Seafood Gumbo
Category
Gourmet Soups, Stews, & Bisques
Servings
6-8
There are many different ways to make this delicious Southern specialty, some of them very controversial. Tomatoes or not? File powder or not? Hot sauce or cayenne? Absolutely no artificial crab meat allowed! What all good seafood gumbos have in common is a variety of seafood, the "holy trinity" (onion, celery, and green pepper), roux, a little peppery heat, and a flavorful seafood stock. This is our version--try it out and make it your own!
Ingredients
-
4 ounces sliced bacon
-
About 1/4 cup vegetable oil
-
1/2 cup flour
-
2 cups diced onions
-
1 cup diced celery
-
1 cup diced green pepper
-
4 cloves garlic, minced
-
3 ounces Glace de Fruits de Mer Gold® dissolved in 2 quarts hot water
-
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with their juices
-
1 pound frozen sliced okra (not thawed)
-
1 teaspoon dried thyme
-
1 bay leaf
-
2 teaspoons salt, plus additional as needed
-
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
-
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
-
1 1/2 pounds medium raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
-
1/2 pound jumbo lumb crab meat, picked over for shell pieces
-
1 cup shucked fresh oysters
-
6-8 cups cooked white rice
-
1 bunch green onins, white and light green parts, thinly sliced, for garnish
Methods/Steps
Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until it is browned, but not crisp. Remove the bacon from the skillet, crumble it, and set it aside. Transfer the bacon fat to a measuring cup and and enough vegetable oil to make 6 tablespoons.
Stir together the combined fat and oil and the flour in the skillet to make a roux. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat, until the roux has turned a caramel color, about 5 minutes. Add the onions, celery, green pepper, and garlic and continue cooking and stirring until the roux has turned the color of milk chocolate, about 5-10 minutes more.
Stir in the diluted Glace de Fruits de Mer Gold®, tomatoes, okra, thyme, bay leaf, 2 teaspoons salt, and cayenne. Bring the mixture to a simmer, adjust the heat to medium low, and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender. Stir occasionally and skim the surface as needed.
Add the reserved crumbled bacon, parsley, shrimp, crab, and oysters, and simmer 5 minutes more, until the seafood is just cooked through. Season to taste with additonal salt.
Serve the gumbo ladled over the rice, with a generous sprinkle of sliced green onions.
Additional Tips
Wine Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc or dry Rosé