Just decided that today being on the cool side outside and the ground still soaked from our two days of rain that I would stay inside and cook...
Note: If you want to fix this recipe, that is cool...but...making the roux will take you about an hour of almost constant stirring...so, make sure you have all morning or afternoon to make this dish...
Difficulty: it's not hard if you will simply take your time and not rush the dish...
Ingredients (in no particular order):
1 1/2 cups each Bell Pepper, Celery, and White Onion
4 cloves of garlic chopped/diced/or otherwise cut up
1/2 cup green onion tops
1 lb Okra
2 tsp Kosher Salt
1 Quart Chicken Stock
2 Quarts Water
2 cans (14.5 ounce) stewed tomatos (I use the italian recipe because it fits well with the other spices)
1 small can tomato paste
1 Tbsp Dried Parsley
1 Tbsp Thyme
1 Tbsp Oregano
2 Tbsp Cajun Spice (to start with, the spice it up as it cooks)
4 Tbsp Butter
1 lb fish (I like a firm fish in my gumbo)
2 packages of lump crab meat
1 lb shrimp
(if I missed anything, I will edit the recipe)
Making the roux...cast iron is the only way to go making a good roux...one cup of oil and a cup of self rising flower...cook this on medium low...or medium max...if you cook it quicker you will burn your roux as sure as the devil (speaking from experinece here)...
While your roux is cooking (stir it!) there is time for the prep work...prepare the trinity (equal parts white onion, bell pepper, and celery - about 1 1/2 cups each), chop your green onion, prepare your garlic, cut up your fish (I used red snapper in about 3/4" cubes - about a pound), 2 packages of lump crab meat, and a pound of good shrimp...
make sure to stir your roux...it will darken up gradually...add 1 Tbsp Thyme, 1 Tbsp Oregano, and 1 Tbsp Parsley to the roux when the roux is about half way done (I want my roux almost chocolate colored for a dark gumbo)
In another skillet, sautee the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery in 4 Tbsp butter (I used about 6 or 8)...(stir your roux!)
while the roux is cooking (don't forget to stir it) and the trinity is sauteeing, in a large stockpot, combine tomatos, tomato paste, green onions, chicken stock, salt, water, and cajun seasoning (I use my home made that is made with Bhut Jolokia)...the quart of chicken stock is in a jar that had 7 pot powder in it and is quite spicy in itself...
roux is almost getting there (stir it!)
Add the sauteed trinity and the roux to the stockpot...
you can stop stirring the roux now...
simmer for about an hour or hour and a half tasting and adjusting your spice mixture as you go along...not shown in the ingredients picture is Tony Chachares shrimp and crab boil, and Old Bay seasoning...I added two tsp of the shrimp boil and 1 Tbsp of the Old Bay...just tweak the taste to your liking...
I am cooking this batch for 1 1/2 hours...will add the shrimp, fish, crab meat, and Okra an hour into cooking...
back with more photos in a bit when I get ready to eat....
Note: If you want to fix this recipe, that is cool...but...making the roux will take you about an hour of almost constant stirring...so, make sure you have all morning or afternoon to make this dish...
Difficulty: it's not hard if you will simply take your time and not rush the dish...
Ingredients (in no particular order):
1 1/2 cups each Bell Pepper, Celery, and White Onion
4 cloves of garlic chopped/diced/or otherwise cut up
1/2 cup green onion tops
1 lb Okra
2 tsp Kosher Salt
1 Quart Chicken Stock
2 Quarts Water
2 cans (14.5 ounce) stewed tomatos (I use the italian recipe because it fits well with the other spices)
1 small can tomato paste
1 Tbsp Dried Parsley
1 Tbsp Thyme
1 Tbsp Oregano
2 Tbsp Cajun Spice (to start with, the spice it up as it cooks)
4 Tbsp Butter
1 lb fish (I like a firm fish in my gumbo)
2 packages of lump crab meat
1 lb shrimp
(if I missed anything, I will edit the recipe)
Making the roux...cast iron is the only way to go making a good roux...one cup of oil and a cup of self rising flower...cook this on medium low...or medium max...if you cook it quicker you will burn your roux as sure as the devil (speaking from experinece here)...
While your roux is cooking (stir it!) there is time for the prep work...prepare the trinity (equal parts white onion, bell pepper, and celery - about 1 1/2 cups each), chop your green onion, prepare your garlic, cut up your fish (I used red snapper in about 3/4" cubes - about a pound), 2 packages of lump crab meat, and a pound of good shrimp...
make sure to stir your roux...it will darken up gradually...add 1 Tbsp Thyme, 1 Tbsp Oregano, and 1 Tbsp Parsley to the roux when the roux is about half way done (I want my roux almost chocolate colored for a dark gumbo)
In another skillet, sautee the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery in 4 Tbsp butter (I used about 6 or 8)...(stir your roux!)
while the roux is cooking (don't forget to stir it) and the trinity is sauteeing, in a large stockpot, combine tomatos, tomato paste, green onions, chicken stock, salt, water, and cajun seasoning (I use my home made that is made with Bhut Jolokia)...the quart of chicken stock is in a jar that had 7 pot powder in it and is quite spicy in itself...
roux is almost getting there (stir it!)
Add the sauteed trinity and the roux to the stockpot...
you can stop stirring the roux now...
simmer for about an hour or hour and a half tasting and adjusting your spice mixture as you go along...not shown in the ingredients picture is Tony Chachares shrimp and crab boil, and Old Bay seasoning...I added two tsp of the shrimp boil and 1 Tbsp of the Old Bay...just tweak the taste to your liking...
I am cooking this batch for 1 1/2 hours...will add the shrimp, fish, crab meat, and Okra an hour into cooking...
back with more photos in a bit when I get ready to eat....
