Low-Fat Seafood Gumbo

By Ellan

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tab. vegetable oil
• 2 tab. unsalted butter
• 2 med. onions, chopped
• 1 poblano pepper, chopped
• 2 rib celery, finely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (15oz.) can whole tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups clam juice
• 8 oz. fresh okra, tops trimmed and halved lenghtwise
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• kosher salt
• 1/2 teas. cayenne
• 2 teas. fresh thyme leaves
• 3 blue crabs, quartered, opt.
• 1 lb. med. shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 doz. shucked oysters, liquid reserved
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 lb. lump crabmeat

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400 degree. Put the flour on a baking sheet and cook for about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flour is a dark nut brown.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven, heat the oil with the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, pepper, celery and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, crushing them through your fingers into the pot with their juices and cook for another 5 minutes. Gradually sift the browned flour in the port until the vegetables are coated, cook for 2 minutes more. Slowly pour in the stock and clam juice, stirring constantly. Add the okra, bay leaves, lemon juice, salt, cayenne, thyme, and crabs. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

Add the shrimp, oysters with their liquid, green onions and parsley; cook until the shrimp turn pink, about 3 minutes. Add the lump crabmeat and season the gumbo, to taste.