Anyone have a good recipe for Seafood Gumbo?

Answer 1

Seafood gumbo. It ain't a recipe, it's dozens, if not hundreds, of recipes. There are so many different ways to make this dish, and it is made in so many different ways by so many Louisiana cooks and chefs, that it's almost futile to list one recipe here. I'm going to list a few, but please by no means think these are definitive. They're good gumbos, and good places to start off. As you learn more about Creole cuisine, feel free to experiment with different combinations of seafood, roux or no roux, filé or no filé, okra or no okra, tomatoes or no tomatoes (I don't like tomatoes in my gumbo, me ... but lots of Louisianians do). Just remember ... you CANNOT have a good seafood gumbo without a good seafood stock. Don't use water, and don't use bottled clam juice.
Remember to use a non-reactive (non-cast iron) pot for any gumbo (or any dish, for that matter) that includes okra or tomatoes, as they will discolor.

These recipes can be cut in half if you don't want to feed an army.

Do NOT under any circumstances use imitation crabmeat, or surimi, in any crab gumbo dishes. If you tried that in Louisiana, you'd be shot on sight. If you try it elsewhere ... I'll know. And I'll come into your dreams and haunt you and you'll be slowly devoured by dull-toothed alligators.

This gumbo uses a very small amount of roux, so that it remains light. You may omit the okra if you like, and thicken the gumbo with filé powder instead -- it'll still be good, but will have a quite different flavor.



1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup flour
2 medium onions, diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
3 ribs celery, finely diced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
4 tomatoes (or 8 Roma tomatoes), seeded and diced (if you like tomatoes in your gumbo)
1 cup tomato purée (see above)
2 pounds okra, chopped
4 quarts shrimp stock, crab stock or fish stock
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning blend
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 dozen oysters, freshly shucked, liquor reserved
4 blue crabs, cleaned (optional)
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
1 tablespoon filé powder (if okra isn't used)
8 cups cooked long-grain white rice
In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil and add the flour. Stir constantly until a light brown roux is formed, then add the onions, bell pepper, celery and garlic. Sauté until the onions become translucent and the vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes and tomato purée, if you wish, and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. (I know I sound like a broken record, but I'm not one of those people who likes tomatoes in my gumbo, but lots of people do. Your mileage may vary.)
Add the seasonings, and about 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and continue to cook another 10 minutes. Add the okra, and cook for another 10 minutes, then add the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook another 30 minutes.

(If you wish a more rustic gumbo, you may add whole blue crabs. Remove the hard top shell from the crabs (reserving for stuffed crabs or for shellfish stock), and break each crab in two down the middle. Remove the claws. Add to the stock.) With the gumbo on very low heat, add the shrimp 10 minutes before serving, the oysters and oyster liquor 5 minutes before serving, and the crabmeat just before serving (don't cook the crabmeat, just stir until it is heated through). Taste and correct seasonings.

If you don't like okra, or if you just prefer to make a filé gumbo, remove from heat and sprinkle the filé powder on the surface of the gumbo, then cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Then uncover and stir to mix. Be careful if there are leftovers -- filé doesn't reheat all that well, and you must be careful to reheat gently. If the gumbo comes back to a boil after the filé has been added, it will get stringy.

Place about 1/2 to 2/3 cup of rice in each bowl and ladle the gumbo over and around it. Serve with plenty of french bread and good beer or white wine.

YIELD: About 10-12 entrée servings or 20-24 appetizer servings (omit hard shell crabs if serving cups of gumbo as an appetizer).

Answer 2

If you are a novice buy the Zatarain's gumbo mix in the box, it is great and you may add more okra, onions and file powder if you'd like to make it taste more homemade. All you need is your Andouille sausage, chicken and shrimp or whatever seafood you are using. If you are a sho nuff cook then check out Emeril's recipe on the food network website.

Answer 3

Seafood Gumbo:

1/2 pound sliced bacon, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced (1 1/2 cups)
1 medium onion, sliced (1 cup)
1 green pepper, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chicken broth
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 pound large raw shrimp, cleaned
1 pound fresh or frozen crabmeat
1 10-ounce box frozen okra, thawed and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces

Cook the bacon over medium heat in a heavy saucepan until crisp, stirring frequently. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the fat, then add the vegetables (except the okra), 4 cups of broth, Worcestershire, salt, and thyme. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add the okra and cook 10 minutes longer. Stir in the shellfish and cook 5 minutes more, or until the shrimp curl and turn pink.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Answer 4

Go to the Tabasco Country Store. They have recipes for many traditional Cajun' dishes. You may want to cut back a little on their measure for the amount of Tabasco sauce, but try this one:

http://www.tabasco.com/taste_tent/recipes/recipe.cfm?id=84

Answer 5

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups crabmeat; 2 pounsd shrimp, in shells; 3 quarts water; 2 small bay leaves; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 1 small onion, cut in wedges; salt and black pepper; paresley; 2 lb okra, sliced; 4 tablespoons bacon grease, divided; 4 tomatoes, peeled & chooped; 2 onions finely chooped; 2 green peppers finely chooped; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper; 4 tablespoons brown roux; reserved shrimp stock; salt, pepper, thyme, parsely to taste; hot cooked white rice ( u can get them at the seafood place ot the market)


Perparation: in a large Dutch( doesn't have to) oven boil the waer w/ the bay leaves, lemon juice, onion wedges, salt, pepper,and parsely. wash shrimp and add to pot; boil for about 2 min. when it is ready let it cool; peel shrimp and return shells to the stock for later use. put shrimp and crab meat in fridge untill ready to add to the gumbo.

saute orka in 2 tablespoons bacon grease in large heavy skillet. the okra will turn darker as it cooks. when okra is softh, transfer to a stew pot and tomatoes. stir and mix together well. clean skillet and heat remaining 2 tablespoons bacon grease. saute the chopped onion, green pepper,and red pepper.when softh, add to the stew pot.

in a saucepan warm the roux; strain shrimp stock and stir into the roux. when well blended, add to the large stew pot w/ the other ingredients. bring to a boil and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, adding more strained stock if needed. taste and add salt, pepper, thyme,and parsley to taste. simmer for 1 to 2 hours longre; add the shrimp and crab meat and cook for 15 more min. serve w/ fresh boiled rice.

ENJOY! :)

Answer 6

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