What do you do on a snow day!? Make that dinner you've been talking about making but really needed a day to do so :)
Enter Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Gumbo. We started this bad boy around noon yesterday! First step, making a homemade seafood stock. And if you follow me on snapchat you are so lucky because you got to see the whole process, state to finish!!! :)
So shrimp stock made, roux made, add your sausage, shrimp, oysters and crab and you've got a delicious gumbo, perfect for a cold, snowy evening in.
Seafood Gumbo
Ingredients:
2 cups chopped onions
1 ½ cups chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
Seasoning mix (see recipe)
¾ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup flour
1 tablespoon minced garlic
5 ½ cups seafood stock (see note)
1 pound andouille smoked sausage or other, such as Polish sausage, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 pound peeled medium shrimp
1 dozen medium to large oysters in their liquor, about 9 ounces, or canned clams
¾ pound crabmeat (picked over; see note)
2 ½ cups hot cooked rice
For seasoning mix:
2 whole bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
¼ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
Preparation:
In medium-size bowl, combine onions, bell peppers and celery.
Prepare seasoning mix.
In large heavy skillet, heat oil over high heat until it begins to smoke, about 5 minutes. Gradually add flour, whisking constantly with a long-handled metal whisk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until roux is dark red-brown to black, about 2 to 4 minutes, being careful not to let it scorch or splash on your skin. Immediately add half the vegetables and stir well (switch to a spoon if necessary). Continue stirring and cooking about 1 minute. Add remaining vegetables and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Stir in seasoning mix and continue cooking about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic; stir well, then cook and stir about 1 minute more. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, place stock in 5 ½-quart saucepan or large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Add roux mixture by spoonfuls to the boiling stock, stirring until dissolved between each addition. Bring mixture to a boil. Add andouille and return to a boil; continue boiling 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes more. Add shrimp, undrained oysters and crabmeat. Return to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and skim any oil from the surface. Serve immediately.
To serve as a main course, mound ¼ cup rice in the middle of each serving bowl. Spoon 1 cup gumbo over the top, making sure each person gets an assortment of the seafood and andouille. For appetizer servings, serve half this amount in a cup.
Note: Seafood stock is available at high-end food stores and larger supermarkets.
Seasoning mix:
In small bowl, mix all ingredients well.
