Gumbo

By Peggie

Ingredients

• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 each red and green bell pepper
• 1/2 lb (250 g) okra
• 1/2 cup (4 oz/125 ml) canola or vegetable oil
• 6 tbsp all purpose flour
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14.5 oz/455 g) diced tomatoes, with juice
• 5 cups (40 oz/1.25 L) fish stock or bottled clam juice
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 1/2 tbsp Creole seasoning blend
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 lb andouille sausage, sliced into 1 inch pieces
• 1 lb large shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1 cup crabmeat, picked over for shell fragments
• 1 tsp file powder
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Dice the onion and bell peppers. Set aside. Trim the stems from the okra pods, then cut the pods crosswise into slices 1/2 inch thick. Ina large, heavy soup pot over medium heat, warm 2 tbsp of the oil. Add the okra and sauté, stirring occasionally, until holder brown and softened, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

In the same pot over medium heat, warm the remain gin 6 tbsp of oil for 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour until incorporated. Cook the mixture, or roux, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until dark brown, about 4 minutes. do not let the roux turn black. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.

Add the reserved okra, tomatoes and juice, stock, bay leaves, Creole seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil offer medium- high heat and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes to blend the flavours.

Stir in the sausage, shrimp, and crabmeat and cook unit the sausage is heated through and the shrimp are pink, 3 minutes longer. Sprinkle in the file powder and stir for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaves.

To serve, spoon rice into warmed bowls, ladle the gumbo on top, and garnish with the parsley.

Serving Tip: Serve the gumbo with a scoop of white rice. Two cups uncooked rice will make enough for 6 servings. For extra heat and zest, pass hot pepper sauce at the table.

Makes 6 servings