I love this Seafood Gumbo! My recipe has shrimp, sausage and crab! Oysters would be a great addition too. Okra? Yes, okra is great too. This recipe calls for okra, but it is delicious without okra if you have some that don’t like okra.
I actually love all the flavors of Louisiana, Louisiana Creole Cuisine and I especially love to go to New Orleans and taste those amazing flavors. Those folks can cook! Creole food for breakfast, lunch, dinner in New Orleans! Heavenly!
If you’ve attempted creole cooking, especially a gumbo you know it takes a while to develop flavors. The roux http://dish.allrecipes.com/how-to-make-roux does take a few minutes to get to the desired color, and you have to remember not to have your burner cranked to high because this roux can scorch easily and you’ll have to start over. Don’t skimp on time on this task because the darker the roux without burning the better flavor your gumbo will have.
You definitely don’t want to leave while you’re making your roux because a fairly constant stir is required. I cook mine on a medium-low until I am right there stirring constantly and I’ll increase the heat, then lower a little again. Do what suits you. I actually saw a jar of already made roux in the grocery store the other day. I’ve never tried it, but I think I will so I can report about the store bought roux.
You also need a really rich seafood stock for this dish. Just like I explained on my Shrimp & Grits recipe, a good, rich seafood stock is essential. Here is my Basic Shrimp Stock that I keep in freezer bags frozen until I need for the next dish. https://the2spoons.com/basic-shrimp-stock/. I actually keep many stocks in my freezer that are homemade, a good habit that would be well worth your time. Your Instant Pot is the perfect tool for making stocks in an hour that taste like you’ve cooked them for 8 hours.
Louisiana Seafood Gumbo
This is another recipe I got from John Besh’s Cookbook – “My New Orleans” the cookbook. Just like all good cooks, my recipe may have something a little different than his. Here goes, hope you enjoy and try this yummy recipe soon! You honestly don’t need anything to serve with this meal except for a loaf of crusty French Bread and some butter to slather on it! Yum!
A side note is that if I have a lot of the sauce leftover, I strain and freeze the leftover sauce for the next time I want to make gumbo.
Delicious Louisiana Seafood Gumbo
Ingredients
For the Gumbo
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 cup flour
- 2 large onions, diced
- Besh's recipe called for 6 jumbo blue crabs, each cut into 4 pieces as the next ingredient. I did not have, so I omitted. Add if you like because they will add amazing flavor!
- 1 lb spicy smoked sausage links, sliced 1/2 inch thick (I used Slovacek's Bar-B-Que Seasoned Link Sausage
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 green pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup sliced fresh okra ( leave out if you some that don't like okra)
- 3 qts Basic Seafood Stock
Basic Creole Spices
- 2 tbsp celery salt
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp coarse sea salt
- 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tsps cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp ground allspice
For the Basic Louisiana White Rice
- 1 tbsp chicken fat, extra-virgin olive oil, or butter
- 1 small onion, minced
- 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1-2 pinches salt
Instructions
For the Basic Creole Spices
Using this spice blend is truly the easiest way to consistently achieve the flavors of Louisiana. Once combined, the spices will last for six months in an airtight container. (this recipe is for several dishes, you'll just add in "pinches" to this recipe until you get your desired flavor.
For the Basic Louisiana White Rice
- The recipe will work with most long-grain rices, including Popcorn Rice. Save some of the fat skimmed from your chicken stock to perfume the rice with many wonderful flavors.Put the fat, oil, or butter and the onions into a medium saucepan and sweat the onions over moderate heat until they are translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour the rice into the pan and stir for 2 minutes. Then add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and salt.Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 18 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, fluff the rice with a fork, and serve
For the Gumbo
- Make a roux by heating the oil in a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Whisk the flour into the hot oil. It will immediately begin to sizzle. Reduce the heat to moderate and continue whisking until the roux takes on a deep brown color, about 15 minutes. Add the onions, stirring them into the roux with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue stirring until the roux is a rich, dark brown, about 10 minutes.Add the blue crabs (if you are using) and smoked sausage and stir for a minute before adding the celery, bell peppers, garlic, and okra. Increase the heat to moderate and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the thyme, Shellfish Stock, and bay leaves. Bring the gumbo to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally and skim off any fat from the surface of the gumbo.Add the shrimp, oysters, crabmeat, and green onions to the pot and cook for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, Creole Spices, Worcestershire, and Tabasco to taste. I just add a little of these ingredients at a time, taste, then add more if needed. Serve in bowls over rice.
Another similar dish is my Shrimp & Grits:
Link on the Blog!