Seafood Okra Gumbo

By JimMac

Ingredients

• 1 pound gumbo crabs without the legs, rinsed well and quartered
• 1 1/4 pounds andouille or other spicy sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1 cup chopped green bell peppers
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup finely chopped garlic
• 1 pound small okra, stem ends trimmed and sliced 1/2-inch thick - sliced frozen are fine
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 10 cups shrimp or fish stock
• 1 teaspoon liquid crab boil
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds medium (26 to 30 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 1 pint oysters, with their liquor-optional
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• Steamed White Rice, for serving
• Chopped Green Onion Tops, for serving

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place gumbo crab quarters on a small baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant. Set aside. or use 2 containers of lump crab (do not put in oven).

Cook the andouille, in batches, in a large stockpot, over medium-high heat until browned and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Remove the andouille plate, and reserve. Add the vegetable oil to the stockpot and heat with any excess fat from the sausage over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, and celery and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the okra and cook, stirring, until the vegetable has released most of its slime, about 3 minutes. Stir in the, basil, thyme, and bay leaves and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add the stock, stirring well. Add the reserved gumbo crabs, browned sausage, liquid crab boil, salt, and pepper to the stock and bring mixture to a boil. When mixture is at a boil, add the roux, a little at a time and whisking to incorporate. Wait until mixture returns to a boil before adding more roux. When all of the roux has been added, bring gumbo to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently for 45 minutes. Using a clean ladle, occasionally skim any impurities or foam that rises to the top of the gumbo.

Season the shrimp with the Essence in a medium bowl. Add the shrimp, oysters, and their liquid to the gumbo, stir well, and cook until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through and the edges of the oysters start to curl, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Serve immediately over steamed white rice and garnish with chopped green onions tops, if desired.