Description
Hearty Louisiana seafood gumbo blends Creole culinary traditions with rich, complex flavors. Spicy roux, tender shrimp, and andouille sausage create a comforting meal you’ll savor to the last spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 0.5 lb crabmeat (lump or claw)
- 0.5 lb oysters (optional)
- 0.5 cup vegetable oil
- 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups seafood stock (or chicken stock)
- 2 cups sliced okra (fresh or frozen)
- 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsps Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsps Cajun seasoning (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 0.5 tsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Cooked white rice
- Chopped green onions and parsley for garnish
- Hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Roux Creation: Craft a dark chocolate-hued roux by whisking flour into sizzling oil in a heavy pot, stirring vigilantly for 15-20 minutes until achieving a deep, nutty brown without burning.
- Vegetable Infusion: Incorporate chopped onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic into the roux, sautéing until vegetables become translucent and release their aromatic essence.
- Liquid and Seasoning Integration: Stream seafood stock into the roux-vegetable base while whisking continuously, then add diced tomatoes, smoked paprika, Cajun seasoning, thyme, bay leaves, and Worcestershire sauce to build a robust flavor profile.
- Simmering and Flavor Development: Allow the gumbo to simmer gently for 35-40 minutes, enabling ingredients to meld and intensify the complex flavor landscape while naturally thickening the stew.
- Seafood Incorporation: Delicately introduce shrimp, crabmeat, oysters, and sliced okra into the bubbling mixture, cooking until seafood turns opaque and reaches perfect tenderness.
- Final Refinement: Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and Cajun spices to personal taste, ensuring a harmonious balance of flavors.
- Presentation: Ladle the steaming gumbo over fluffy white rice, garnishing with freshly chopped green onions, parsley, and optional hot sauce to capture the authentic Louisiana culinary spirit.
Notes
- Master the Roux: Patience is key when creating the dark chocolate-colored base; continuous stirring prevents burning and ensures a deep, nutty flavor without bitterness.
- Seafood Timing Precision: Add delicate seafood in the final cooking stages to prevent overcooking; shrimp, crabmeat, and oysters should just turn opaque to maintain tenderness and prevent rubbery texture.
- Flavor Layering Technique: Build complexity by sautéing the holy trinity (onions, bell peppers, celery) in the roux, allowing vegetables to release their aromatics and create a rich foundational flavor profile.
- Dietary Adaptability: Swap seafood with chicken or andouille sausage for alternative protein options; use gluten-free flour for roux to make the dish celiac-friendly without compromising traditional taste.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Cajun/Creole
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg