea that laste old Bay seasoning
• 2 pints fresh oysters shucked

Directions

1. Place 4 cups of flour and 3 cups of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium low heat, whisk to blend. Stirring constantly, bring to the color of milk chocolate and the consistency of wet sand.
2. Chop onions, pepper and celery. Add onions, peppers, celery and garlic to warm roux, stirring well. Cook for 6 minutes. Add warmed stock to the warm roux and vegetable mixture one ladle or cup at a time, stirring well after each. Cook 30 minutes, add crabs and everything else EXCEPT seafood. Continue cooking, low heat for 1 hour, stir often. Taste for salt and heat level. Add salt and/or chopped jalapeno or cayenne pepper as needed. Cook 5 minutes more.
3. Add shrimp, crab claw meat, oysters with liquid and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 15 minutes. Serve in deep bowls with white or brown rice.